Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard

Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard is a truly global CEO and a specialist in Luxury Brands, Consumer Brands and Retail. Most of his career has been spent with family-controlled companies, publicly listed as well as privately held, but he has also worked for Private Equity owned companies. Originally from Denmark, he has spent 10 years living and working in Asia, and has also lived and worked in the US, Italy, France and Switzerland. HK holds a BA in Business and Organizational Behaviour from the Southern Denmark University and has undertaken extensive executive education at INSEAD, Harvard Business School and at Wharton. In 2009 he co-authored “Experience Leadership in Practice”.

Hans-Kristian spent his early career in the spirits and wine business with Canadian distillers Joseph E. Seagram & Sons with postings in Rome, Hong Kong and Bangkok. He moved on to become the Regional MD Asia Pacific at LVMH for Guerlain perfumes and cosmetics, based in Hong Kong.

He then became the President of Coty Prestige, the world leading fragrance company, followed by a 5-year stint as global CEO of Georg Jensen, the jeweller, silversmith, watchmaker and homeware Design company. He then took on the global CEO role at the US-based Timex Group, one of the world’s largest watch companies, where he also served as Chair of the Board of its publicly listed company in India.

Subsequently, Hans-Kristian became the global CEO of Oettinger Davidoff, a world leader in premium handmade cigars and luxury accessories. During his 7-year tenure, he led Davidoff through an ambitious phase of brand renewal, extraordinary growth and a transformative new direction, including spearheading the global partnership with Art Basel and the launch of the Davidoff Art Initiative. He retired in late 2017 after having spent four years on the board in addition to his time as CEO.

Hans-Kristian served as interim Group CEO of publicly listed, but government controlled, MCH Group in Switzerland, parent company of Art Basel and Masterpiece London, from 2018 to 2019. He was also on the Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021. As Chair of the Board’s Strategy Committee he spearheaded a major capital increase, bringing in James Murdoch’s LUPA System as an anchor shareholder in 2021.

During this time, Hans-Kristian also joined the Board of Directors of Barclays Bank (Suisse) SA, the Private Bank of Barclays in Switzerland. He served on the Audit Committee from 2019 until 2020, when he became Chair of the Advisory Committee on Strategy.

Hans-Kristian has been the Chair of Bonhams, the international auction house, since 2020. In the same year was elected Chair of Calida Group, having served since 2019 as Vice Chair and since 2014 as a Non-Executive Director of publicly listed Calida Holding AG (Underwear, Lingerie and Outdoor/Sports clothing) in Switzerland. He stepped down in 2023 after nine years on the board.

In 2023, HK became member of the Board of 5-star Hotel d’Angleterre in Copenhagen, Denmark, and in 2024 he became Chair of the Board of Wine and Barrels Ltd., Europe’s leading purveyor of wine cellars and wine accessories.