Making Space: Cobe's Co-CEOs Nina Mathiesen and Mari Randsborg on Leading Creative Cultures and Radical Change
Nina Mathiesen and Mari Randsborg, courtesy of Cobe.
By Julia Gamolina
Both trained as architects, Nina Mathiesen and Mari Randsborg are the co-CEOs of Cobe. Nina joined the firm in 2009 and has since transitioned from practicing architect to strategic leader. She has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth from a small team of just 10 to more than 175 employees today. Mari joined the firm in 2022 after several years on its board. She has a background as CEO of the Danish brand agency e-Types and also serves on the boards of several influential Danish design brands, cultural institutions, and organizations. In their interview with Julia Gamolina, Nina and Mari talk about leading and motivating creative professionals, advising those just starting their careers to go after what they want and say yes to opportunities.
JG: You are leading a significant architectural practice — what kind of example are you looking to set? What are your priorities for the rest of 2025, and what do you encourage architecture firms and the leaders of those firms to be paying most attention to?
MR: I hope people see and experience how we lead as a collective, creating fantastic architecture together. Everyone is eager, driven, and diligent in their own tasks, but everyone also has collaborative mindset. That is also my pledge to the industry. It’s time to collaborate — genuinely and closely — with other architectural firms and all stakeholders in the construction industry. We all know that radical change is needed, and the only way to achieve it is through knowledge-sharing, and combining ideas in new ways.
NM: When people look at Cobe — either from the outside or from within — I hope they see an ecosystem where both Mari and I are a vital, but not indispensable, parts of a collaboration, and where everybody brings their specific competencies and skills to the table. Leading an architecture company is not a one-person job, nor a co-CEO job — it’s a joint effort. For the rest of 2025, and probably the next decade, we’ll focus on helping transition our industry into a more sustainable one, where architecture firms become part of the solution, not the problem.
The Opera Park, a public park island in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark. Courtesy of Cobe.
Charging stations for electric vehicles across Europe. Credit Rasmus Hjortshøj.
Now let's go back a little bit — tell me about why you studied architecture, and how you chose where you studied it.
MR: My father was a professor of archaeology. He shared his knowledge not by taking us to excavation sites, but by showing us the layers of cities; the history of Rome and the planning of Chicago, for example. I also come from a traveling family, and choosing what to study also meant choosing to settle and put down roots. Copenhagen was undergoing a rebirth at the time. The School of Architecture had just moved into a former military zone that had been closed to the public. I really wanted to be part of the city’s transformation —that’s still a big driver for me and for Cobe.
NM: I was looking for a profession that combined pragmatism and creativity. For a long time, I thought I’d become an engineer, but when a friend gave me a tour of Aarhus School of Architecture, I instantly felt at home. Drawings covered the walls, models stood everywhere, and people were immersed in something I didn’t quite understand.
In my first year, I was introduced to urban planning — a profession I had never heard of before — and it became my passion. The idea of designing cities to create better lives for many gave me the sense of purpose that has driven me ever since.
“I’ve also learned that creativity and innovation only truly thrive in a working environment where people feel safe, where making mistakes is allowed, and where we can have fun.”
Nina, you've been at Cobe since you finished architecture school. How have you evolved and what have you learned in your fifteen years with the company?
NM: I’ve evolved from being an architect and urban planner to being a leader, which in many ways is a completely different profession. There’s no manual for running an architecture business, and we have to adapt constantly — to changing markets, client demands, and new perspectives from employees. I’ve also learned that creativity and innovation only truly thrive in a working environment where people feel safe, where making mistakes is allowed, and where we can have fun. That’s the kind of culture we try to foster at Cobe — far from the competitive culture architecture is often known for.
Mari, tell me about your experiences working for various offices before starting your as CEO at Cobe. What did you learn that you still apply today?
