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Former Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod became part of Energy Transition Minerals' (ETM) new advisory board in November, putting him on the Australian company's payroll.

A company that has, quite rightly, filed a lawsuit against the Greenlandic government demanding an exploitation permit or compensation of 76 billion kroner.

Jeppe Kofod is currently touring various foreign media, including CNN, with analyses of the current crisis between Greenland, Denmark and the USA as a "former Danish Foreign Minister" without stating that he is also an advisor to the mineral resources company ETM, which has just hired the powerful lobbying firm Ballard Partners - which has close ties to the Trump administration - as an advisor.

From top politician to lobbyist

According to professor of financial management Per Nikolaj Bukh, it is very unusual and new in a Danish context that a former high-ranking minister is so openly lobbying for a foreign company that goes against Danish and Greenlandic interests:

- We in Denmark are not used to former top politicians getting themselves involved in such an obvious lobbying activity, even in conflicts with central Danish interests, says Per Nikolaj Bukh, who, however, states that there is nothing directly illegal in what Jeppe Kofod is doing.

– It is entirely up to Jeppe Kofod's own integrity how much he wants to say and stand up for when he gets paid for it, says Per Nikolaj Bukh, adding that Jeppe Kofod was hired by the company precisely because he is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and therefore speaks with great weight.

Increases his market value as an expert

Although Jeppe Kofod does not speak directly about raw materials or Energy Transition Minerals in the media, he positions himself and thereby increases his market value as an expert, and there is thus a possibility that the media will catch up with him again later.

– Once you have been an expert at CNN, you are often invited back. And the next time you are there, it may be about raw materials, says Per Nikolaj Bukh, who does not think it is a nice process, and who also points out that according to a story in Berlingske, former top politician Anders Fogh Rasmussen chose to say no to the same advisory assignment.

Rasmussens Global writes to Sermitsiaq that we "declined to advise ETM due to several objectionable matters that we became aware of in our due diligence process."

Rejects coherence

Sermitsiaq has tried to get an interview with Jeppe Kofod to accuse him of the criticism from Per Nikolaj Bukh. But he did not want that. Instead, we have received written answers:

– My advisory board work in Energy Transition Minerals (ETM) is public knowledge and is stated on the company's website. It has no connection with my analyses of geopolitics, security and international relations, which I express in international media based on my experience as a former Minister of Foreign Affairs. The views I present are the same that I have had and expressed for many years – also before my involvement in ETM, writes Jeppe Kofod, adding that he has no role in the company's choice of Ballard Partners as advisor: – It is a matter for the company's management. When I analyse the relationship between the USA, Greenland and Denmark, it is done independently and against the background of my experience with American foreign policy and transatlantic relations.

The statement is incorrect.

Professor of financial management at Aalborg University, Per Nikolaj Bukh, says that it is very unusual for a former high-ranking minister to act as a lobbyist for a company that goes against Danish and Greenlandic interests. What do you say to that criticism?

– This is a statement that is wrong on several levels. Firstly, I am not working against Danish or Greenlandic interests. Quite the contrary. My commitment is based on a clear conviction that responsible development of critical minerals in Greenland – under high environmental standards and within a stable and predictable regulatory framework – is beneficial to all parties, not least Greenland, but also Denmark and the entire West. Secondly, it is well known that several politicians with ministerial experience have chosen to have a career after politics, where they advise private companies on various matters. This applies, for example, to Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who, as you know, is a former Prime Minister of Denmark.

Have been analyzing geopolitics for many years

Jeppe Kofod writes to Sermitsiaq that he has worked with foreign and security policy for more than 30 years, and that he has analyzed geopolitics publicly for many years.

– I participate in the public debate because issues about the Arctic, security and great power relations are too important to be left to speculation and rumour. I have been analysing geopolitics publicly for many years, and I continue to do so on a professional basis and with the experience I have from a long career in Danish, European and international politics.

When asked why he has taken on the advisory role for ETM, now that former Prime Minister and current advisor Anders Fogh Rasmusen has declined, Jeppe Kofod replies:

– I am not aware that Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been offered membership of the ETM advisory board, and therefore cannot comment on any considerations in that regard.