Biomanufacturing Project House has its Board of Directors
It is only a month ago that the news of BPH broke. A project with a total grant of 120 million DKK to create a place for a research and education initiative in Kalundborg. Now a strong board is in place.
BPH’s newly elected board, which consists of experienced representatives from Danish universities, local companies and Kalundborg Kommune, will bring both their network and their great expertise in biotech, process industry and industry 4.0 into play to contribute to the initiative's success.
Collaboration and applied research
The physical focal point of the initiative is BPH, which Absalon University College will run where graduate engineers already studies in Kalundborg. From here, students from Danish and international universities will carry out applied research in bioproduction, circular production, industry 4.0 and related areas in collaboration with local industry. The plan is to complete 75 master's projects in the first project period, which runs from 2020, when construction begins, to 2026.
The first students will begin their projects at BPH in early 2022, but the board is already now gearing up and getting to work.
Committed and competent board
Daniel Bojsen, director of Health, Social and Engineering at Absalon University College, who has the managerial responsibility for BPH, welcomes the newly established board:
“We have succeeded in bringing a very strong and competent team together with the right networks and competencies to lift the board responsibility for BPH. I am very much looking forward to the collaboration, and already before our first meeting, I have noticed a great commitment from representatives from both industry and universities. ”

The Board of Directors of BPH, which will be formally constituted at the next Board meeting in September 2020, consists of:
- Krist Gernaey, Professor, Institute of Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Chairman
- John K. Pedersen, Vice Dean, Research and Innovation, Faculty for Engineering and Science, PhD Study Director, Aalborg University
- Lars Ditlev Mørck Ottosen, Head of Engineering, Aarhus University
- Anna Haldrup, Head of Food Science, University of Copenhagen
- Kasper Hallenborg, Head of The Maersk MC-Kinney Møller Institute, Syddansk Universitet
- Daniel Bojsen, Director of Health, Social and Engineering, Absalon University College
- Claus Felby, Senior Vice President, Biotek, Novo Nordisk Foundation
- Michael Hallgren, Production Director, Novo Nordisk Kalundborg A/S
- Jesper Haugaard, Vice President, EMA operation, Novozymes
- Sølvi Storsæter Bjørgum, CEO, Equinor Refining Denmark A/S
- Jan Lysgaard Thomsen, Cheif Executive, Kalundborg kommune
- Director of BPH – (Have to be hired first)
Important role of the board
The board receives responsibility for selecting and awarding scholarships for master's dissertations and approving research projects that take place at BPH. Furthermore, the board, together with the coming director of BPH, is responsible for developing and choosing relevant strategies and policies for BPH that will ensure that the project's great potential is unleashed. The board will also assist the director of BPH in ensuring the success of the initiative and follow it closely to ensure that it lives up to stakeholders' expectations.
We welcome the board with great anticipations and joy.