MR: The first thing I learned was to always hire people who are smarter than me. It’s the only way to achieve greatness instead of boredom. Then, leading creative people is a completely different game. You can’t apply the norms of corporate or sales organizations. Creative people aren’t motivated in the same way — they need freedom and inspiration more than money or career ladders.
I’ve also come to understand that creative organizations are frontrunners in how companies can be run in general. We had sofas long before HR directors started talking about “soft seating.” We’ve had online meetings, remote work, soft KPIs, and collective profit-sharing for decades. What we experiment with here could have a much broader impact, and that gives me even more courage to innovate, including how we approach leadership.
Krulli Kvartal, a transformation of former steelwork site into mixed-use city district and innovation hub in Tallin, Estonia. Courtesy of Cobe.
Maple House, a mixed-use development with 30 percent affordable units in Toronto, Canada. Courtesy of Cobe.
How did the opportunity to be co-CEOs come to you both? What have you learned in your time in this position?
MR: I had been on Cobe’s board of directors for a few years. When Nina went on maternity leave, I had just sold my shares in my previous company, so it was an exciting opportunity for me to step in while she was away. During that time, it became clear that I could bring something valuable to Cobe — and also how much Cobe missed and needed Nina. When she returned, it was oddly enough somehow natural to have us both in the role.
NM: When Mari stepped in, it was like seeing the company through a magnifying glass — her perspective gave us new insights. It became clear what we were doing well, what we could do differently, and what we should change completely. That made us consider a more permanent model, where our different mindsets, competencies, and experiences could complement each other.
Looking back at it all, what have been the biggest challenges? How did you both manage through perceived disappointments or setbacks?
NM: I think the biggest challenge for me has been ego. It takes a lot of self-reflection to go from steering alone to sharing the seat with someone.
MR: Focusing on all the good things that come out of the co-CEO setup has gotten us through. When the gains are so much bigger, you learn from challenges and move on.
“I deeply hope we can be part of the generation of architects who changed the course of the construction industry— a generation that gave more than it took.”
What have you also learned in the last six months?
MR: That we can lean on each other even when we’re down. There’s this preconception that no middle-aged man in our position would ever admit to feeling not good enough. Having each other’s backs — not just professionally, but personally — helps us bounce back with rocket speed.
Who are you admiring now and why?
MR: I admire Nina for her know-how and for moving her chair aside to make room for someone else. And I admire everyone who has done the same — whether in big or small ways — making space for something new, something bold, something that challenges the norm.
NM: Now I can’t say anyone other than Mari! But truly, I do admire her — for her courage to step into this setup. And I admire all the women in the construction industry who dare to stand up for themselves and their beliefs in a very male-dominated field. I’m sure Madame Architect has interviewed quite a few of them.
Adidas Halftime, a conference center at adidas global HQ in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Credit Rasmus Hjortshøj.
The SIlo, a transformation of former industrial grain silo into residential complex in Copenhagen, Denmark. Credit Rasmus Hjortshøj.
What is the impact you’d like to have on the world? What is your core mission? And, what does success in that look like to you?
MR: I deeply hope we can be part of the generation of architects who changed the course of the construction industry— a generation that gave more than it took.
NM: I believe that living in cities holds the answer to many of the world’s big challenges. We need to live closer together and share more — space, resources, functions — but in a better way than we do today. Our role as architects is to create the cities, buildings, and landscapes that form the framework for a more sustainable future.
Finally, what advice do you have for those starting their career? Would your advice be any different for women?
MR: What has worked for me was being super clear about what I wanted, both to myself and to those around me, and then actively going after it. No one’s going to give it to you if you sit and wait in the corner. My father always told me to swim in the deep end of the pool — and I still try to push myself out there every day.
NM: I never had a grand plan or career vision, but I never said no to an opportunity. I trust my gut, and I go with the flow when something new appears on the horizon. That said, I know I’m extremely privileged. I was offered my dream job before I even realized it was my dream. I’m incredibly grateful to have had — and still have — the opportunity to grow and learn alongside Cobe.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.