Bent Henriksen, Managing Director, Pharma Nord UK
Jan 18 2010 By Karen Dent, The Journal
He's patrolled the Gaza strip, climbed mountains and heads the UK wing of an international pharmaceutical company based in Northumberland. Karen Dent discovers what drives Danish-born former North East Businessman of the Year, Bent Henriksen.
The Questionnaire
What car do you drive?
Jaguar
What’s your favourite restaurant?
Louis’ in Jesmond, and The Four Winds in Barcelona .
Who or what makes you laugh?
Norman Wisdom.
What’s your favourite book?
John Grisham novels.
What was the last album you bought?
Peer Nielsen with friends (trumpeter).
What’s your ideal job, other than the one you’ve got?
Work for United Nations.
If you had a talking parrot, what’s the first thing you would teach it to say?
PMA (Positive Mental Attitude).
What’s your greatest fear?
Snakes.
What’s the best piece of business advice you have ever received?
Never take no for an answer.
And the worst?
Never do anything with languages.
What’s your poison?
Malt whisky.
What newspapers do you read, other than The Journal?
FT (Saturday) and Sunday Times.
How much was your first pay packet and what was it for?
When I was 12 years old I helped on a farm after school for £1 per week.
How do you keep fit?
Walking, skiing and gardening.
What’s your most irritating habit?
I know better.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Collecting Victor Noble Rainbird Paintings.
Which historical or fictional character do you most identify with or admire?
Capability Brown.
Which four famous people would you most like to dine with?
Barrack Obama, Sir Alan Sugar, Queen Margaret of Denmark and AP Møller.
How would you like to be remembered?
Honest and fair.
The CV
1965 to 1967: Leo Pharmaceuticals, Denmark
1967 to 1971: Carmen Clairol, Denmark
1971 to 1982: Elmwood Senors, North Shields
1982 to 1986: TSL Thermal Syndicate, Wallsend.
1988 to present: managing director, Pharma Nord UK
2009: director, Pharma Nord Denmark
1983: Honorary OBE
1986: North East Businessman of the Year
