Helle Thorning-Schmidt

About Helle Thorning-Schmidt

As leader of the Denmark’s Social Democrat party for 10 years and Prime Minister from 2011-2015, she steered the country through a difficult financial crisis while reducing child poverty and increasing spending on education. She was the first woman to hold both positions.

Following her term in office, she became Chief Executive of Save the Children, leading 17,000 staff across 120 countries and reaching approximately 50 million children annually, often in some of the world’s most challenging humanitarian contexts. During this time, she was a vocal advocate for global crises, including those in Yemen, Syria, and the Rohingya refugee situation.

Today, Helle remains deeply engaged in geopolitical affairs. She is a member of several influential foreign policy think tanks, including the US Council on Foreign Relations, the European Council on Foreign Relations, and the Atlantic Council International Advisory Board. She is also part of the Berggruen 21st Century Council.

In 2017, Helle served as co-chair of the World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos, and she is currently on the board of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. She uses her deep political and international expertise to advise a wide range of global businesses and non-profit organisations.

Helle is non-executive Director on a number of Boards – Palo Alto Networks Inc, an American multinational cybersecurity company with headquarters in Santa Clara, California; Vestas, one of the world’s leaders in sustainable energy; DJE Holdings, a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organisations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations; Green Therma, a technology and service company that delivers world-class executed deep earth heating projects to utility companies and private enterprises providing low-risk, reliable, and sustainable energy; Neurons Inc ApS, a leader in combining neuroscience and AI to take the guesswork out of advertising; Safelane, a global leader in clearing landmines and the explosive remnants of war; and VISTA Equity Partners, an American investment firm focused on financing and forwarding software, data and technology-enabled startup businesses.

Since 2020, she has served as co-chair of the Oversight Board, an independent body helping Meta (formerly Facebook) navigate complex issues surrounding online freedom of expression. She also chairs the Governance Committee of the Danish Football Union.

Helle has authored a number of books, including her memoirs from a feminist perspective and devotes much of her time to defend and renew progress, free speech, human rights and democracy. As a strong champion of women and girls’ rights throughout her time in government and at Save the Children, she continues to remain passionate about women’s empowerment and trans rights.

Helle was previously a member of the European Parliament. She has a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and a Master’s Degree in European Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges.