We guide companies through every step of the process

What is your and your company's task in relation to attracting investments to Esbjerg?

I work as an investment manager at Business Esbjerg and help attract new investments to Esbjerg Municipality. I especially focus on investments within digital infrastructure as well as energy and new green industries.

We function both as a marketing channel for Esbjerg towards potential investors, and also as a link to stakeholders in the city. 

When a company looks towards Esbjerg, we take them by the hand through the entire process if necessary – from interest to establishment – and together with our partners we are the local gateway to Esbjerg.

We help, among other things, to find the right location, create contact with the municipality and authorities, and connect the companies with relevant local partners.

What does it take to solve that task as well as possible?

That we are clear and trustworthy and good to collaborate with. That is at least what I experience we succeed with, and what the investing companies highlight as something they appreciate.

I believe that we need to be a good partner for the companies considering investing in Denmark. That requires that we understand their needs and can meet them.

At the same time, we must not sit on our hands. We are extremely proactive out in the world and participate, for example, in conferences to talk to the companies and investors we aim to attract to the area. We need to make Esbjerg visible and highlight the city's strengths. When a company looks at new locations, it looks broadly – maybe throughout Europe or Northern Europe – so we need to put ourselves on the map. It is not just about finding a piece of land, but about selling the whole package by showing them that we are an area that wants them, and that we here have really good conditions in relation to, for example, the green transition.

What do the investing companies request from you and your organization?

When a company or investor looks at an area, they have many questions. It can be about planning conditions, access to green electricity, fiber connections, and other critical infrastructure.  Some obviously need more than others, depending on how well they know Denmark, but we are available and experience that many want to be taken by the hand and helped. It can also be about which subcontractors they can use. 

We also experience that they demand a green agenda, and that it means a lot to them that many of their investments will be sustainable here. Esbjerg generally has plenty of green electricity and a utility company that is very innovative about integrating surplus heat and thereby minimizing waste.

What is decisive for Esbjerg to succeed in attracting investments to the area?

The decisive factor is again the good cooperation we have running across organizations, and that we have a common strategy for what we want to attract. I believe that rubs off and is a huge strength. At the same time, we must continue to be proactive. We must not wait for customers to come to us. We must be where they are.

The political support is also decisive, and we all pull in the same direction when Esbjerg Municipality and Business Esbjerg have a clear growth strategy and work to make the city a digital hub. Here I see a great opportunity to link Esbjerg's historically strong position within energy with the growing demand for digital infrastructure. In Esbjerg, there is strong political support and a common ambition that this is an area we want to invest in. 

Which local actors do you collaborate with on attracting investments to Esbjerg?

Esbjerg Municipality is an important partner, and they have a really good team, which is also noticed among the investors. In relation to DIN Forsyning, we have a fantastic collaboration on surplus heat, and we can sense that the investing companies think it's great to have a utility company that is so advanced. Other important players are N1 and Energinet as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Invest in Denmark.

How does it benefit Esbjerg that we can attract investing companies?

I hope to create jobs, growth, and development in the municipality. That is what I work for. And it is exciting to be part of building completely new industries and leaving a mark on the future business structure in the municipality.