SHOCK RESIGNATION OF MAN WHO CHARTED GRIMSBY'S OFFSHORE WINDFARMS DESTINY

                                                     

Mr Poulsen - seeking new challenges

A NEW chapter beckons for the businessman who breathed new life into the Grimsby economy with his vision for offshore windfarms.

Henrik Poulsen (52) has announced that he has resigned as chief executive of the Danish energy company, Ørsted, which has created - either directly or indirectly - scores of jobs in North East Lincolnshire.

His resignation decision apparently came out of the blue.

Mr Poulsen has held the reins for the past eight year during which time the company's name has changed from Dong (short for Danish Oil and Natural Gas).

When it first arrived in Grimsby, many thought Dong must be an Asian company.

Ørsted has now divested itself of oil and gas interest to concentrate on wind power and other sources of renewable energy.

The news broke in Denmark on Monday when Mr Poulsen issued the following statement:

"I have today  resigned from my position as chief executive of Ørsted and will step down no later than January 31, 2021.

"It has been a tough decision to make as I have a deep affection for Ørsted, the Ørsted team and the vision we pursue - but it is nonetheless the right decision

"Ørsted’s transformation has been completed, and we have built a strong platform for global, green growth. 

"I have concluded that it is the right time for me to step down and free up time to pursue other challenges."

He continued: "The Ørsted board has offered to nominate me for a membership at its AGM meeting in March, 202I. 

"I have gladly accepted the offer and am excited that I may continue to be part of the company’s growth journey

" It has been an incredible ride over the past eight years. 

"We have transformed a Danish utility predominantly based on fossil fuels into a global leader in green energy  and increased the company’s market value by several hundred percent

"For now, my focus will remain solely on Ørsted and ensuring a smooth transition to my successor. 

"I will then, at a later point, find out what to do next.

"My message  to the Ørsted team: You are the best I have ever worked with, and I owe a lot of gratitude to all of you for what you’ve done for Ørsted during my tenure."