About us

We are a staff of eight full-time employees housed in an office community in central Copenhagen, Denmark, together with a wide variety of green and blue organisations such as CONCITO, Plastic Change and Ocean Institute. You can read more about the office community here.

Our approach to funding is based on three basic principles:

  • Science-based. Guided by climate science, we focus on the root causes of the climate crisis, which originate in our cultural, social, political, and economic systems.
  • Collaborative. Meaningful and trusting relationships with a multitude of partners is a prerequisite for real impact. We always show up in partner-mode with an ambition to create powerful coalitions for change.
  • Flexible. In a time of polycrisis, the context for our work constantly changes. Our approach is flexible, adaptive, and explorative, and we are constantly looking for synergies, gaps, and opportunities – also when they come with a risk of not being successful.

Meet the board

Katrine Krogh Andersen
Chair, Board member
Astrid Kann-Rasmussen
Astrid Kann-Rasmussen
Vice-Chair and Co-Founder
Maja Göpel
Board member
Naomi Oreskes
Board member
Per Espen Stoknes
Board member

Four out of five KR Foundation Board members are independent. Board members are appointed or elected for a term of three years at a time. Appointment, election and re-election usually take place in connection with the annual meeting of the Foundation. If a vacancy arises during a term of office, the appointment and election may, however, take place at the following board meeting. Re-election is possible, however, not more than twice. Appointment, election or re-election is not possible if the member has reached the age of 75 years.

KR Foundation Board members must be legally competent, reputable, reliable and mature as well as fulfil the statutory requirements for serving as a Board member.

In connection with the election of members to the Board, efforts will also be made to ensure that the Board members together possess the qualifications desired for the performance of the overall purposes of the Foundation, and that such qualifications include professional insight and a relevant international network within the fields of environment, climate, nature, sustainability, resilience, finance, communication, political processes, processes of changes, etc. KR Foundation Board members and Vice-Chair receive DKK 150,000 annually in compensation. The Chair receives DKK 450,000 annually.

Past members of the board

Connie Hedegaard
Connie Hedegaard
Chair from 2015-2024
Anthony Leiserowitz
Anthony Leiserowitz
Board member from 2015-2023
Eva Zeuthen Bentsen
Board member from 2021-2024
Johan Rockström
Board member from 2015-2022
Nina Jensen
Board member 2022-2025
Tim Jackson
Board member from 2015-2023

Meet the staff

Brian Valbjørn Sørensen
Executive Director
Rosa Klitgaard Andersen
Deputy Director
Jakob Bo Nielsen
Jakob Bo Nielsen
Communications Director
Astrid Alexandersen
Programme Director, Challenge Finance
Asger Narud
Programme Director, Challenge Influence
Tanja Wetterstein Simonsen
Tanja Wetterstein Simonsen
Office & Grants Manager
Matilde Sort
Programme Manager, Challenge Influence
Thea Bang
Evaluation and Learning Manager
Ida Lærke Holm
Programme Manager, Economic Transformation
Ellen Junker Kjær
Student Assistant

History

KR Foundation was established in December 2014 by Villum Foundation and the descendants of Msc (Eng) Villum Kann Rasmussen. The foundation is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, but works internationally as well as nationally. We collaborate closely with THE VELUX FOUNDATIONS and the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation.

 

In 2021, THE VELUX FOUNDATIONS and KR Foundation launched a new initiative in Denmark named 70by30. The project is designed to support the realisation of the Danish 70 pct. greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal in 2030 and aims to enable informed decision making on climate change mitigation at all levels of society to catalyse the necessary, accelerated climate action.