After a number of false starts, I managed to speak with former DR director-general Christian Nissen this morning over the phone. We started by talking about his appointment. The appointment process – insofar as there was a process – seemed to me a curious mixture of informal queries through elite social networks – in this case, Isi Foighel, who’d been operated on at the Rigshospital when Nissen headed it, and who attempted to persuade Nissen to apply three times – and more aggressive search activities through head-hunting organisations. (The latter seems progressive in comparison with the UK case, which would only introduce Nolan procedures for appointments two years later). There were other candidates, but Nissen thinks that he was probably the “least bad” candidate.

Asked on whether his previous experience of navigating in a political environment (chairman of the student union in ‘67-’68), he argued that, more than his student experience, the experience of working in the Environment and Finance Ministries had given him experience of organisations which were both large and political.

I was conscious that I seemed to be repeating ground covered in Nissen’s book when I asked about his relationships with staff at DR: initial opposition from the unions (which disintegrated as the unions lost their ability to impose “black screens” on the population), coupled with an executive board which seemed luke-warm towards Nissen.

Turning towards the board, Nissen was appreciative of the work done by Finn Aaberg in smoothing the egos of board members, and ensuring that board decisions were typically taken by over-lapping and over-sized (8-3) majorities. Nissen’s view on Aaberg’s successor, J\orgen Kleener, was more nuanced. Kleener had told Nissen that he’d come with a list of 100 items to be changed in DR, presumably coming from Claus Hjort Frederiksen (V), Labour minister in both Fogh Rasmussen governments. (This, it seems, was the key channel through which political pressure was channeled; Brian Mikkelsen’s involvement, although highly publicised, may be a red herring). Over time, Kleener seemed to be “going native”, as he admitted to Nissen that many of the items on the list were either implausible or had already been implemented. Nissen claims, however, that Venstre started putting pressure on Kleener in the run-up to the election as the party started mobilizing. At first, it seemed unlikely that Nissen would be pushed out before the election; he was initially told that he would be dismissed in summer 2005 (thus after a February election). For whatever reason, the timetable got shorter, and Kleener managed to persuade other board members – who had come to see Nissen as too heavy-handed – that, if it came down to a choice between Kleener or Nissen, they would have to keep Nissen. Ironically, Nissen had laid the seeds of his own downfall: he’d refused the boilerplate DR contract, which would have given him greater job security and have required dismissal to be motivated, for his own, which allowed dismissal for whatever reason.
Towards the end Nissen mentioned that he was thinking of starting up an ex- Director General’s club with Greg Dyke. Although both were forced to leave at roughly the same time by governments at war, I do wonder how they get on: Nissen the axe-wielder, and Dyke perceived (at least by the current DG) as a profligate spender…