Thore Dankert believes that balance isn’t something you find—it’s something you build. With a foundation in political science and a Master’s in Business Development from Copenhagen Business School, he bridges critical thinking with creative strategy to drive meaningful digital transformation. As Executive Director and Head of Digital at Novo Holdings, Thore applies a hands-on approach to fostering awareness and curiosity within organizations, not just through grand initiatives, but through the rhythms of everyday work. He champions tools like pretotyping, design thinking, and agile experimentation—not as trendy terms, but as essential mindsets for navigating an ever-evolving digital landscape. For Thore, readiness is a myth in fast-moving environments: success belongs to those who build, test, and adapt in real time.
From Political Science to Digital Strategy
Thore Dankert’s journey as a business leader has been defined by curiosity, adaptability, and a deep conviction that technology only creates value when it’s meaningfully connected to people. With an academic foundation in political science and a Master of Business Development from Copenhagen Business School, Thore blends critical thinking with creative problem-solving—a dual lens that has served him well across a diverse career in consulting and executive leadership.
His passion for digital transformation truly crystallized during his leadership roles at AKA and later at ATP, one of Denmark’s largest pension companies. At ATP, Thore spearheaded a comprehensive rebuild and expansion of the Data & Analytics department, scaling the team from 10 to 45 employees and transforming it into an innovation powerhouse with capabilities in AI, automation, business intelligence, and emerging technologies.
Reflecting on the evolution of tech, Thore often notes the stark shift from siloed IT functions to the current reality, where communication and business understanding are now the most critical skills in tech. For him, creating value in technology is less about code and more about being a trusted business partner who understands people.
Today, as Executive Director and Head of Digital at Novo Holdings, Thore leads the organization’s digital transformation agenda. His ambition is to position Novo Holdings as an internationally recognized digital leader within the investment space. He believes this mission is 10% about technology—and 90% about people, change management, and culture. His focus is on embedding digital imagination and awareness into the organization’s everyday practices.
Thore’s leadership has been tested through challenges ranging from reviving declining departments and overcoming resistance to change, to navigating rapid technological shifts and fostering cultural alignment. Grounded in stoic principles, he approaches his work with clarity, calm, and a strong sense of purpose: focus on what you can control, and move forward with intention.
About Novo Holdings
Novo Holdings is the holding and investment company responsible for managing the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation—one of the world’s largest enterprise foundations. The firm invests in life science companies across all development stages and also manages a diversified portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate, infrastructure, and private equity.
As of year-end 2024, Novo Holdings managed total assets of DKK 1,060 billion (EUR 142 billion). The company’s mission is to improve human health and contribute to a more sustainable society and planet by generating strong long-term returns on behalf of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Novo Holdings aspires to be a leading responsible investor, recognized for both its financial performance and its positive societal impact.
Empowering People, Driving Change
Thore Dankert believes that meaningful digital transformation starts with trust, clarity, and purpose—and that people always come before technology. As Executive Director and Head of Digital at Novo Holdings, he is shaping the company’s digital future with a focus on empowering individuals, fostering a culture of curiosity, and building digital confidence across the organization.
With a background in political science and a Master of Business Development from Copenhagen Business School, Thore’s career has spanned consulting, executive leadership, and transformative roles in the public and private sectors. His passion for digital innovation took root at ATP, where he led the full-scale rebuild and scaling of the Data & Analytics department—growing the team from 10 to 45 and establishing a vibrant innovation hub with expertise in AI, automation, business intelligence, and emerging tech.
At both ATP and Novo Holdings, Thore has led diverse cross-functional teams—data scientists, product owners, automation experts, and innovation leads—underpinned by a consistent leadership philosophy: motivation is intrinsic, and people thrive when they feel seen, challenged, and trusted. He invests in setting a clear direction, then gives teams the autonomy to achieve it in their own way, fostering ownership and relevance in their work.
A bilingual thinker in both business and tech, Thore bridges the gap between C-level vision and developer execution. He understands that developers want to make an impact—and ensures they’re equipped not just with technical skills, but also with the business acumen and confidence to challenge assumptions and co-create value.
