Archive post: »Danfoss’ Jørgen Mads Clausen tries to buy an entrepreneur out of Sønderborg« · 2021-10-22

• Jørgen Mads Clausen — Mentioned in the current archived text
• Peter Hansen — Mentioned in the current archived text

Source title: Danfoss' Jørgen Mads Clausen forsøger at købe iværksætter ud af Sønderborg

Text version dated 4 Aug 2023

Danfoss-ejer Jørgen Mads Clausen prøver at købe iværksætter ud af Sønderborg Er der et magtfuldt oldboys netværk af Sønderborgs gamle familiebaserede magtelite, der reelt styrer alt i byen? Hvad siger man, når en af verdens rigeste mænd ringer og fortæller, at han vil købe ens hus, som i øvrigt ikke er til salg? Er alt til salg for den rigtige pris?

Er en Kammerherre hævet over grundloven? Læs med… og vurdér selv. Jørgen Mads Clausen er ejer af en af Danmark største industrikoncerner.

Han er også en af landets største arbejdsgivere. Han er af Kongehuset hædret med titlen kammerherre - og udadtil er han kendt for sit arbejde for fremme iværksætteri og skabe vækst i den sønderjyske region. De der har mødt ham, omtaler ham som en passioneret mand, der gerne vil snakke om teknologi og de mange andre ting, han brænder for.

Men Jørgen Mads Clausen har også en anden side. Den vender vi tilbage til om et øjeblik. Da Venstrepolitikeren og erhvervsmanden Peter Erik Hansen indledte sin kampagne mod den lokale iværksætter ejeren, blandt andet ved, gennem en stribe indlæg på Facebook og i JydskeVestkysten, at beskylde ham for skattefusk og meget andet - tog ejeren, efter mere end et års tavshed, til genmæle.

En nødvendig kommunikationskanal På grund af Peter Erik Hansens tilknytning til JydskeVestkysten (han er bestyrelsesformand) og på grund af mediets mere end 50 artikler, der støttede deres formands kampagne, havde ejeren ikke mulighed for at imødekomme Peter Erik Hansens angreb den vej. Derfor startede han Facebooksiden Dybbøl Banke Skansegården og et website til det formål og begyndte at bore lidt i Peter Erik Hansens egne tvivlsomme erhvervsaktiviteter. Det viste sig hurtigt, at der var nok at tage af, og at afsløringerne begyndte at tegne et billede af et magtfuldt oldboys netværk af Sønderborgs gamle familiebaserede magtelite, der reelt styrer alt i byen - og som bestemt ikke er begejstrede for nye succesfulde iværksættere på deres hjemmebane.

De ubehagelige afsløringer betød, at Peter Erik Hansen havde mange loyale allierede i forsøget på at stoppe denne Facebookside for enhver pris. Og netværket var vidt forgrenet. Derfor bød hver dag på nye ubehageligheder for ejeren.

Falske politianmeldelser på stribe, anmodning om tilhold, forsøg på fogedforbud, trusler om sagsanlæg, forsøg på at få ejeren ekskluderet fra Erhvervsklubben Sønderborg og meget mere. Peter Erik Hansen brugte sin status som politiker til at sætte alle offentlige myndigheder i gang med at gøre livet surt for ejeren udelukkende for at undertrykke ytringsfriheden. Alle midler blev brugt, og sagen må allerede nu være løbet op i millioner af skatteborgerfinansierede kroner i behandling hos de offentlige myndigheder.

Peter Erik Hansen sendte også mails til ejerens arbejdsgivere. Her bagtalte han ejeren, tydeligvis med det formål at få ham fyret fra sit job. Peter Erik Hansen var arrogant nok til at sende de meget kompromitterende mails fra Sønderborg Kommunes officielle mailadresse - og han var også så indiskret at afsløre, at Jørgen Mads Clausen var manden, der havde hjulpet ham til at få audiens hos ejeren arbejdsgivere.

Vi var en smule rystede over, at en så højt profileret erhvervsmand tog del i Peter Erik Hansens magtopvisning. Men afsløringen rejste også spørgsmålet: Var Peter Erik Hansen som lokalpolitiker virkelig magtfuld nok til at motivere de mange embedsmænd, erhvervsfolk og andre til at arbejde for at lukke munden på ejeren? Eller havde vi, gennem afsløringerne af lokalpolitikerens aktiviteter, gravet i sager, der kunne kompromittere langt større sammenhænge… og mere magtfulde mennesker, som nu begyndte at røre på sig?

