Lego Exec Dies in Skiing Accident

Michael Halbye, the vice chair of Lego's parent company, died Saturday after falling while skiing in Switzerland's Verbier region. He was 64. Halbye joined the board of directors of Kirkbi, which owns Lego, in 2020; he became vice-chair in 2022, People reports. He was also a friend of the Danish royal family, and had been on the board of Queen Mary of Denmark's Mary Foundation since its 2007 founding, the New York Post reports. "Michael Halbye was a man who possessed a rare positive energy, extensive knowledge and a strong commitment to making a difference for those outside the community," the queen said in a statement. Her foundation promotes mental health and works to fight bullying.

Per a statement from Kirkbi, Halbye fell on the piste and was airlifted to a hospital, but ultimately succumbed to internal bleeding. "It is with great sadness that we received the news of Michael's sudden passing," says the chair of the Kirkbi board in the statement. "Our thoughts and care go to Michael's family and loved ones, who are now faced with having to process the unexpected loss of a man who, in all facets of life, has left a great and positive impression on those around him. We will miss Michael as Vice Chairman but first and foremost as a person." (More Lego stories.)