CarbonCuts enters a new phase – founder Ken Wesnæs passes on the baton
(ENGLISH below)
Ken Wesnæs, creator and founder of CO2 storage company CarbonCuts, has decided to step down from his position as CEO. He will gradually hand over his duties during the fall, and from August, CarbonCuts’ board member Maj Wendorff will step in as interim CEO until a permanent solution is found.
Ken Wesnæs has been behind CarbonCuts from the early idea to the company it is today. In June 2024, CarbonCuts was awarded one of the state’s licenses to investigate the possibility of establishing a land-based CO2 storage facility on South Lolland with the Ruby project. Since then, CarbonCuts has completed the first phase of its ambitious exploration program in one year – including Denmark’s largest ever 3D seismic survey of South Lolland and the reopening of a historic exploration well from the 1950s. Under Ken’s leadership, CarbonCuts has gone from concept to reality with a strong and competent organization that today counts 25 employees and an exploration program that has already set new standards in Denmark.
“CarbonCuts and Project Ruby have reached a place and a size where I believe it is the right time to pass the baton, and I am proud of how far we have come in a really short time,” says Ken Wesnæs.
“My driving force has always been idea development, establishment and direction – not necessarily leading a larger organization in operation. The organization is in place and going strong with a really talented team and a solid foundation. It has been an amazing experience building CarbonCuts from concept to reality. I have great confidence that the company will continue in the same positive direction and I look forward to following the project going forward.”
The board fully supports Ken’s decision and has asked board member Maj Wendorff to step in as interim CEO.
“I have great respect for Ken’s decision to step down. He is a well-liked leader who has visionarily driven CarbonCuts to a position as a leading pioneer in CCS. This is admirable,” says Maj Wendorff, who now takes over as interim CEO of CarbonCuts.
“I know CarbonCuts very well from my board work and have therefore agreed to take on the role as interim CEO until a permanent solution is found. I look forward to supporting the team and ensuring continuity in the next crucial phase of our activities, which is already well underway,” continues Maj Wendorff, who has previously been State Geologist at GEUS and most recently Head of Market Energy and CO2 Storage at Ramboll. She has been part of CarbonCuts’ Board of Directors since January 2024.
Jacqueline Lindmark Boye, Chairman of the Board, who is also CFO of BlueNord – owner of CarbonCuts – says:
“On behalf of the Board and BlueNord, I would like to thank Ken for his hard work, dedication and visionary leadership. In a very short time, he has managed to build an organization and a project that stands as a strong beacon in the development of CO2 storage in Denmark. It takes both courage and stature to pass on the baton at the top – and we have full respect for Ken’s decision. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and look forward to continuing the positive development he has initiated.”
CarbonCuts’ work to develop Project Ruby and the future of CO2 storage in Denmark continues unabated – with the same ambition, professionalism and strong team.
Message in English
CarbonCuts enters a new phase – founder Ken Wesnæs passes the baton
Ken Wesnæs, the originator and founder of CO2 storage company CarbonCuts, has decided to step down from his position as CEO. Over the autumn, he will gradually hand over his responsibilities. As of August, CarbonCuts board member Maj Wendorff will step in as interim CEO until a permanent successor has been appointed.
Ken Wesnæs has led CarbonCuts from its earliest idea stage to the company it is today. In June 2024, CarbonCuts was awarded a state license to explore the possibility of establishing an onshore CO2 storage site on South Lolland through the Ruby Project. Within just one year, CarbonCuts has completed the first phase of its ambitious exploration program, including Denmark’s largest-ever 3D seismic survey and the re-entry of a historic exploration well from the 1950s. Under Ken’s leadership, CarbonCuts has grown from idea to reality, with a strong and competent team of 25 employees and an exploration program that has already set new standards in Denmark.
“CarbonCuts and the Ruby Project have reached a point and scale where I believe it’s the right time to pass the baton – and I’m proud of how far we’ve come in such a short time,” says Ken Wesnæs.
“My passion has always been idea development, early-stage building, and setting direction – not necessarily leading a larger organization in full operation. The team is now in place, working with great momentum and a solid foundation. It’s been an incredible experience to build CarbonCuts from the ground up. I have full confidence in the company’s continued success and look forward to following the journey from here.”
The board fully supports Ken’s decision and has asked board member Maj Wendorff to assume the role of interim CEO.
“I have great respect for Ken’s decision to step down. He is a highly regarded leader who has driven CarbonCuts forward with vision and clarity, establishing the company as a pioneering force in CCS. It’s truly admirable,” says Maj Wendorff, who now takes on the role of interim CEO.
“I know CarbonCuts well from my board work and have therefore agreed to step into the interim CEO role until a permanent solution is in place. I look forward to supporting the team and ensuring continuity in this next crucial phase of our activities, which are already well underway,” continues Wendorff, who is a former state geologist at GEUS and most recently Head of Market Energy and CO2 Storage at Ramboll. She has served on the CarbonCuts board since January 2024.
Chair of the Board, Jacqueline Lindmark Boye, who is also CFO at BlueNord – the owner of CarbonCuts – adds:
“On behalf of the board and BlueNord, I would like to thank Ken for his outstanding contribution, dedication, and visionary leadership. In a remarkably short time, he has built an organization and a project that stands as a beacon for onshore CO2 storage development in Denmark. It takes both courage and integrity to hand over leadership while at the top, and we fully respect Ken’s decision. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and look forward to continuing the positive momentum he has set in motion.”
CarbonCuts’ work on Project Ruby and the future of CO2 storage in Denmark continues, with the same ambition, professionalism, and strong team in place.