ICARS is pleased to announce the appointment of Helle Engslund Krarup as its new Executive Director. Helle has served as Director of Operations since May 2020 and brings to the role deep knowledge of the organisation, a clear commitment to ICARS’ mission and continued impact in addressing antimicrobial resistance globally.
Throughout her career, Helle has worked extensively with international relations and cooperation on health, including roles within the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Danish Ministry of Health, and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Her experience spans policy development, cross-government collaboration, and international health engagement, with a consistent focus on translating evidence into practical outcomes.
In her internal address to staff, Helle reflected on the importance of bridging evidence and implementation in complex policy environments:
“Having worked for more than 20 years at the intersection of ministries of health and foreign affairs, I have learned that evidence alone does not drive change – the policy level does not work like that – this requires alignment, incentives and institutional ownership. The success of ICARS depends on our ability to ensure that technical, scientific evidence translates into policy uptake, sustainable financing and cross-sector execution.”
During her tenure as Director of Operations, Helle has overseen a period of significant organisational growth, supporting ICARS’ development from a small unit to the diverse and dynamic team it is today. Much of this work took place in close partnership with the previous Executive Director, Dr Sujith J. Chandy, and reflects the collective efforts of the entire ICARS team, partners and collaborators. As Helle noted to colleagues, she has been closely involved in the recruitment of almost all team members, helping to shape the organisation’s culture, expertise and collaborative approach.
Alongside this organisational development, Helle has played a central role in strengthening ICARS’ global engagement and partnerships. She has represented ICARS at several high-level international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance in New York, as well as the High-Level Ministerial Meetings on AMR in Oman and Jeddah. She has also led key partner dialogues with collaborators and funders, contributing to the organisation’s strategic positioning and growth.
She has also visited multiple ICARS-supported project sites, working closely with ministers, researchers and local stakeholders. Through signing memoranda of understanding and engaging directly with project teams, she has maintained a strong focus on understanding the practical realities of implementation, learning first-hand from those addressing AMR on the ground, including farmers, nurses, pharmacists and patients.
Reflecting on how these experiences shape her motivation, Helle also shared a personal perspective from an ICARS field visit. While in Lao PDR to sign an agreement with the government on a project addressing antibiotic use in maternal and child health, one of her children back home developed pneumonia and required hospitalisation. This experience underscored for her the value of having access to a well-resourced health system, where appropriate diagnostics ensured that the right antibiotic could be given quickly and effectively, something that is not yet a reality in many settings. By the time she returned to Copenhagen, her child had recovered well.
For Helle, the experience reinforced the importance of ensuring that access to effective treatment is not a matter of circumstance. She emphasised that everyone should have access to timely and appropriate care, and that rising antimicrobial resistance risks undermining hard-won health gains, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This continues to drive her commitment to ICARS’ mission.
Announcing the appointment at ICARS headquarters, Dr Henrik Wegener, Chair of the ICARS Board of Directors, said:
“The Board of Directors is delighted to announce Helle as ICARS’ new Executive Director. Having grown within ICARS, Helle brings a rare combination of institutional knowledge, proven results, and unwavering dedication to our mission. Her deep understanding of ICARS’ purpose, coupled with a clear vision for our evolving strategic direction, positions her exceptionally well to lead ICARS into its next chapter.”
The Vice-Chair of the Board, Dr Renu Swarup, who also served on the recruitment panel, reflected on the appointment, saying:
“Helle’s more than two decades of experience within Ministries and in international collaboration equips her with a uniquely practical understanding of how policy is shaped and implemented. As Executive Director, she brings a clear focus on demonstrating results, strengthening sustainability, and ensuring that ICARS continues to deliver tangible impact. Her ability to align strategic priorities with operational excellence will be key to positioning ICARS as a leading global implementation partner for AMR, and to ensuring that investments in ICARS deliver strong value for money in low- and middle-income countries.”
Helle Engslund Krarup will formally take up the position of Executive Director on 15 April 2026.
