Howard Catton, RN, MA, BS (Econ) (Hons), has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) since February 2019. He is committed to ensuring that ICN effectively represents nursing worldwide. Howard joined ICN in April 2016 as Director of Nursing, Policy and Programmes. Before that he was Head of Policy & International Affairs at the Royal College of Nursing in the UK, working with many different stakeholders on nursing and health policy in the UK and overseas. He has led ICN’s work to respond to and support nurses globally during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been at the forefront of advocating for the protection of and investment in the nursing profession. He co-chaired the first ever State of the World’s Nursing Report and is currently co-chairing the second SoWN Report, set for publication in 2025. He was actively involved in the development of the WHO Global Strategy on Nursing and Midwifery 2021-2025.