At Novo Holdings, Thore is leading the charge to embed digital tools and thinking into the very fabric of the organization. His goal is to make digital transformation something the business owns—not a siloed initiative from the tech department. That includes championing internal academies, creating shared digital language, and helping employees connect AI, data, and automation directly to their everyday work.
He envisions a future where Novo Holdings stands as a digitally confident organization: one where advanced technologies enhance investment decisions and streamline operations, and where digital imagination is as valued as technical expertise. It’s a future that’s grounded in human-centric values and achieved through strategy, innovation, and above all, a culture that embraces change.
For Thore, digital transformation is 10% technology—and 90% mindset.
Where Technology Meets Trust
Thore Dankert’s leadership philosophy is grounded in a simple, powerful Stoic principle from Epictetus: “Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” For Thore, this mindset shapes everything—from how he drives digital transformation to how he shows up as a partner, father, and leader.
Thore believes that balance isn’t something you find—it’s something you build, and it evolves over time. Whether he’s leading digital initiatives at Novo Holdings or spending time with his family—his partner Kathrine, their children Axel and Augusta, and their French bulldog Mr. Beef—he brings the same intention and presence. His view is that leadership doesn’t end when the laptop closes. The values he lives at home influence the culture he builds at work, and vice versa.
In his role as Executive Director and Head of Digital, Thore is on a mission to elevate digital capabilities across Novo Holdings. He sees technology not just as a tool—but as an active colleague. His goal is to enable world-class professionals in the holding and investment space to focus on what they do best, by integrating tech into their workflows in intuitive, empowering ways.
Too often, digital is siloed—seen as a department or a buzzword. Thore’s approach is different. He’s working to embed digital fluency into the organizational mindset so that portfolio managers, investment teams, and even board members feel confident using data, AI, and automation to make better, faster decisions.
For him, digital transformation isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about innovation, resilience, and value creation. It’s about rethinking how organizations approach risk, sustainability, relationships, and growth. And it’s about shifting the entire investment sector from digital adoption to digital leadership.
Thore brings to the table a rare blend of strategic clarity and human empathy. He’s fluent in both C-suite priorities and developer logic—bridging the gap between ambition and execution. His leadership style is rooted in trust, purpose, and autonomy, empowering teams to take ownership and make meaningful contributions.
He knows the work is never done—but with a mindset rooted in stoicism, a focus on people, and a clear digital vision, Thore is helping Novo Holdings, and the wider industry, build a future where technology amplifies human potential at every level.
Not Just Digital—Deeply Human
Thore Dankert leads with the belief that digital transformation is only 10% about technology—and 90% about people, change management, and culture. At Novo Holdings, he’s driving a transformation that prioritizes user adoption, cultural alignment, and shared ownership over tech innovation. Because, as Thore often emphasizes, even the best digital products are meaningless if no one uses them.
His approach is deeply human-centered. Rather than reserving technology for a select group of specialists, Thore champions internal academies and cross-functional learning programs that empower everyone—from analysts to executives—to understand and actively use digital tools. This democratization of technology turns it from a silo into a shared asset, embedded across the organization.
Thore’s mantra is simple yet powerful: Use technology not just to digitize, but to humanize. The goal is to create more time, enable better decisions, and strengthen the connection between data and purpose.
He’s also a firm believer in starting with curiosity and staying grounded in purpose. In a world brimming with buzzwords—AI, blockchain, automation—Thore urges entrepreneurs and leaders alike to focus first on real problems and human outcomes. Success, he says, doesn’t come from chasing trends but from applying technology in ways that are scalable, sustainable, and deeply human.
That mindset is reflected in his leadership playbook: don’t wait until you’re 100% ready. In digital transformation, speed matters more than certainty. Start small, experiment boldly, fail fast—and learn even faster. For Thore, tools like pretotyping, design thinking, and agile experimentation are not optional—they’re survival skills in a rapidly evolving landscape.
At Novo Holdings, he’s translating that philosophy into action—building a culture where digital imagination thrives and where transformation is driven not by technology alone, but by people with purpose.
