consulting at vaern
Meet Jesper Krogh, Security Advisor and Senior Partner in Vaern
Jesper Krogh is a Senior Consultant at Vaern. When he celebrated his 10-year anniversary, we sat down with him to talk about early career ambitions, his fascination with infrastructure, and why sometimes you need to take the lead.
September 24, 2026
- Vaern consultants
consulting at Vaern
What did you want to be when you were younger?
After business school, I studied economics at university. I lasted three months before dropping out. It just felt too far removed from the real world.
After that, I spent a couple of years in the military. First doing my national service with the Guard Hussar Regiment and later as a sergeant. When I left, I thought I was going to become an accountant. There was something about that focused, structured world that appealed to me.
But after six months at what was otherwise a great training firm, I realized it wasn’t for me. Whenever I went out to clients, I felt like I was getting in the way rather than actually helping. That took the motivation out of it.
Things changed when I joined a company where I taught people how to use Microsoft Office and Windows 95 — and yes, I’m that old. That was when I found my place. From there, I went on to work for pretty much all the major American IT companies.
But I never stayed anywhere for very long. I always felt like a small part of a very big machine, and not in a particularly appealing way. That changed when I joined Vaern.
What makes Vaern different as a place to work?
What matters most to me is that there’s an incredible amount of passion here.
People genuinely care about the work they do, and you feel that throughout the organization.
There’s also a sense of community I haven’t experienced anywhere else. I know exactly who to call when things get difficult, and my colleagues know they can call me, too.
You’re an expert in your field, but you don’t have a formal IT education. How did that happen?
A lot of people in this industry are self-taught. You can read all the books you want, but ultimately, you either have a feel for IT or you don’t. And you have to enjoy it enough to put in the hours, keeping up with new technologies, attending conferences around the world, taking courses, and constantly learning.
I think that’s especially true for those of us working with infrastructure. You need an understanding of IT that you can’t get from books alone.
Infrastructure is incredibly complex. You can’t always explain everything in isolation, you have to understand how it all connects. It’s a bit like the butterfly effect: a small change in one place can have major consequences somewhere else. Seeing those connections takes perspective and experience.
consultant perspective
“As consultants, we’re paid to have an opinion. Clients expect us to challenge them. Of course, there comes a point when they may expect us to get behind a decision and execute, and when that happens, that’s what we do. But what they’re paying me for is the experience to say: ‘I’ve dealt with something like this before. I think this is the direction we should take.”
Jesper Krogh
Consultant & Team Lead, Vaern
What do you remember about joining Vaern?
I remember feeling a real sense of respect when I walked through the door.
Before joining Vaern, I had met several of the consultants who worked there, and every one of them had been exceptionally good at what they did. Becoming part of that reputation meant a lot to me.
The other thing I remember is how willing everyone was to help from day one — colleagues and leadership alike.
What else has defined your 10 years at Vaern?
Before I joined, I wondered whether there would be enough work. But I’ve never been without something to do—at least not unless I chose to be.
I make it a priority to take six or seven weeks of vacation every year, and I really value being somewhere that makes that possible.
As long as I deliver on what I’ve promised my clients and colleagues, I have a lot of freedom to shape my life the way I want. I feel very fortunate to have that.
What has been your biggest professional success
“I can’t — and probably shouldn’t —name specific projects, but there have been plenty of good ones.
For me, the interesting work usually starts with a difficult problem that needs solving. Then it’s about finding different ways to approach it.
I enjoy taking the lead, getting the client behind an idea, and then seeing that idea become reality over time with a positive outcome.
What have you learned during your time at Vaern?
As consultants, we’re paid to have an opinion.
Clients expect us to challenge them. Of course, there comes a point when they may expect us to get behind a decision and execute, and when that happens, that’s what we do.
But what they’re paying me for is the experience to say: ‘I’ve dealt with something like this before. I think this is the direction we should take.’
What has surprised you most about yourself over the years?
When I compare the consultant I was at the beginning of my career with the consultant I am today, one thing really stands out: I’m much more aware of how important relationships, empathy, and personality are.
Knowing how to read the room matters. When I walk into an organization, I need to understand the setting I’m in and how to work with the people around me.
You can be incredibly knowledgeable and technically strong, but if you can’t communicate with people, you won’t get very far.