With 20+ years in leadership advisory and executive search in healthcare and other industries, Inge Berneke believes that leadership in today’s world is more challenging than ever before. She is driven by the commitment to identify, attract and develop the best leaders — those who can create value in a world of challenges and opportunities created by global markets, new scientific breakthroughs and innovation, technology and AI, societal engagements and ESG principles, changing demographics and geopolitics.

As consultant in Spencer Stuart’s global Healthcare Practice, Inge facilitates and leads the healthcare activities in the Nordics with a focus on C-suite recruitments, CEO succession, board services, executive assessments and development. Her work and experience span the healthcare and life science sectors including biopharma and biosolutions, medical technology, medical services etc. as well as other industries. She has worked closely with different ownership models such as listed companies, private equity firms, enterprise foundations, family and founder-led companies, the government sector and more.

Professional experience

  • Previously, Inge was consultant and partner in another global executive search firm for more than a decade, delivering CEO successions, C-suite searches, board assessments and talent pipeline projects for international companies across multiple industries.
  • More recently, Inge was part of the leadership team for one of Denmark’s largest life sciences foundations and business owners, driving the formulation and execution of a new ownership strategy and supporting her colleagues in professionalizing, renewing and developing the organisation and portfolio.
  • Inge's work has always had a strong focus on people and society. She renewed the discussion around gender diversity in Denmark with the publication of her well-reviewed book Kvinde kend din karriere in 2010, and she has played an active role in the discussion around the need for a national proactive talent agenda and the crucial role of international talents in Nordic life sciences.

Inge is a non-executive board member of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art’s two enterprise foundations. She is also a non-executive board member of the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies, an independent think tank focused on future studies and foresight, and a member of the Committee of Representatives at Nykredit, one of the Nordic region’s largest financial institutions.

She has a master’s degree in political science from Copenhagen University and an M.B.A. from INSEAD Business School in Fontainebleau, France. In addition, she earned a Diplôme d’études approfondies in international relations from Sciences-Po in Paris during her university studies. While her mother tongue is Danish, Inge speaks fluent English and has working levels of Swedish, Norwegian and French.

Practice Areas