The Chairman of the Board position for KIRKBI A/S, the family-owned holding company that owns 75% of the LEGO Group, has passed from father to son.
Thomas Kirk Kristiansen takes over the position from his father, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, who spent 50 years in the position.
“The active family ownership of the LEGO brand and KIRKBI’s activities has been fundamental for our family through generations,” Thomas Kirk Kristiansen says. “It is, therefore, a great joy being able to continue the family ownership now in the fourth generation at a time when the LEGO brand is engaging more people than ever, giving us a unique opportunity to play a positive role for children and adults around the world with learning through play … I feel privileged taking over the baton from my father today and look forward to continuing the work until it becomes my turn to pass on the responsibility to the fifth generation.”
The passing of roles began several years ago, as Thomas Kirk Kristiansen took on the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation.
“Today I pass the baton to Thomas with a great sense of gratitude and pride,” Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen says. “As a family, we have fortunately been able to prepare this transition thoroughly together and complete the handover to the 4th generation gradually. We have had time for many, meaningful conversations about the future and about making a difference for children and the world around us. It has been enriching to experience the passion for play and learning that has always been the driving force in our family, and to see how Thomas, with the support of the family, our competent boards, and employees, has taken on an ever-increasing responsibility with care, compassion, and ambitions for the future.”
The board of directors is now completely filled by members of the fourth generation of the Kirk Kristiansen family: Thomas, Sofie Kirk Kristiansen, and Agnete Kirk Kristiansen.
“For the past 50 years, my father has had an invaluable impact on the development and growth of the LEGO brand, the LEGO Group, and KIRKBI A/S,” Thomas Kirk Kristiansen says. “He has been truly visionary and always believed in the potential of the LEGO® Idea – even through the difficult times. For that, we owe him the greatest thanks. He has been and still is an inspiring role model for how to be an active, engaged family owner – not just for me and Agnete, who is now also joining the board, but also for coming generations.”
Each of the three members of the fourth generation will have around 25% ownership share in KIRKBI A/S while Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen will hold 22.5% and the nonprofit foundation K2 Fonden af 2023 will have 1.5%. K2 Fonden af 2023 was established to support long-term family ownership and use voting rights to settle disputes among family owners.
