Columbus has a unified management structure consisting of a Board of Directors and an Executive Board. The two bodies are separate, and no one serves as members of both.
The Board of Directors appoints the Executive Board and determines the terms of employment. The Executive Board is responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of Columbus, including strategy, budgets and targets for the Company.
The purpose of the Audit Committee is to supervise accounting, audit, risk and controlling issues. The Audit Committee consists of Peter Skov Hansen (Chairman) and Sven Madsen. One of the two members of the Audit Committee (Peter Skov Hansen) is considered an independent member.
The tasks of the Audit Committee have been determined in a Terms of Reference, which has been approved by the Board of Directors.
The Chairman of the Board is responsible for conducting an annual evaluation of performance.
The individual Board members and the Executive Board members anonymously complete an online survey. The survey covers assessment of the Board’s and individual members’ work, competencies, results, composition and committee structure, and an assessment of the Executive Board’s work, including the areas operation, finance, strategy, organization and management. Also, the cooperation between the Board and the Executive Board is assessed.
The results of the evaluation are presented and discussed at the subsequent Board meeting
Based on the evaluation, which was conducted in 2024, it was concluded that the work of the Board of Directors and Executive Board is efficient, and that the composition and qualifications of the Board of Directors is appropriate in terms of professional experience and relevant special competences to perform the tasks of the Board of Directors in the best possible manners. Also, there is a high degree of satisfaction with the cooperation between the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.
Board of directors
Ib Kunøe has been Chairman of the Board of Directors and main shareholder in Columbus since 2004.
Ib Kunøe is the founder and owner of Consolidated Holdings and is the main shareholder and Chairman of the Board in a broad variety of Danish owned companies. Mercuri Urval (1974) and Telmore (2000) was founded by Ib and later sold off. He has extensive experience in turning around struggling businesses and making them profitable. He has special competencies in company management, including management of IT companies. Ib has a background as a professional officer (major) and holds an HD Graduate Diploma in Organisation & Management.
Does not fulfill the Committee of Corporate Governance definition of independency.
Chairman of the board for:
Consolidated Holdings A/S, X-Yachts A/S, X-Yachts Marina A/S, CALUM Ballerup K/S, CALUM Åbyhøj K/S, CALUM Værløse K/S, CALUM Rødovre K/S, Komplementarselskabet Åbyhøj ApS, Komplementarselskabet Værløse ApS, Komplemen-tarselskabet Rødovre ApS, Komplementar selskabet Ballerup ApS, Koplementarselskabet CALUM CBP Holding ApS, CALUM CBP Holding K/S and Xailguard A/S
Member of the board in:
Atrium Partners A/S
Special competencies:
Company management, including management of IT Companies, Development of and dealing with Companies.
Sven Madsen is CFO in Consolidated Holdings A/S and has a background as an auditor in a number of auditing firms. Sven Madsen has been working with corporate reporting, financing, and corporate management in Codan Insurance, FLS Industries, SystemForum, Atea and Consolidated Holdings. His special competencies are financial accounting, economic and financial trouble shooting and mergers and acquisitions. Sven Madsen holds a Graduate Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting and an MSc in Business Economics and Auditing.
Does not fulfill the Committee of Corporate Governance definition of independency.
Chairman of the board for:
Atea ASA, CHV III ApS, Dansk Emballage A/S
Member of the board in:
Consolidated Holdings A/S, core:workers AB, core:workers Holding A/S, X-Yachts A/S, X-Yachts Marina A/S, Ejendoms aktieselskabet af 1920 A/S, DAN-Palletiser Finans A/S and MonTa Biosciences ApS.
Special competencies:
General management, M&A, business Development, economic and financial issues.
Joined the Board of Directors: 2012
Peter Skov Hansen received his license as a State Authorized Public Accountant in 1980 and became partner in CityRevision in 1981. Peter Skov Hansen became Partner in Deloitte in 1997 when CityRevision merged with Deloitte. Peter Skov Hansen has specialized in corporate finance, tax and business development for small and medium sized companies with focus on international IT and real estate industries. For a number of years Peter Skov Hansen has been Head of one of Deloitte's local tax divisions and member of the Management Group in Deloitte Copenhagen. Peter Skov Hansen originally graduated as a Shipping Controller at APM Mærsk.
Does not fulfill the Committee of Corporate Governance definition of independency.
Special competencies:
Business development and Financial, accounting and audit approach.
Karina Kirk Ringsted has more than 20 years of management experience from the consulting industry holding leading positions in growing and developing management consulting companies as well as being a senior strategy advisor for top management in large corporations in the Nordics. As an advisor, Karina's field of expertise is in particular within commercial leadership, customer centric business development and company transformation in industries such as Transportation, Tele and Finance. Her experience includes Partner in QVARTZ for 8 years, a Nordic top-tier strategy and transformation consultancy with global reach as well as partner in Future Lab Business Consulting and consultant in Accenture. Karina owns KIRK & CO advisory.
Fulfills the Committee of Corporate Governance definition of independency.
Member of the Board in:
Ringsted Olie A/S, BRO Kommunikation A/S and Coop Bank.
Special competencies:
General management, management of consulting companies, market and customer leadership, business development and business transformation.
Per Kogut has more than 25 years of experience, including 14 years as CEO in NNIT and 11 years of experience from Computer Associates, most recently as CEO in Northern Europe. Per Kogut also has experience from the financial sector and an educational background as a Master, Public Administration & IT science from the University of Copenhagen.
Fulfills the Committee of Corporate Governance definition of independency.
Chairman of the Board in:
Digital Hub Denmark
Member of the Board in:
Loyal Solutions A/S, Enhance TopCo A/S, Enhance BidCo ApS and Relatable Consulting A/S
Special competencies:
General management, management of consulting companies, market and customer leadership and business development.
Executive board
Søren Krogh Knudsen is Chief Executive Officer of Columbus and was appointed in 2021.
Søren has more than 20 years of experience within consultancy and technology. Søren is an experienced leader and trusted advisor for business leaders, CxOs and boards. He specialises in delivering technology-driven transformation programmes, turnarounds and growth strategies. Søren holds an executive MBA in Business Administration, economics and an Academy Profession Degree in Financial Management.
Former positions include:
Head of Nordics at PA Consulting Group & Managing Director PA Consulting Group A/S
Brian Iversen is Chief Financial Officer of Columbus and was appointed in 2022.
Brian is a senior executive with vast CFO experience with finance transformation and financial reporting experience from international OMXC25 companies. He brings extensive experience in leading, optimizing and developing global finance operations, as well as implementing major strategic programs, M&A's and improving business performance. Brian comes with a strong international experience from working 12 years abroad on three different continents.
Brian holds an MBA from Henley University in the UK and a Graduate Diploma in Finance & Accounting.
Former positions include:
CFO Espersen. VP, Head of Group Finance at GN Store Nord. VP, Head of Group Finance at FLSmidth. SVP, Regional CFO at Vestas Northern Europe and Country & Regional CFO at ISS Group.
Member of the Board in:
Kangamiut Group A/S and Kangamiut Seafood A/S