Meet the transformational CIOs who are currently leading their businesses into the digital future.
Explore their most important initiatives, leadership goals, and how they see their roles evolving in the near future.
This time, in CIO Insights, we feature Bjørn Borup from Danish Red Cross.
I see IT becoming meaningful on a whole new level
Future-proofing the Danish Red Cross digitally has been and continues to be a huge transformation journey. However, for the organization’s first-ever CIO, Bjørn Borup, the use of governance structures along the way to engage in dialogue and foster involvement has paid off.
When Bjørn Borup stepped into the role as the first CIO of Danish Red Cross five years ago, it was the perfect continuation of his professional passion for digital transformation and his deep commitment to humanitarian work and human connection:
’Being part of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation and Denmark’s largest, with its special obligations to society and the world had, so much appeal to me. These obligations significantly impact my field, IT, which makes it even more exciting. The Red Cross is not just an NGO; it has an UN-mandated role in humanitarian aid, protecting war victims, visiting prisoners, and providing medical assistance in conflict zones. Beyond that, it drives health initiatives, social work, and youth engagement. All of this relies on organization, relief workers, volunteers – and IT. It makes perfect sense to me every day.’
From day one my strategy was clear
As the first-ever CIO of the Danish Red Cross, Bjørn embarked on a substantial growth journey, which has seen the initial ten employees in his department grow to over forty under his leadership:
‘When I joined, senior management recognized that we weren’t where we needed to be digitally – especially if we were to future-proof Denmark’s largest humanitarian organization. From day one, my strategy was clear: to build a solid digital foundation that keeps the Red Cross relevant for future generations of volunteers. With 40.000 volunteers and 201 local branches, the digital demands are significant. Volunteering is evolving, and future volunteers will have different expectations. Their digital experience with the Red Cross must be seamless and well-supported.’
Danish Red Cross is a differentiated organisation with a commercial aspect, not only through its fundraising efforts but also through its network of more than 250 shops, making it one of Denmark’s largest retail chains. This commercial arm supports the humanitarian mission both domestically and internationally. Additionally, there is collaboration with partner countries, where Bjørn, as CIO, also plays a role in developing automation solutions to aid field operations:
‘When I return from a trip, for example to Ukraine, I see firsthand the tremendous impact IT and digitalisation can have. On a broader human level, I also see how much the Red Cross does for people in need and how our Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers work tirelessly to help those in acute distress. It is impossible not to be moved by it. I see IT becoming meaningful on a whole new level.’
“There is a huge responsibility on us to use funds wisely”
Working for an organisation like the Red Cross also means that every expense spent on digital development projects and investments must be justified, with clear strategic goals in place:
‘Cost considerations are paramount for us, so it is essential for me to determine the actual needs. Some of the money donated by Danes to the Red Cross does not go directly to a refugee camp but instead funds the necessary digital infrastructure. There is a huge responsibility on us to use funds wisely, but it also means we must invest. And so we have. The modernisation of our platform, digitalisation, and future-proofing have been both a strategic and operational journey. On the strategic side, I am particularly pleased that we have successfully established governance structures, engaged our executive board in major investments and transformative projects, and strengthened ownership of our digital initiatives. I can now confidently say that the roadmap we set out on has become an embedded strategy within the executive board and across the organisation.’
For Bjørn, structuring decision-making and advisory processes around major investments and projects has been crucial:
‘We have established a Programme Board to ensure that, as we implement new systems such as CRM, CMS, HRM, and ERP to modernize and replace our entire digital platform, the right people are making the right decisions. The same applies to our Security Board, which handles data security and GDPR compliance within the organisation. Previously, there was little clarity on how to manage these issues, but through close collaboration with our DPO, we have resolved them. The board ensures that when we roll out GDPR awareness training across the organisation, and that it is properly validated and integrated into different departments, staff portfolios, and workflows.’
People are crucial
Taking on this huge transformation journey, Bjørn has encountered many milestones and leadership lessons along the way:
‘It is not new knowledge to me, but rather a reaffirmation of my experience that people are crucial. As technology leaders, we sometimes become too focused on technology itself and struggle to translate its business value. The landscape has matured somewhat, but we are still undergoing a significant learning curve. In some parts of the organisation, they are now fully capable of independently documenting the entire project initiation process. I have used governance structures to engage in dialogue with the organisation and foster involvement and it has paid off.’
This transformation has also required a significant evolution of Bjørn’s team, which has expanded considerably and necessitated the recruitment of highly skilled professionals:
‘As an NGO, we are not salary leaders, which is a challenge in attracting talent. However, our positioning within the IT industry has changed dramatically. Previously, few IT professionals considered Danish Red Cross as a potential workplace, but that has changed. We now rank 12th on the list of Denmark’s most attractive IT workplaces. Our purpose plays a key role in attracting talent. While enthusiasm may carry employees for a time, we also offer a strong professional community, which is crucial. Our brand is powerful – the Red Cross is one of the world’s most recognisable brands – and we also provide professional development. As a result, our digitalisation department has a low staff turnover, and we have successfully created specialised sections with a high level of expertise.’
