Denmark appoints Lina Gandlose Hansen as Ambassador

Denmark has appointed Lina Gandlose Hansen as its next ambassador to Vietnam and Laos, with her posting scheduled to take effect on 1 August. The appointment comes at a crucial juncture in Denmark's diplomatic efforts to bolster its relations with Southeast Asia, where the country is increasingly seeking to increase its presence in the fields of trade, green transition and sustainable development.

Lina shared the news on LinkedIn, where she wrote that the news of her new position was “a tremendous privilege and responsibility.” She will replace Denmark's Ambassador Nicolai Prytz, who had previously served as Ambassador to Vietnam and Laos and helped to promote bilateral relations between the Nordic country and the two South East Asian countries in recent years.

Vietnam's cultural richness, fast development and the enhancement of relations between Denmark and Vietnam was emphasized in her post. She expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to contribute to further strengthening the relationship from the Danish Embassy in Hanoi. She highlighted her desire to forge new partnerships and increase cooperation in various sectors as a focus of collaboration.

Key Highlights:

• Lina Gandløse Hansen appointed Denmark’s ambassador to Vietnam and Laos from 1 August
• She is currently State Secretary for Trade & Investment with strong global diplomatic experience
• The role focuses on strengthening cooperation in green transition, trade, and sustainable development

She has indicated that she is looking forward to what the future brings and is interested in connecting with stakeholders, professionals and other experts in Southeast Asia and Vietnam in particular.

With her new role, Gandløse Hansen has a wealth of experience in diplomacy, international trade and investment promotion. At the time of her appointment, she served as Denmark’s State Secretary for Trade & Investment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has also taken responsibility for the Danish international trade strategy and investment promotion activities, contributing to improving Denmark's economic cooperation around the world.

Before becoming Head of Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she served in a number of senior leadership roles at the ministry. She also has extensive international experience in her diplomatic career. She was previously Consul General in Munich and had the opportunity to play a key role in enhancing Denmark's economic and consular relations in Germany. She has also worked on trade missions to the Danish Embassies in Washington and Paris, exposing her to extensive experiences in international markets and policy arenas.

Her education and career also feature executive programs at Harvard Business School, in which she has concentrated on global leadership, economic diplomacy, and strategic international engagement.

Denmark and Vietnam are strengthening their partnership in various priority sectors, and it is in this context that Gandløse Hansen takes over her role as ambassador. These include green transition measures, renewable energy investments, cooperation within the maritime sector, and the expansion of trade and overall sustainable development measures. In recent years both nations have stepped up their cooperation in policies on climate change and with regard to sustainable development and economic relations.

Besides her work in Vietnam, Gandløse Hansen will also be accredited as Denmark's ambassador in Laos, where she will be responsible for the bilateral relationship from her post in Hanoi. It is expected that her appointment will further enable Denmark to broaden its engagement with Southeast Asian countries through fruitful regional and bilateral cooperation and partnerships, particularly in the field of economy, sustainability and long-term cooperation.

Her trade policy expertise and experience in international diplomacy and high-level government roles are expected to help strengthen Denmark's diplomatic footprint and ties in the region.