Novo Nordisk will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting on November 14, 2025.¹ During the meeting, significant changes are expected to be made to the company’s board.

What changes is Novo Nordisk making to its board?

In a statement on the company’s website, the following members of the board are said not be standing for election during the meeting:

• Chair Helge Lund
• Vice Chair Henrik Poulsen
• Laurence Debroux
• Andreas Fibig
• Sylvie Grégoire
• Christina Law
• Martin Mackay

The following members are expected to remain on the board: Elisabeth Dahl Christensen, Liselotte Hyveled, Mette Bøjer Jensen and Thomas Rantzau.

The board’s chair, Helge Lund, said in a statement on the company’s website, “Following dialogue with the Novo Nordisk Foundation regarding the future composition of the Board of Directors, it has not been possible to reach a common understanding. The Board proposed a renewal focusing on addition of select, new competencies while also maintaining continuity, whereas the Board of the Foundation wanted a more extensive reconfiguration. After thorough deliberation and considering the Foundation’s position and control of the majority of votes in Novo Nordisk, the Board concluded that it is in the best interest of the company and its shareholders to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting to elect new board members to provide clarity on the future governance of Novo Nordisk.”

In a press release, the following names were listed as being nominated to the board by the Novo Nordisk Foundation:²

• Lars Rebien Sørensen, Chair
• Cees de Jong, Vice Chair
• Britt Meelby Jensen, Member
• Mikael Dolsten, Member
• Stephan Engels, Member

Lars Rebien Sørensen, chair of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, said in the press release, "The Foundation fully supports the Novo Nordisk Board's appointment of CEO Mike Doustdar and the transformation plans announced on 10 September. We believe it is time to bring in new competencies and perspectives to the Board to support Mike Doustdar and his leadership team in executing on the company's strategy, and we therefore agree with the decision to call for an extraordinary general meeting.”

He continued, “Given the fast-moving environment in which Novo Nordisk operates, we believe that it is in the best interest of the company and its shareholders to implement a board renewal as soon as possible, rather than wait until the ordinary annual general meeting in March next year."

The statement concludes, "I want to thank Novo Nordisk's Board for setting direction and ensuring governance of the company through years of unprecedented growth."

The announcement comes just over a month after Novo Nordisk announced plans to simplify operations and reduce its global workforce by 9,000 jobs. According to a statement from the company at the time, the plan is to reinvest the savings back into the company.

In a press release issued at the time, Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said, “As the global leader in obesity and diabetes, Novo Nordisk delivers life-changing products for patients worldwide. But our markets are evolving, particularly in obesity, as it has become more competitive and consumer driven. Our company must evolve as well. This means instilling an increased performance-based culture, deploying our resources ever more effectively, and prioritizing investment where it will have the most impact––behind our leading therapy areas.”

He continued, “It is always difficult to see talented and valued colleagues go, but we are convinced that this is the right thing to do for the long-term success of Novo Nordisk. We need a shift in our mindset and approach so we can be faster and more agile. Our transformation plan is designed to deliver this. By realigning our resources now, we will be able to prioritize investments to drive sustainable growth and future innovation for the millions of patients with chronic diseases globally, particularly in diabetes and obesity.”

Sources

1. Novo Nordisk announces an Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened to elect new members of the Board of Directors. Novo Nordisk. October 21, 2025. https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=916439
2. The Novo Nordisk Foundation proposes new candidates for election as members of the Board of Directors of Novo Nordisk A/S. Novo Nordisk Foundation. October 21, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-novo-nordisk-foundation-proposes-new-candidates-for-election-as-members-of-the-board-of-directors-of-novo-nordisk-as-302590212.html