Danish retail billionaire Lars Larsen, founder of Jysk, passes away

Lars Larsen, the founder of Scandinavian furniture retailer Jysk, has died. He was 71.

He had previously stepped down as Chairman after being diagnosed with cancer, handing over control of the business to his son Jacob Brunsborg.

“Denmark has lost one of its giants,” Brian Mikkelsen, Head of the Danish Chamber of Commerce and a former business minister, said in a tweet.

“It is a sad day for all at JYSK. The values and culture that Lars created more than 40 years ago is embedded within everything we do today. A true tradesman, he started from absolutely nothing to build the JYSK Group into the huge organisation of more than 2,800 stores today, across 54 countries,” commented Country Manager for JYSK UK, David Ashton. 

“If you ever had the privilege to meet him you will know that he was warm, welcoming and incredibly down to earth. Quite a special man, and somebody for us all to really look up to.”

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