About Håkan Mogren

Håkan Mogren was a Swedish engineer and business leader who, alongside his career, had a keen and lively interest in music.

Håkan Mogren was born in 1944 as the son of a carpenter in Nacka, south of Stockholm. At a young age, he developed a love of music. As a student at the Nacka Music School, he had a strong and sonorous voice. Studies at the Royal Institute of Technology led to a PhD in biotechnology in 1974 and then on to the position as CEO of Marabou.

In 1988, he was appointed CEO of the pharmaceutical company Astra. At the time of the merger of Astra and Zeneca to form Astra Zeneca, he became Vice-chair of the board and then a board member.

Håkan Mogren was very active also outside of his CEO and board positions. He was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) and the Academy of Gastronomy. He was Knight of the French Legion of Honour and Knight of the British Empire. In 2009, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in medicine at Karolinska Institutet.

In 2012, he established the Håkan Mogren Foundation to promote the development of his two strong interests, music and medicine. In his role as chair, he led efforts to recognise medical professionals who work to strengthen the compassionate perspective in healthcare, and to support promising young musicians at the beginning of their careers. Two endeavours that are perhaps more important now than ever.

Håkan Mogren passed away on December 10, 2021.