COPENHAGEN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Danish toymaker Lego Group on Thursday announced the appointment of Niels B. Christiansen as the company's new CEO as of October 1, 2017.
Christiansen, most recently CEO of global industrial technology giant Danfoss, will replace Bali Padda, a long-standing Lego Group executive who took over the helm of Lego in 2016.
"Niels is a great leader who delivered outstanding results while CEO of Danfoss," said Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, Executive Chairman of Lego Brand Group, in a statement.
"His experience in digitalization and globalization, implementing a transformative strategy, and creating an agile, high performing, international team will benefit the Lego Group," Knudstorp added.
He said the Lego Group under new leadership will continue to flourish and bring play experiences to more children around the world."
Christiansen joined Danfoss in 2004 and became CEO in 2008, a position he left in June 2017. During his tenure, the company doubled in size to 39 billion Danish kroner (6.15 billion U.S. dollars), increased its global footprint and transformed its portfolio in response to changing customer demands.
Christiansen said Lego's mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow is more important and urgent than ever, as he looks at the challenges facing this generation of children.
Christiansen is also Chairman of the Board of William Demant Holding and Axcel, and a Member of the Board of AP Moeller-Maersk and Technical University of Denmark.
Based in Billund, Denmark, the Lego Group is a privately held, family-owned company with products sold in more than 130 countries.
