Tom Høyem was chairman and also the driving force behind the Mende Nazer Foundation. Thanks to his initial efforts and the goodwill Mende received through his support, the foundation was launched in July 2009. Even as Tom takes his first steps towards retirement, he has decided to pass the torch to Janan Sutherland to support him as the new Chairman.

Tom Høyem was born on 10th October 1941. For 5 years, from 1982 to 1987, he was Minister for Greenland within the Danish government. On 14th September 1984, he was awarded the Order of the Dannebrog for special services to the loyal servants of the Danish state.

Tom Høyem has served as an independent election observer for the OSCE on behalf of the Danish government in Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, Ukraine, Palestine and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Tom Høyem now lives with his wife in Karlsruhe, Germany, where he is the director of the European School. Prior to this time, he was the Director of 2 other European Schools: Munich, Germany and Oxford, UK.

In 1994, he joined the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) and was elected to the municipal council of the city of Karlsruhe in 2004.

Tom Høyem is also an author and journalist and has already published 9 books.