Wickman's parents were Johannes Wickman (1882–1957), a journalist and editor at
Dagens Nyheter, and Hervor Mellgren. While at university, Krister Wickman was a member of the
Swedish Clarté League. He graduated with a
Candidate of Law degree in 1948 and a
licentiate in
economics in 1953; he also studied
classical languages and
philosophy. From 1951, Wickman was employed at the
National Institute of Economic Research. He was a
secretary of state in the
Ministry of Finance from 1959, and remained there until joining the government as a
minister without portfolio in 1967. and was awarded for Special Achievement at the
4th Guldbagge Awards in 1967. Wickman was
minister of industry from 1969 until 1971, when he became
minister for foreign affairs. After his ministerial career ended in 1973, Wickman served as governor of Sveriges Riksbank until 1976. ==Honors==