Poul Madsen was born in Gorzów, Poland, and moved to Denmark at the age of four. He grew up in Nakskov, a small town on the Danish Island of Lolland. After studying at a business school, he served as a sergeant in the Danish military and later attended the Danish Export School. Madsen has been an entrepreneur ever since, and recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of Normann Copenhagen, which he founded in 1999 together with Jan Andersen. In private, he has lived with Karin Nørgaard for 20 years. Together, they have a 14-year-old daughter, Wilma. Madsen loves traveling, design, and art, and dreams of opening a museum when he grows old.