Howard Catton was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in February 2019. He is committed to ensuring that ICN effectively represents nursing worldwide, advances the nursing profession, promotes the wellbeing of nurses, and advocates for health in all policies. He firmly believes that nurses should be at the heart of health policy decision making and leading health care systems and delivery.

Throughout his career, Catton has worked and written extensively on issues relating to the nursing and health care workforce and co-chaired the first ever State of the World’s Nursing Report. He led ICN’s response and support of nurses globally during the pandemic and has been at the forefront of advocating for the protection of and investment in the nursing profession.

Catton joined ICN in April 2016 as the Director, Nursing, Policy and Programmes. His team led the development of ICN policy and position statements, working closely with WHO and other international organizations to provide nursing advice on global health challenges and contribute input into formal WHO and United Nations decision making meetings and processes. He also coordinated ICN programmes and projects, including leadership development, and worked closely with other non-government health organizations, civil society, and private sector organizations. Catton also oversaw the development of scientific programs for ICN events, including its world congresses, held every two years.

In December 2019, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland appointed Catton as Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery. This fellowship without examination is granted in exceptional circumstances to nurses who have rendered outstanding service to the profession.

Catton qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1988. He held a variety of nursing posts in England and the United States and worked for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. He studied social policy at Cardiff University and industrial relations at Warwick University before working as a personnel and organisational change manager in the National Health Service in the UK. For 10 years, Catton was head of policy and international affairs at the Royal College of Nursing. His department worked with a wide range of stakeholders on the development and implementation of nursing and health policy both in the UK and overseas. He worked closely with a variety of government departments and Westminster parliamentarians on policy and legislative issues. He has also led and supported many national campaigns and was frequently the RCN media spokesperson. In 2015, he was named to the Health Service Journal’s Top 100 Clinical Leaders list. Catton has also served as an elected local government councillor in England and was a cabinet member with lead responsibility for corporate and customer services for five years. During this time, he also worked on several public health, community development, safety, and wellbeing initiatives.