Honoring the Life of Niels Due Jensen, Former Grundfos CEO and Son of Grundfos Founder

Late last week, the world lost a compassionate and exceptional leader with the passing of Niels Due Jensen, son of Grundfos founder, Poul Due Jensen, and former CEO and Board Chair of Grundfos. Poul Due Jensen developed one of the first innovative electric pumps. As we mourn this loss, Water Mission seeks to honor Niels Due Jensen’s life by remembering his passion for changing lives around the world.  In 1978, after Poul Due Jensen’s passing, Niels Due Jensen took over his father’s company.

Under Niels Due Jensen’s leadership, the company became the world’s largest pump manufacturer, boasting of numerous inventive technologies used globally.  Due Jensen also led the company in the development of its first solar-driven pump system in 1982, unknowingly laying the foundation for Water Mission’s future solar-powered safe water solutions.

Grundfos has been a long-time partner of Water Mission, providing best-in-class equipment and technology to help us build innovative solutions around the world.  “In 1982, under Niels Due Jensen’s leadership, Grundfos introduced its first solar-driven pump system—no surprise it won a United Nations Development Programme competition,” said Water Mission CEO and President, George Greene IV. “Today, Grundfos is the world leader in comprehensive, high-quality solar pumping solutions. This technology opened the door to providing access to safe water to the most marginalized people on the planet, and millions of people living on the fringes in last-mile communities have been positively impacted as a result. This is just one example of how Niels Due Jensen left this world better than he found it, and while we grieve his passing, we celebrate the amazing legacy of a man who lived his life grounded in purpose and values.” 

Niels Due Jensen was committed to helping make safe water solutions available worldwide. In honor of his 75th birthday and the end of his 40-year tenure as Chair of The Grundfos Foundation, he donated funds to Water Mission to implement a safe water project in Zeze, Tanzania.  

The project was commissioned in 2018 and began in the community in 2019. Now, more than 5,100 people in Zeze have access to safe water, including 600 students attending two schools in the area.  Mwamini is a 13-year-old girl who was directly impacted by Niels Due Jensen’s life.

A resident of Zeze, Mwamini used to walk two kilometers round trip to a murky stream to collect water for her family. Thanks to Niels Due Jensen’s generosity, Mwamini now has safe water near her home and school. She now uses those hours she spent walking for water to study and attend school, where she has risen to the top of her class.

Mwamini is only one of many lives that Niels Due Jensen touched during his lifetime. His passion for saving lives through safe water has transformed countless communities worldwide.  “[When we met] Niels, he warmly welcomed us and was genuinely interested in learning about the work of Water Mission,” said Water Mission Co-Founder and Board Member, George Greene III. “He encouraged and supported the partnership between Grundfos and Water Mission.” 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Due Jensen and Grundfos families. We are grateful for The Grundfos Foundation’s partnership, which has made it possible for so many around the world to have lifesaving access to safe water.