“If you focus on people, the financial results will follow” – how Michael Koch built Sofigate Denmark’s Gazelle-winning culture
Michael Koch has led Sofigate Denmark’s team to remarkable growth with a people-first mindset built on trust and quality. It’s a leadership philosophy he learned in his twenties behind the counter of a hamburger restaurant.
Imagine the head of one of Denmark’s fastest-growing companies. Do you see someone who calls the electrician himself to fix the office lights, who learned his leadership lessons flipping burgers, and who stays up too late just like the rest of us?
Michael Koch, Country Manager of Sofigate Denmark, shows that great growth is built by ordinary people. He believes that when people are trusted and cared for, they can achieve extraordinary things. His job, he says, is simply to keep his people happy, and they’ll make sure the customers are too.
Michael began his career behind the counter of a hamburger restaurant. He was soon promoted to manager, discovering leadership lessons that still guide him today.
“I’ve been a leader since I was 19,” Michael says. “What I learned early on is that if you focus on people and ensure good service and quality, the results will come. That’s still true today.”
From burgers to business growth
After a decade in telecom and years in banking, Michael joined Sofigate in 2021. Back then, the company’s Øresund unit, covering Denmark and Southern Sweden, counted just six people. Today, it’s a thriving team of thirty and the winner of the 2025 Børsen Gazelle award for outstanding growth.
“We’ve increased our gross profit sevenfold over four years and grown more than 90% each year,” he says.
“It’s an achievement fewer than one per cent of Danish companies can reach. It’s definitely something everyone can look back on in their careers with pride. And what’s very important is that it’s been a fun journey as well. Having fun at work matters to us.”
A culture built on people
The Southern Sweden and Denmark business offers both Platform Services, led by Michael Koch, and Transformation Services, led by his colleague Berit Dommerby Clausager, who interestingly enough, also started her career at a hamburger restaurant.
For Michael, leadership is about creating the right culture and keeping things human. There’s no hierarchy at Sofigate Denmark. If the lights go out, he’s often the one calling the electrician.
“We start every management meeting with our people first: who’s doing well, who needs help, what’s happening in the team.”
Half of the unit’s employees and its leadership are women, and the staff represents over fifteen nationalities. The diverse mix of experiences and skills, Michael believes, is a big part of the success.
Honest leadership, real results
Colleagues describe Michael as supportive, empathetic, and results-oriented – a leader who listens first and acts with care. Honesty and openness are also important leadership values to Michael. Feedback, he says, should never wait.
“If something can be done better, I tell it right away. But I always do it in a way that motivates, not discourages. People learn and grow when you trust them.”
The approach shows in the results: strong growth, minimal turnover, and a team that hasn’t lost a single client in four years.
“Sometimes projects pause for a while, but clients come back. That tells us they see the value we bring,” Michael says.
A self-confessed night owl
Outside work, Michael says he can’t sit still. He runs three times a week, cheers for his gymnast daughter at international competitions, and volunteers at his local winter swimming club.
“Winter swimming really energises me. That’s something I would love to put even more time into,” he says.
Another kind of chill is also a part of Michael’s life. Admitting he’s not a great sleeper and often stays up too late, he has an unusual recipe for getting sleep: gruesome crime novels, for example his favourites The Stand and The Shining, by Stephen King.
“I’m not a good sleeper, but I love a good story. The book has to include a mystery to get me interested, but it still has to be an easy read to do the trick”, he says with a grin.
Read more: Sofigate Denmark wins Børsen Gazelle 2025
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