Lykke Friis

Lykke Friis
Lykke Friis
	Lykke Friis in Berlin 2023
Minister for Climate and Energy
	In office; 2009–2011
Monarch	Margrethe II
Prime Minister	Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Preceded by	Connie Hedegaard
Succeeded by	Martin Lidegaard and Ida Auken
Minister for Equal Rights
	In office; 2010–2011
Personal details
Born	27 October 1969 (age 55)
Political party	Venstre

Lykke Friis (born 27 October 1969) is Prorector for Education at the University of Copenhagen and is a former Danish politician for the party Venstre and former Minister for Climate and Energy and equal rights.^[1]^[2] Prior to her political career she has once before been Prorector at the University of Copenhagen and held the position from 2006 - 2009. Prior to her appointment as government minister, she was not a member of Venstre.^[1]

Early life and education

Friis is the daughter of a Danish father and a German mother. She graduated from Øregaard Gymnasium and has studied political science at the University of Copenhagen. Lykke Friis obtained her M.Sc. in Economics and Political Science from London School of Economics in 1992, followed by a M.Sc. in political science from University of Copenhagen in 1993. She got a PhD in international politics from the University of Copenhagen in 1997.^[3] Eisenhower Fellowships selected Lykke Friis in 2002 to represent Denmark.

Career

Friis has worked as an academic in the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs, and as a researcher in Dansk Udenrigspolitisk Institut. From 2003 until 2006, she was head of European Politics in the Confederation of Danish Industries. She has taught at both the University of Copenhagen Faculty of Social Sciences and at Copenhagen Business School in international relations.

During her time as minister, Friis presided over the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.^[2] In 2011, she oversaw the Danish government's plan to wean itself off coal, oil and natural gas by 2050 by boosting energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources.^[4]

Friis has contributed to newspapers, radio, TV, and seminars on EU-related issues, and has written a number of articles and books and such subjects. Her ability to make the EU material accessible secured her the Danmarks Radio Rosenkjærprisen in 2008.^[5]

Other activities

Corporate boards

Vestas, Member of the Board of Directors (2014-2018)^[6]

Non-profit organizations

Danish Foreign Policy Society, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors^[7]
Rockwool Fonden, Member of the Board of Directors^[8]
European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Co-chair (since 2019)^[9]
Trilateral Commission, Member of the European Group^[10]
International Crisis Group (ICG), Board of Trustees (since 2012)^[11]

Personal life

Friis is known as a connoisseur of German football and is a fan of FC Bayern Munich.^[12]

Notes

^ ^a ^b "Lykke Friis meldte sig ind i Venstre i nat", borsen.dk, 24 November 2009
^ ^a ^b John Acher (November 24, 2009), Denmark proposes Hedegaard for new EU climate job Reuters.
^ "Portræt af Lykke Friis", borsen.dk, 24 November 2009
^ John Acher (February 24, 2011), Denmark, Britain urge deeper CO2 EU emissions cut Reuters.
^ "Lykke Friis får DRs Rosenkjærpris for 2008" Archived 2009-02-01 at the Wayback Machine, www.dr.dk, 26 November 2009
^ Change in the Board of Directors of Vestas Wind Systems A/S Vestas, press release of July 6, 2018.
^ Board of Directors Danish Foreign Policy Society.
^ Board of Directors Rockwool Fonden.
^ ECFR’s new governance and new focus European Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFA), press release of May 2019.
^ Membership Trilateral Commission.
^ Crisis Group Announces New Board Members International Crisis Group (ICG), press release of July 2, 2012.
^ "Lykke Friis om Bayern, pigefodbold og AGF", stiften.dk, 13 June 2011

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Connie Hedegaard	Minister for Climate and Energy	Succeeded by Martin Lidegaard and Ida Auken
Preceded by Inger Støjberg	Minister for Equal Rights	Succeeded by Manu Sareen