With his scientific background, Peter Holme Jensen’s success as CEO of Aquaporin should come as no surprise. The Danish water purification firm has developed markedly in the 13 years since it was founded, and Jensen has been there every step of the way.

One of the biggest challenges the CEO has navigated was how to transition Aquaporin from a decade of technology development into a commercially viable business. To achieve this, Jensen focused on building the company’s intellectual property portfolio to ensure that its unique filtration solutions became a competitive advantage.

Aquaporin currently boasts 84 patents worldwide, with a further 48 pending. Aquaporin’s commercial strength was also bolstered last year through the purchase of Aquaporin Membrane Protein, formerly Golgi. Aquaporin Membrane Protein is capable of mass-producing the aquaporin proteins that form the crucial component of Aquaporin’s filtration technology. By acquiring 100 percent of the firm’s share capital, Jensen has ensured that his company now has complete control over a vital part of the water filtration value chain.

Prior to founding Aquaporin, Jensen spent a number of years building up an impressive list of scientific credentials. Between 1996 and 2000, he spent time as a PhD student and research assistant at the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen, before becoming a project manager at Zealand Pharma, a biotechnology company that focuses on peptide-based medicines.

Jensen’s time in charge of Aquaporin has been successful so far, but he is not resting on his laurels. Although in recent years living standards have generally improved across the developing world, over 40 percent of the global population remains affected by water scarcity. This represents a huge growth opportunity for the company, but one accompanied by a great deal of responsibility.