After eight years with DHI, the past six years as CEO, Mette Vestergaard passes the baton. The Board of Directors has appointed German executive Birgit Guhse as new CEO, joining the company 1 August 2026. Together with DHI’s leadership team and employees, Birgit Guhse will lead the company’s next phase of growth, strengthen its market relevance, advance knowledge development and enhance profitability.

 

Birgit Guhse brings more than 20 years of international leadership experience across consulting, infrastructure and the built environment sectors. Most recently, she was Managing Director of the German part of the global consulting company Arcadis. Previously, she held senior leadership positions with, among others, AECOM and Drees & Sommer.

 

Birgit Guhse holds a degree in engineering and a PhD (Dr.-Ing.) from the University of Kaiserslautern and Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg.

 

Thomas G. Schmidt, Chairman of the Board at DHI, said:

'Birgit combines strong commercial acumen with solid operational leadership and a technical background. She has a proven track record of driving growth and leading complex organisations, making her profile an excellent match for DHI. I look forward to welcoming her to the company.'

 

Birgit Guhse said:

'DHI has a strong technical foundation and a well-established position within the water sector. I see significant potential to further develop the business and create even greater value for our clients and society. I look forward to setting the strategic direction and working with colleagues across the organisation to further strengthen DHI’s global position.'

 

Mette Vestergaard has been part of DHI since 2018, at first as Deputy Chair in the Board of Directors and since 2020 as CEO. She is now, among other things, accelerating her board-level career.

 

'On behalf of the Board of Directors I would like to thank Mette for her contributions to DHI. Under Mette’s leadership, revenue has grown, financial performance has been strengthened, and investment in research and innovation has increased. This has been instrumental in ensuring that DHI is today well-equipped for the future,' Thomas G. Schmidt said.

 

Mette Vestergaard commented:

'We are now at the closing stage of our five-year strategy, DHI+, which makes this a natural point to hand over the responsibility. I do so with a strong sense of confidence and pride. It has been a privilege to lead DHI and to work with people who care deeply about what we do.'

 

Mette Vestergaard remains in the position as CEO until 1 August 2026 to ensure a smooth transition.