When Bjørn looks beyond his current tasks, AI stands out as a clear priority and the Danish Red Cross has now established an AI Board:
We don’t want a wild west scenario
‘We have developed governance structures that reflect the nature of the technology. The board has set guidelines for employees, defining what they need to be aware of. We encourage experimentation and the use of AI where it adds value, but it comes with clear boundaries. We don’t want a ‘wild west’ scenario, so employees are not permitted to use free, open versions. But at the same time, through a small innovation fund within my department, there is room for experimental projects.
Last year, we launched an online second-hand shop. From a customer perspective, it has been successful, but for our volunteers in local branches, it has been challenging to keep enough items available online. Since we only have one of each product, new listings must be continuously uploaded. So, we developed an AI-based app for volunteers, allowing them to quickly take a picture, receive a suggested price and description, and upload the item effortlessly.
This has significantly expanded the selection, and the volunteers are thrilled about it. But besides these kinds of showcases, we also want to develop our innovation partnerships as we have done with Microsoft and Copenhagen Business Academy, the latter of whom helped develop the recycling app. Together with Microsoft, we are working on disaster warning systems in Nepal, where AI-based alert systems can be set up using inputs from weather stations and sensors in riverbeds to generate images that form the foundation for early warnings. If it works well in Nepal, it can be expanded to other partner countries.’
Increasingly, my job is about creating direct value
There are many moving parts in Bjørn’s digitalization department. While keeping the highly business-critical automation projects under their direct management, they also ensure decentralized ownership of other projects, along with the necessary governance and training. Ultimately, to Bjørn it all comes down to leadership:
‘There has been – and will continue to be – an increasing focus on how IT can support operations in the Red Cross. I can clearly feel the shift from focusing heavily on large transformative backend system projects to now needing to deliver value through digitalization at the frontlines. It’s a very healthy development because we now actually have modern platforms that make it possible. So increasingly, my job is about providing direct value in international operations or even in the cash registers in our thrift stores. I draw on my leadership values to make things happen. And to me, it’s all about people – being able to see who they are, having empathy, and keeping an open mind to different perspectives: What drives our international department or our fundraising efforts? How can my department stay relevant in that conversation? It’s about being accessible and dialogue-driven with my team and the rest of the organization—while maintaining a global outlook. I cannot and will not micromanage my employees. I always tell them that in their respective areas, they are all more skilled than I am. They are the experts, and of course, I provide them with all the guidance I can, but they also need space to grow, just as my managers need their own leadership space. So, my role is primarily to ensure coherence, continuity, and dialogue.’
“It’s about people meeting people to help people“
According to Bjørn, maintaining a broad perspective also means recognizing the potential of future generations and their unique capabilities:
‘I believe we can learn a lot from the generations that are digitally native. This is evident in our innovation collaboration with Copenhagen Business Academy. They think in ways that are completely different from ours. My generation tends to think analogically and then add digital elements, whereas younger people think digitally from the get-go. Having that mindset is crucial if we want to remain relevant to future volunteers and the humanitarian sector. At the same time, there is a delicate balance in our organization, where digital solutions must not get in the way of our core DNA: it’s about people meeting people to help people. Digital tools should support that mission, not overshadow it.’
I read anything I can get my hands on
When making the many decisions regarding the Danish Red Cross’s digital transformation in recent years, networking has played a crucial role for Bjørn:
‘I have a small network of Red Cross CIOs across Scandinavia, and we are getting better at sharing knowledge in concrete ways. Additionally, I greatly appreciate the CIO Transformation Board, where my peers, despite working in commercial companies, are incredibly inspiring. There is always something I can take away from it. I see it as an increasingly valuable community.’
At times, Bjørn also finds inspiration in books, particularly in literature:
‘I read anything I can get my hands on, and I’m part of what we jokingly call a ‘literary salon’. It’s essentially a book club that has been running for eight years, where we have read and discussed the great classics. It helps me maintain a certain mental agility, allowing me to shift perspectives, understand where people are coming from, what drives them, and what pressures they face.’
As for the future and whether it includes board roles, Bjørn remains open to possibilities:
‘I’m in the privileged position of having a job I love in an organization I truly value. Being part of the leadership team gives me a voice and the manoeuvrability I need to thrive. But it’s possible that I could contribute to a board at some point. Right now, I have so many exciting things in my life. I even signed up for the Home Guard because I believe in the civic duty to contribute. From where I stand and what I witness globally, contributing to strengthening the emergency preparedness isn’t just a nice thing to do – it’s a need to do for me.’
The CIO Transformation Board
In the Danish ICT Industry Association (IT-Branchen), we have the CIO Transformation Board, which brings together the most visionary CIOs from Denmark’s large and medium-sized companies. These are CIOs from businesses where digitalization is a strategic part of the business — but where there is also a desire to do more than just digitalize.
We aim not only to highlight Denmark’s most talented CIOs and share experiences and best practices across industries, but also to set the agenda in the media and with politicians regarding Denmark’s and the business sector’s digital future.
The CIO Transformation Board is created for those who also want to help find the new balance between people and technology. For those who have a stance and want to help influence our green transition, address the skills shortage, and strengthen growth in Denmark.
