Jørn Bue Madsen

Jørn Bue Madsen joined BTECH on 1 September as an Industrial PhD student. In his research, he will focus on Mergers and Acquisitions with a particular focus on organisational learning.

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Why did you choose to work at the Department of Business Development and Technology?

My desire to write a PhD within the field I have worked in for many years in Denmark and abroad led me to BTECH at Aarhus University, when Rene Chester Goduscheit was recommended as a supervisor on my project. My topic also fits very well into the fields that BTECH is working with. After a recent major merger within the energy sector, the sponsor of my project has established its headquarters in the Aarhus area, so the project may also be the beginning of a wider cooperation between AU and the company.

What is your area of expertise and what will you be doing here at the department?

I am writing my PhD dissertation within the area of M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions) with a particular focus on organisational learning since I have worked with this field for many years in Denmark and abroad. Globally, companies are traded for USD 4,000 billion per year (2018). The majority of these trades are unsuccessful, which means they either depreciate or fail to add value to the shareholders. Despite many years of research within the field, the success rate has not increased significantly. 

What is your educational background?

I hold an MSc in ME Energy and Renewables from Cranfield University in England and a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the Odense School of Engineering. I also hold a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Change Management) and an Executive MBA from the University of Southern Denmark.

What have you worked with before?

For the past 22 years, I have worked with M&A, strategy development and implementation as well as change management and business development in and outside Denmark. For 18 years out of these, I was CEO, chair of the board and board member in different companies and industries. I have been responsible for several company acquisitions and integrations, and this has given me a good foundation, experience and great interest in this type of activity.

Please tell us a bit about yourself, your family and your leisure activities.

I am 55 years old and live in Vejen with my wife Vivi and my two children. Marcus, who is 16 years old, has just started his first year of upper secondary school and Louise, 19, has just completed her upper secondary school leaving examination and is planning to study biology at Aarhus University. I love sports, so I spend a lot of time on fitness and Krav Maga as well as fishing trips with Marcus and Louise.