Alt er til salg for den rigtige pris! En opringning til ejeren midt under denne sag kunne umiddelbart pege i retning af det sidste. Vi har allerede tidligere fortalt om Jørgen Mads Clausens rolle i sagen med de fortrolige mails til ejeren arbejdsgivere.

Men det har, indtil nu, ikke været offentlig kendt, at Danfoss-ejeren også har forsøgt at købe ejeren ud af Sønderborg. Mens sagen kørte i højeste gear, forsøgte Jørgen Mads Clausen gentagne gange forgæves at kontakte ejeren telefonisk. På daværende tidpunkt vidste ejeren at Jørgen Mads Clausen havde deltaget i kontakten til hans arbejdsgivere. ejeren vidste også, at der havde været aktiveret en intern Whistleblower undersøgelse af ham i den koncern, han var ansat i.

Anmeldelsen viste sig hurtigt at være grundløs, ganske som de mange andre anklager han oplevede. Men den var endnu et eksempel på den magtopvisning, han oplevede fra det magtfulde lokale netværk. Han vidste dog ikke hvem, der havde aktiveret den.

Da ejeren ikke var interesseret i at optrappe konflikten yderligere, ringede han ikke tilbage. Efter flere dages indsats lykkedes det Jørgen Mads Clausen at få telefonisk kontakt til ejeren med et tilbud, der kunne tolkes derhen, at Clausen ønskede iværksætteren ud af byen - ved at købe hans ejendom. ejerens private ejendom var ikke til salg, og derfor forstod han ikke helt Jørgen Mads Clausen budskab i første omgang. Jørgen Mads Clausen foreslog en pris, som bestemt ikke var lav.

Men svaret fra ejeren var forsat, at ejendommen ikke var til salg, da den var tiltænkt et planlagt byggeprojekt til egen familiebolig. Jørgen Mads Clausen forhøjede blot sit bud, sikkert ud fra en anskuelse om, at alt er til salg, bare man finder den rigtige pris. Budskabet var helt tydeligt, at Jørgen Mads Clausen kan købe alt, og hvad svarer man, når en af verdens rigeste mænd tålmodigt forklarer en det?

Samtalen sluttede dog med, at ejeren gentog, at ejendommen ikke umiddelbart var til salg, men at han ville overveje muligheden. Senere ringede ejeren tilbage og oplyste en rigtig høj pris - mest for at afslutte den underlige forhandling. Jørgen Mads Clausen svarede, at det var dejligt, der kunne findes en løsning, og at ejeren ville høre fra hans advokat omkring alle de praktiske detaljer.

Advokaten er dog ikke vendt tilbage her mange måneder senere. Om den mærkelige telefonsamtale blot var en magtdemonstration, eller de var et reelt forsøg på at købe ejeren ud, er derfor uvist. Oplevelsen stiller nogle nye spørgsmål: Hvorfor ønsker Jørgen Mads Clausen at købe en iværksætter, der gennem de seneste år har skabt mange lokale arbejdspladser, ud af Sønderborg?

Hvad er hans incitamentet til af at sætte sit eftermæle på spil ved at medvirke til at begrænse ytringsfriheden for en lokal iværksætter? Og alt sammen for at hjælpe Peter Erik Hansen ud af et problem, han selv har skabt? Har Jørgen Mads Clausen, der både er Kammerherre og er udnævnt til Kommandør af Dannebrogsordenen, ikke netop en forpligtelse til at leve op til grundlovens hensigt og være en rollemodel for andre?

Hvad mener Kongehuset om disse aktiviteter, der vel mildt sagt virker moralsk tvivlsomme? Er der forbindelse til Erhvervsklubben Sønderborg, hvor Jørgen Mads Clausens hustru på daværende tidspunkt var en markant profil? Hun forlod dog klubben, da den beskrevne konflikten begyndte at blive offentlig kendt.

