Jesper Nygård is the former CEO of Realdania, a private member-based philanthropic association in Denmark with around 190,000 members. Since 2000, Realdania has supported philanthropic projects focused on sustainability in the built environment, with over 5,000 projects valued at around US$4 billion.
Realdania has been one of the three strategic funders of C40 Cities since 2013. On 1 April 2025, Mr. Nygård stepped down from his position as CEO of Realdania to focus on several board positions, including Chair of the Danish Film Institute, Chair of the Danish Management Society, Vice-Chair of the amusement park Tivoli, and board member at Philea and C40 Cities.
Mr. Nygård is a skilled moderator and active public debater both nationally and internationally. He advocates for smart climate solutions to be retrofitted in existing urban areas and for the development of new urban areas. Mr. Nygård firmly believes that by working collectively and in partnerships, individuals and organizations can achieve far greater things than they can alone.