We believe one of the best ways to show who we are is by sharing the stories of our people. This time, we’re happy to introduce Jan Hellqvist, MedEngine’s new CEO.
Jan brings to MedEngine more than three decades of leadership experience in the life science sector. He has worked across pharmaceutical companies and the organizations that support them, helping teams grow, build strong partnerships, and deliver results at scale.
Jan began his career at Astra in 1994 and worked his way up to a role as Global Brand Director in Respiratory, with responsibility for strategy, commercial work, marketing, and clinical development. He spent almost ten years with Astra, which became AstraZeneca in June 1999.
His experience includes years of work in respiratory medicine, collaborating with lung specialists, general practitioners, and pediatricians, before moving into broader global roles related to asthma treatments. Along the way, he also worked closely with key opinion leaders across multiple regions.
After AstraZeneca, Jan’s career has combined leadership, entrepreneurship, and commercial roles across the Nordic life science landscape. He has started a generics company, led Marketing & Sales at Stryker Nordic, and served as Nordic General Manager at DAKO in Denmark, a company known for diagnostic tests used in laboratories and hospitals.
“The importance of real-world evidence, is increasing rapidly, not to mention the growing need for market access and medical support in pharma companies.”
In recent years, Jan has focused on building and reshaping companies that provide services to the life science industry. This includes leading several clinical research organizations (CROs), companies that help plan and run clinical studies, including TFS Health Care, KLIFO, and Link Medical, with the aim of creating strong growth and long-term profitability.
Over the past six years, Jan has grown GBA Key2Compliance from a small local company in Stockholm into an international service company focused on medical devices. Overall, Jan has built his career in a variety of leadership roles, and what stands out is the long-term perspective he brings to partnerships and growth.
So why MedEngine, and why now? For Jan, it comes down to a growing shift in how evidence is gathered and used in healthcare, and where he feels he can make the biggest impact next.
“I have worked in Life Science and primarily Pharma for more than thirty years. I have done a lot of observational research in previous CROs and I have been on the board of Carmona, a company handling several of the quality registries in Sweden. The importance of real-world evidence (RWE), meaning health information collected outside traditional clinical trials, is increasing rapidly, not to mention the growing need for market access and medical support in pharma companies,” he says.
Jan’s approach is often practical and solutions oriented. That mindset aligns closely with MedEngine’s work: turning complexity into clarity and building strategies and evidence that help innovations move forward.
“I think most of my previous colleagues would describe me as visionary, driven, and rather easy to work with. The work also needs to be fun!”
Asked how people who’ve worked closely with him would describe his leadership, Jan highlights a style that combines ambition with approachability and a genuine sense of enjoyment in the work.
“I think most of my previous colleagues would describe me as visionary, driven, and rather easy to work with. The work also needs to be fun! Growth and development are two things that make me tick, which makes me rather competitive. I have also built a huge network over the years, and many clients and employees have followed me over time,” Jan says.
When he’s not working, Jan likes to recharge through movement, friendly competition, and time with the people closest to him.
“I enjoy going to the gym, and at my age, playing golf is a great way to keep competing with old friends,” he smiles and continues warmly “Naturally, my lovely wife and my kids are also enormously important to me.”
We’re excited to have Jan with us and can’t wait to see the perspective, experience, and drive he brings to our work and culture!
