KIRKBI appoints CEO of Financial Investments

Karina Schmitt Lund brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the financial sector, having held senior roles at Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, and most recently at the global asset manager BlackRock. Throughout her career, Karina Schmitt Lund has demonstrated a strong track record in international financial markets, strategic leadership, and building high-performing teams.

Søren Thorup Sørensen, CEO of KIRKBI A/S, says:

"We are very pleased to welcome Karina Schmitt Lund to KIRKBI. She brings with her a strong international track record and deep investment expertise, which will further strengthen our talented teams and support the continued development of KIRKBI’s financial investment portfolio. Karina is a strong people leader and has leading-edge perspective on asset management. As the future CEO of Financial Investments, she will play a key role in safeguarding the family’s long-term ownership by ensuring a solid financial foundation for generations to come."

As CEO of Financial Investments, Karina Schmitt Lund will lead KIRKBI’s Financial Investments area and be responsible for managing an investment portfolio with a total value of DKK 79 billion at the end of 2024. The portfolio includes private capital, quoted equity, real estate, and fixed income investments.

Karina Schmitt Lund, future CEO of Financial Investments, says:

"I am truly honoured to join KIRKBI and to be part of a company with such a strong purpose and long-term vision. I look forward to working with the talented organisation to continue building a robust and responsible financial investment portfolio aligned with KIRKBI’s values and ambitions.”

Karina Schmitt Lund is 48 years old and lives with her husband and four children in Denmark. She will be joining KIRKBI on 1 June 2025.

By the end of 2024, KIRKBI took the first steps toward a new group structure, consolidating activities and holdings into three new business areas: LEGO Holding, KIRKBI Climate, and KIRKBI Education. As part of the new group structure Financial Investments will be established as an independent business area as of 1 January 2026 with own CEO and board of directors.

CV – Karina Schmitt Lund

Business Experience 

• 2022-2025: BlackRock – Managing Director / Head of Wealth Management in Northern Europe
• 2021-2022: Jeffries – Managing Director / Co-head Nordic & Benelux Fixed Income, Country head
• 2014-2021: Athena – Executive Advisor & Founder
• 2014-2019: WS group – CEO & Founder
• 2009-2014: Bank of America Merrill Lynch – Managing Director / EMEA, Global Fixed Income
• 2005-2009: Morgan Stanley – Executive Director, Nordic team / EMEA, Global Fixed Income
• 2004-2005: Mitsubishi UFJ Trust International – Associate / EMEA and ASIA Global Fixed Income
• 2003-2004: Credit Suisse First Boston – Associate /OTC Credit Derivatives Product Control Associate

Board of Director roles

• 2000-present: Aarhus Symposium, University of Aarhus

Education

• 1999-2002: MSc in Economics, Cand.Oecon, University of Aarhus
• 2000-2001: MA in International Political Economy, University of Warwick
• 1996-1999: BSc in Economics, University of Aarhus

About KIRKBI A/S

KIRKBI A/S is the holding company of the LEGO Group and other companies owned by the Kirk Kristiansen family. With a purpose of building a better future for children, KIRKBI is committed to reinvesting future proceeds from the LEGO Group and other holdings into building businesses within three business areas: LEGO Holding, KIRKBI Education, and KIRKBI Climate. Rooted in the values and principles that have guided the LEGO® brand for generations, KIRKBI actively engages in its businesses with the long-term perspective needed to make a lasting difference.