Poul Due Jensen Foundation is talking with big letters, after the Danish crown prince hofchef, Christian Schønau, have chosen to withdraw from his post as chairman of the board of the fund.
Christian Schønau announced yesterday that he is leaving the fund, which owns 88 per cent of Grundfos, after he among other things in the Extra Magazine was criticized for possessing a dual role.
– It is not durable, that there may be doubt as to whether a conflict of interests between my duties as a hofchef for the crown prince and crown princess and bestyrelseshvervet in the Poul Due Jensen Foundation, said he to the stock Exchange.
the Director of the Poul Due Jensen Foundation, Kim Nøhr Skibsted, calls the criticism of Christian Schønau overdramatiseret.
– I think that the criticism and the extent of the criticism has been overproportioneret, overdramatiseret and strained, and Denmark seems like an exceptionally small country.
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– When the commentators as His Engell and Thomas Larsen is trying to set the agenda, smoking, common sense, and the proportions blown them up, says Kim Nøhr Skibsted.
Poul Due Jensen Foundation donated last year was 95 million dollars, and that is in the Grundfos group about 19,000 employees.
Kim Skibsted Nøhr was director of the Poul Due Jensen Foundation at the end of 2018, after internal problems. Photo: the Poul Due Jensen Foundation
Kim Nøhr Skibsted. stresses that respect for hofchefens decision, but do not believe that the criticism of the Christian Schønau is substantiated.
– When you confuse the Grundfos and the fund, and you think that an invitation to a state visit due to that he was chairman of the board, it is strained.
– We are invited, on an equal footing with all kinds of other companies. Grundfos, not the fund, will be invited along with a number of other through the Danish Industry on the state visit and business delegation, says fondsdirektøren.
Sociologist and assistant professor at CBS Christoph Ellersgaard, who are behind the books ’the power elite’ and ‘Tame the elite’, has, among other things called Christian Schønaus formandspost problemtatisk.
He does not believe that it is a good idea to hofchefen both Danish crown prince’s right hand and simultaneously representing the interests of the foundation.
– It is very clear that the family behind the Grundfos now can be favored, when kronprinseparret to visit businesses to invite to official events, and when to be awarded orders, medals and titles, he previously stated.
Berlingskes commentator Thomas Larsen has written in an analysis in the newspaper, to hofchefen with its new title ‘is moving into a dangerous battleground’, while His Engell has called the decision ill-advised.
Christian Schønau refuses to participate in an interview with Ekstra Bladet.
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the Royal family: Has a great respect
While crown prince Frederik has previously kept silent when he at a press conference in Argentina was asked by the Christian Schønaus post as chairman of the board, said the royal family now.
the Royal family’s communications director, Lene Balleby, tells that you have respect for that hofchefen has said goodbye to his post as chairman of the board.
– the Royal family regrets that Christian Schønau has found it necessary to take the decision, but have great respect for it, says Lene Balleby.
the Royal family have not wanted to ask in an interview, where it has been possible to ask follow-up questions.