On 1 January 2013, Marianne Thellersen entered as new chairman of the board of directors of IPU, appointed by the President of DTU, Anders Overgaard Bjarklev. Marianne Thellersen is Senior Vice President and Director for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Technical University of Denmark.

Since the beginning in 1956, the chair has been filled by the following persons:

• Professor Vagn Aage Jeppesen
• Professor Erik Trostmann
• Professor Christian Boe
• President Peter Lawaetz
• President Hans Peter Jensen
• President Lars Pallesen
• Professor Preben Terndrup Pedersen
• Provost Anders Overgaard Bjarklev
• SVP and Director for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Marianne Thellersen

Marianne Thellersen completed her MSc in engineering at DTU in 1989 and was immediately employed by Novo Nordisk and later Novozymes where she, among other things, was Business Development and Marketing Director. Marianne Thellersen will be leaving a position as Program Director at CBS-SIMI Executive, where she has been responsible for developing the strategic direction for medical and biotech area educations.

In connection with this appointment the DTU President, Anders Overgaard Bjarklev, said: "I am very pleased that we have been able to hire Marianne Thellersen as our new Director for Innovation at DTU. I am confident that DTU will benefit from her international management experience and her extensive business acumen. And facing major challenges in translating knowledge into innovation and innovation into production, which can lead to job creation and retention, Danish companies and Danish society in general will also benefit from Marianne Thellersen's qualifications".

Marianne Thellersen will become part of DTU's Executive Board, which includes the President, the Provost, two Deans, the University Director and two Directors.