Er virksomhedsejere den nye adel? I en artikel fra Berlingske forklarer Jørgen Mads Clausen, at sammenhængen mellem erhvervslivets top og Kongehuset er helt naturlig. Berlingske skrev dengang: Spekulationerne går med jævne mellemrum på, om Jørgen Mads Clausen har købt sig til titlen som kammerherre og en plads ved Dronningens bord med sin formue og ved blandt andet at stille Danfoss’ privatfly til rådighed for Kongehuset ved særlige lejligheder.

Men sådan ser Jørgen Mads Clausen ikke på det. Han mener, at der er andre grunde til, at han og en god håndfuld andre fra erhvervslivets top har fået den ærefulde titel og medgiver, at det er en ny form for adling, omend adel ikke er et ord, man anvender i dag. »Virksomhedsejere er på en måde de nye godsejere,« siger Jørgen Mads Clausen. »I gamle dage var det godsejerne, der bragte værdi til landet. I dag er det de store erhvervsvirksomheder, der finansierer velfærdssamfundet.

Jeg kan ikke se den store forskel. Kongehuset er jo nødt til at forny sig,« siger Jørgen Mads Clausen, hvis forsvar for Kongehuset som institution og de dertilhørende æresbevisninger kommer lige fra hjertet. (Opslaget har tidligere været bragt på vores Facebook side) https://www.danskindustri.dk/di-business/arkiv/nyheder/2018/6/syddanmark-som-digitalt-kraftcenter/ https://www.berlingske.dk/karriere/danfoss-ejer-virksomhedsejere-er-nutidens-godsejere.-vi-skaber-vaerdi-for

This is an automatic reading translation. The source’s allegations and assessments have not been independently confirmed through translation. Check wording, qualifications and meaning against the preserved Danish original. Some retained numbers may use Danish separators: a dot for thousands and a comma for decimals. Check amounts against the Danish original.

Danfoss’ Jørgen Mads Clausen tries to buy an entrepreneur out of Sønderborg

Is there a powerful old boys’ network of Sønderborg’s old family-based power elite that effectively controls everything in the town? What do you say when one of the world’s richest men calls and tells you he wants to buy your house, which is not even for sale? Is everything for sale at the right price?

Is a chamberlain above the constitution? Read on… and judge for yourself. Jørgen Mads Clausen owns one of Denmark’s largest industrial groups.

He is also one of the country’s largest employers. The Royal Household has honoured him with the title of royal chamberlain, and publicly he is known for promoting entrepreneurship and growth in the Southern Jutland region.

Those who have met him describe a passionate man who enjoys discussing technology and the many other things he cares about. But Jørgen Mads Clausen also has another side. We will return to that shortly.
When Venstre politician and businessman Peter Erik Hansen began his campaign against local entrepreneur the owner, including accusing him of tax dodging and much else through a series of Facebook and JydskeVestkysten posts, the owner responded after more than a year of silence.

A necessary communication channel
Because of Peter Erik Hansen’s connection to JydskeVestkysten, where he is board chair, and because the media outlet published more than 50 articles supporting its chair’s campaign, the owner could not respond to Peter Erik Hansen’s attacks through it. He therefore started the Facebook page Dybbøl Banke Skansegården and a website for that purpose and began looking into Peter Erik Hansen’s own questionable business activities. It quickly became clear that there was plenty to draw on and that the revelations were beginning to paint a picture of a powerful old boys’ network among Sønderborg’s long-established, family-based power elite, which effectively controls everything in the town and is certainly not enthusiastic about successful new entrepreneurs on its home turf.

The unpleasant revelations meant that Peter Erik Hansen had many loyal allies in trying to stop this Facebook page at any price. The network was extensive. Every day therefore brought new unpleasant experiences for the owner.

A series of false police complaints, a request for a restraining order, an attempt to obtain a court injunction, threats of legal action, attempts to have the owner expelled from Erhvervsklubben Sønderborg, and much more. Peter Erik Hansen used his status as a politician to set all public authorities to work making life difficult for the owner solely to suppress freedom of expression. Every means was used, and the case must already have cost millions of taxpayer-funded kroner in processing by the public authorities.

Peter Erik Hansen also sent emails to the owner’s employers. In them, he spoke ill of the owner, clearly with the aim of getting him fired from his job. Peter Erik Hansen was arrogant enough to send the highly compromising emails from Sønderborg Kommune’s official email address – and he was also indiscreet enough to reveal that Jørgen Mads Clausen was the man who had helped him obtain an audience with the owner’s employers.

