New Secretary-General for the Church of Sweden

Helén Ottosson Lovén. Photo: Magnus Aronson/IKON

Today, the Central Board of the Church of Sweden appointed Helén Ottosson Lovén as new Secretary-General of the Church of Sweden. She has been acting Secretary-General since November 2010.

“We were looking for a person with strong leadership qualities and have chosen Helén Ottosson Lovén who, through her time as acting Secretary-General, has already gained some experience of the role. We are delighted that she wanted to take up the post,” says Levi Bergstörm, first Vice Chair of the Central Board.

“She is determined about what she wants but also attentive to employees. Already during her time as acting Secretary-General, she started making changes to the Central Office to make it even more cohesive, and has ideas about how she wants to evolve it in the future,” says Bergström.

Walking the same path
“The Church has been an important part of my life since I was young. As Secretary-General I want to help ensure that the Church can continue to walk the same path as many people,” says Lovén.

“Parishes must be given the opportunity to focus their skills and energy on contacts with people. After all the years I have spent serving the Church, I know that its employees in their various roles excel at dealing with people, whether happy or sad – and at building fellowship. In that sense, the Church of Sweden is extremely rich in resources! The task I am now faced with, leading work at the national level in the Church, makes me feel happy – and humble,” she says.

The Secretary-General of the Church of Sweden is the Church’s highest managerial post, and the role involves leading the work at the Central Church Office in Uppsala, with its 300 employees, and 200 employees abroad. Helén Ottosson Lovén will commence her 6-year appointment on 1 July 2011.

FACTS
Age: 54
Family: two adult children
Lives: in Uppsala
Education: law degree
Has been head of finance at the Central Church Office in Uppsala since 1997.
Succeeds Lars Friedner, who left his post in November 2010.