Helle Østergaard Kristiansen

As the CEO of Denmark-based Danske Commodities, Kristiansen oversaw the company’s acquisition by Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor in early 2019—part of its push into energy trading, particularly in the renewables and gas space Danske has capitalized on as Europe has moved toward lower-carbon fuels. The company brought in over $11 billion in revenue in 2019, even as its profit was dented by what Kristiansen called a “relatively uneventful” year with fewer trading opportunities. Both Danske and Equinor have now committed to cut their emissions to net zero by 2050. And Kristiansen, who has been at Danske since its early years, has looked to expand its renewable-heavy trading strategy out of Europe into the U.S. and South America, and to further automate its trading. And that’s all amid a tumultuous year for energy markets as the pandemic has thrown demand into disarray.

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