Can you explain what Legacy actually does? 

Legacy measures the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced by running and powering buildings. GHGs are gases that warm our planet’s atmosphere and contribute to global warming. We measure GHGs for owners of buildings so that they can understand the impact they are having on our climate and take steps to reduce that impact.

What is it like being a non-founder CEO?

I love being the CEO of a company with a group of such talented and committed co-founders. I have the freedom to contribute in multiple areas and help steer the business in general. I relish helping to free up the co-founders so that they can focus on what they are great at and enjoy doing the most. The co-founders and I work very well together, have complementary skill sets, and are cognitively diverse, so our ability to solve problems and move forward at a pace is strong.

Legacy is already present outside og Denmark – what are the main learnings of going abroad quite early in the company’s lifetime?

1. Warm introductions to the right decision-makers are very helpful. People like to know that a company from overseas has a good reputation and comes recommended.
2. Doing a great job in your domestic market is very important. Overseas clients will do their due diligence on you, so it is important to have won and exceeded the expectations of some reputable clients in your home country.
3. It is very important to put in enough effort in the overseas markets to get some traction but without detracting from your efforts at home. There is a fine line between spreading yourself too thinly geographically and not taking advantage of overseas opportunities in a timely manner.

How have you found the challenge of disrupting a perceived “old-school” industry?

In general, our clients and potential clients demonstrate a high degree of appreciation for protecting the environment and have a keen interest in enhancing the value of their property portfolios. However, we sometimes find that the industry overall would benefit from more urgency in decision-making with respect to measuring and reducing emissions.

The capital markets are beginning to move towards rewarding strong environmental performance in real estate, and the speed with which this will happen is intensifying. Our clients and potential clients need to be ready to take steps to measure, understand, and act on their emissions data so that they can improve their emissions performance and drive superior returns. ‘Greener’ buildings attract people and capital and are simply worth more than ‘less green’ buildings. Such buildings also benefit from cheaper finance and other related financial products.