We were somewhat shaken that such a high-profile businessman took part in Peter Erik Hansen’s display of power. But the revelation also raised a question: as a local politician, was Peter Erik Hansen really powerful enough to motivate the many officials, businesspeople and others to work to silence the owner? Or had our revelations about the local politician’s activities uncovered cases that could compromise much wider connections… and more powerful people, who were now beginning to stir?

Everything is for sale at the right price! A telephone call to the owner in the middle of this case could initially point towards the latter. We have previously described Jørgen Mads Clausen’s role in the case involving confidential emails to the owner’s employers.

Until now, however, it has not been publicly known that the Danfoss owner also tried to buy the owner out of Sønderborg. While the case was running at full speed, Jørgen Mads Clausen repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to reach the owner by phone. At that time, the owner knew that Jørgen Mads Clausen had participated in contacting his employers.

The owner also knew that an internal whistleblower investigation of him had been initiated in the group where he was employed. The complaint quickly proved groundless, just like the many other allegations he experienced. But it was another example of the display of power he experienced from the powerful local network.

He did not, however, know who had initiated it. As the owner was not interested in escalating the conflict further, he did not call back. After several days of trying, Jørgen Mads Clausen managed to reach the owner by telephone with an offer that could be interpreted as meaning that Clausen wanted the entrepreneur out of town – by buying his property.

The owner’s private property was not for sale, and he therefore did not initially quite understand Jørgen Mads Clausen’s message. Jørgen Mads Clausen suggested a price that was certainly not low. But the owner’s reply remained that the property was not for sale, as it was intended for a planned building project for his own family home.

Jørgen Mads Clausen simply raised his offer, probably on the assumption that everything is for sale once the right price is found. The message was very clear: Jørgen Mads Clausen can buy anything. What do you say when one of the world’s richest men patiently explains that to you?

The conversation nevertheless ended with the owner repeating that the property was not immediately for sale, but that he would consider the possibility. Later, the owner called back and quoted a very high price – mainly to bring the strange negotiation to an end. Jørgen Mads Clausen replied that it was good that a solution could be found and that the owner would hear from his lawyer about all the practical details.

However, the lawyer has not got back to him, now many months later. It is therefore unclear whether the strange telephone conversation was merely a demonstration of power or a genuine attempt to buy the owner out. The experience raises some new questions:
Why does Jørgen Mads Clausen want to buy an entrepreneur who has created many local jobs in recent years out of Sønderborg?

What is his incentive for putting his legacy at risk by helping restrict the freedom of expression of a local entrepreneur? And all of it to help Peter Erik Hansen out of a problem he created himself? Does Jørgen Mads Clausen, who is both a chamberlain and has been appointed Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog, not have a particular obligation to uphold the intention of the constitution and be a role model for others?

What does the royal household think about these activities, which seem morally questionable, to put it mildly? Is there a connection to Erhvervsklubben Sønderborg, where Jørgen Mads Clausen’s wife was a prominent figure at the time? She left the club, however, when the conflict described began to become publicly known.

Are business owners the new aristocracy? In a Berlingske article, Jørgen Mads Clausen explains that the connection between the business elite and the Royal Household is entirely natural. Berlingske wrote at the time:
Speculation periodically centres on whether Jørgen Mads Clausen has bought himself the title of chamberlain and a place at the Queen’s table with his fortune and, among other things, by making Danfoss’ private aircraft available to the Royal House on special occasions.

But that is not how Jørgen Mads Clausen sees it. He believes there are other reasons why he and a good handful of others from the top of the business world have received the honorary title, and admits that it is a new form of ennoblement, although nobility is not a word used today. ‘Business owners are, in a way, the new landowners,’ says Jørgen Mads Clausen.
‘In the old days, landowners brought value to the country. Today, large businesses finance the welfare state.

I cannot see much difference. The Royal House has to renew itself,’ says Jørgen Mads Clausen, whose defence of the Royal House as an institution and its associated honours comes straight from the heart.
https://www.berlingske.dk/karriere/danfoss-ejer-virksomhedsejere-er-nutidens-godsejere.-vi-skaber-vaerdi-for
https://www.danskindustri.dk/di-business/arkiv/nyheder/2018/6/syddanmark-som-digitalt-kraftcenter/