CIO Insights: Niels Pærregaard, Novo Nordisk Foundation

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 Niels Pærregaard from Novo Nordisk Foundation. 

Strategy guides people, trust empowers them

As Director of Corporate IT at the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Niels Pærregaard combines clear governance, trust-based leadership, and a unifying approach to technology, ensuring that IT not only supports the foundation’s mission but actively enables scientific, societal, and organisational impact.

Leading digital transformation in a foundation is not the same as leading one in a traditional business environment, a fact that has been clear to Director of IT, Niels Pærregaard, at the Novo Nordisk Foundation since he started in 2017: 

‘Our role is to enable the foundation’s mission, not just support it. We are here to create coherence across numerous subsidiaries and initiatives. Beyond establishing clear frameworks for governance, architecture, and security, we are fostering a mindset shift – transforming IT from conventional service delivery to strategic partnership. The Foundation is a huge societal player, so our role in IT is very varied, depending on which of the units we support. We have built a team in IT that can handle exactly that change and take on new tasks as they come in from all directions. Over the years, the pace of change has accelerated. When I first joined, I wasn’t fully aware of what lay ahead: how intense the growth would be, how many new initiatives would emerge, and how quickly the Foundation would evolve. It’s been incredibly exciting, and I’ve genuinely looked forward to going to work every single day. But that development is exactly why IT must be a unifying force in the foundation.’

Being a unifying force, however, also places Niels and his team in a distinctive context to serve a mission that extends far beyond the organisation itself. That makes the question of value both more complex and more fundamental:

‘At the Novo Nordisk Foundation, understanding value means recognising the broader context. In the foundation world, impact isn’t just financial; it’s scientific and societal. That also means that the measure of value is very different from the financial metrics that define value in a traditional business context, and it’s not always straightforward. Instead, our approach requires us to rethink how we assess impact, focusing on outcomes that go beyond numbers. As a result, the technology we build must support collaboration, data transparency and long-term trust.’

That context has developed over time in the organisation and for Niels and his team: 

‘When I joined, IT was more operational. Over time, it’s become a much more strategic function, integrated into every part of the organisation. The expectations have changed, and now we’re part of the dialogue about how new technologies, including AI and quantum computing, can amplify impact.’

“I’m quite bullish on AI in the long term”

And when it comes to AI, Niels tries to take measured steps instead of racing forward: 

‘I’m quite bullish on AI in the long term, I really believe it will change how we work and think. I’m just careful in the short term. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and invest resources in initiatives that may not deliver real value. I still need to see where AI genuinely creates value before scaling up.’

In recent years, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has granted funding amounting to several billion DKK for next-generation computing. Through its national centre, DCAI, it launched Gefion last year, Denmark’s first AI supercomputer, while the Foundation via the Nordic quantum initiative, QuNorth, aims to deploy a commercial-grade quantum computer under the name Magne:

’It’s still early days, but we follow it closely. The potential for quantum computing is immense, especially in fields like life sciences and data modelling. Our engagement is both about understanding the technology and ensuring that the Danish ecosystem is ready to take advantage of it when it matures.’

Operating in this rapidly evolving context requires more than technical insight; it demands leadership across the board and strong teams. And a strong team is what Niels has: 

‘The level of competence here is incredibly high, and many of my colleagues have a background from research, investment banking or top-tier consulting. That’s fantastic, but especially for my team, we need to find people who thrive in a culture of collaboration, not competition. My goal is to build a team that’s both technically strong, ambitious, but also humanly sustainable.’

To Niels, this ambition requires constant attention to how people interact and grow together:

’Leadership, to me, is about clarity and empathy. You must be able to set direction and foster an environment where people thrive. Strategy guides people, while trust empowers them. I’ve learned that consistency and humility matter much more than having all the answers. I put a lot of emphasis on being myself and staying authentic. And for me, that also means being willing to be vulnerable.

I’m not a ‘superman’ leader, so if I have to give a presentation in front of 300 people, my team knows it puts pressure on me. I also don’t hide it if something in my private life is weighing on me. I’m open about that with my team. I don’t conceal anything if it affects my presence or performance with them. I believe that this helps create psychological safety, because they always know where I’m coming from.’

Guided by his commitment to openness and ongoing development as a leader, Niels is not afraid to learn from and be inspired by the leadership of others by watching how they lead: 

‘I have three female leaders on my team who inspire me every single day. They lead with empathy, calm, and great situational awareness, yet with a very high level of ambition. They create results by creating space for others to succeed. That’s something I really admire and try to learn from. I genuinely believe that future leadership will look much more like that: where you can be both strong and human at the same time.’ 

To Niels, leadership is about knowing when to step back, reflect, and understand his own approach – and how it shapes interactions with others:

‘You can’t lead others if you don’t understand yourself. I’ve worked a lot with personal development, learning to recognise my patterns and triggers. I come from a generation that just keeps going, that doesn’t ask for help. Becoming aware of that has made me a better leader, I think, at least more balanced and more attentive.’

Beyond personal reflection, Niels values spaces where ideas and experiences can be exchanged openly with peers facing similar challenges. He finds that in the CIO Transformation Board:

’It’s an incredibly unique network. You can be open about mistakes and challenges, and get honest, qualified sparring from people facing similar situations. Beyond the formal discussions, it’s the connections you build that really matter. We have strong relationships on the board and that means you also can reach out anytime to someone specific when you need practical advice or a perspective on leadership challenges.’

“Sustaining energy for high performance“

Away from work and his professional network, Niels is committed to maintaining the energy and focus required for performance-driven leadership – often finding that space between holes on the golf course: 

‘I’m passionate about golf. I’ve played for many years, but when I had young children, I didn’t have much time for it. Now I’ve taken it up again. Mindfulness is something I must work on, because my mind is always running. But golf allows me to switch off, and at the same time it gives me energy. Throughout my career, I’ve pushed myself to achieve ambitious goals, and I’ve learned that sustaining high performance means taking time to renew my energy. Mentally, professionally, and personally. Above all, I draw energy from the people around me – my family and loved ones, of course, but also my team. They are definitely some of my most important energisers, and they inspire me to keep raising the bar.’

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.

Read more about the CIO Transformation Board