Jørgensen earned his MSc in Finance and Business Administration from Aarhus School of Business and joined Novo Nordisk right out of university in 1991. Over the years, he held several positions, including senior VP for IT & Corporate Development and Chief Information Officer. He is also chairman of the board of NNE Pharmaplan. Jørgensen is taking over from retiring Lars Rebien Sørensen, a Novo Nordisk institution. Sørensen had been with the company since 1982, and served as CEO for the last 16 years. On his way out, Sørensen is taking 1,000 of his colleagues with him. In late September, Novo Nordisk announced extensive layoffs to relieve financial pressure.