“Mastering Leadership for the Future – Sustainable Leadership”
On April 18, 2024, the Swedish Chamber and Young Professionals hosted an enriching session on Sustainable Leadership as part of the Mentorship Program 2024, featuring leadership coach Niels Thijssen. With engaging insights drawn from his personal journey, including his experiences coaching Belgium’s elite hockey team, Niels Thijssen delivered a captivating presentation emphasizing the importance of connecting with oneself, the team, and the broader world to cultivate sustainable leadership.
Inspirational and thought-provoking, Thijssen challenged attendees to confront doubts and embrace failure as a pathway to growth and success. Central to his message was the notion of remaining authentic amidst the pressures of leadership.
“People try to limits the risks before trying. Instead, we need to be comfortable with failing forward”
– Niels Thijssen, Professional Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Author
The event fostered lively interaction among participants, sparking meaningful dialogues on self-awareness, transitioning from proving to improving, and nurturing a curious mindset. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Niels for generously sharing his expertise and personal anecdotes, to all attendees for their active participation, and to AIMS International for their valued collaborations. The Swedish Chamber takes is proud to facilitate these pivotal discussions on sustainable leadership.
Speaker: Niels Thijssen, Professional Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Author
“A successful failure. That’s how I like to see myself.”
With a background in organizational sciences, Niels quickly chose the life of an entrepreneur and coach in elite sports. He has won national and European titles in both the Netherlands and Belgium, but he has also experienced failures and losses in finals. Status and fear prevailed over Niels for many years, while intuition and wisdom were lost. Now, he is where he wants to be and helps others harness their full potential with his unique conviction. Read more about Niels here.
About the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Program was launched in October 2012. Since then, more than 100 Young Professionals of the Swedish Chamber have followed the program and benefited from their future personal and professional growth. The many Mentors have benefited from meeting the new generation leaders of the future and learning more about their insights and values. The Mentorship Program is made possible by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with AIMS International Netherlands B.V., a member of AIMS International. Read more here.
On April 11, 2024, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Member Cinode, extended a warm welcome to Swedish Chamber Members and esteemed business relations for an enlightening afternoon presentation titled “What is happening in the consulting industry?”
The consulting sector plays a pivotal role in shaping businesses and industries, with its influence continually expanding. This event delved into the multifaceted landscape of consulting and Cinode took the audience on a journey through the intricacies of the Swedish and Dutch consulting realms, highlighting both similarities and distinctive features. Attendees had the opportunity to explore prevailing trends and gain valuable market insights.
The event fostered engaging discussions and facilitated the exchange of knowledge, providing a platform for attendees to forge meaningful connections. Participants also enjoyed excellent networking opportunities.
We were delighted to witness such a diverse gathering of Swedish Chamber Members and representatives from the consulting sector, each contributing unique perspectives and enriching the collective dialogue.
Key takeaways from the event
- From competition to collaboration: the necessity of partnering with freelancers and other firms to meet increasingly demanding client requirements. There is also a need to build a strategic ecosystem of partners and subcontractors.
- The Skills Gap and the importance of embracing constant learning. This includes tracking the demand and supply of skills within your company and developing a plan for upskilling. It’s essential to match the right consultant with the right project to facilitate learning, and to determine when to recruit internally versus when to leverage external skills such as Subcontractors
- AI is affecting the consulting industry in multiple ways. There is a huge opportunity to help clients maximize the benefits of AI. However, consulting services must also leverage AI to become more efficient and deliver higher-quality results to increasingly demanding clients. The birth of the “hybrid consultant”.
Would you like to access the presentation from this event? Kindly send an email to Mattias Loxi, CMO. If you’re interested in Cinode or would like to follow its journey in entering the Dutch market, please contact Anders Hagberg, CEO. See contact details below.
Speakers
- Anders Hagberg, CEO and Head of CRO. Email: anders.hagberg@cinode.com. Phone: +46 70 184 40 44.
- Lisa Larsson, Marketing Growth Specialist. Email: lisa.larsson@cinode.com.
- Mattias Loxi, Co-Founder and CMO. Email: mattias.loxi@cinode.com. Phone: +46 73 514 2170.
- Kimmo Kärkäinen, Sales. Email: kimmo.karkkainen@cinode.com. Phone: +35 84 51 66 42 24.
About Cinode
Cinode connects you to an expansive network of over 6000 consultancies. This network drives collaboration and dealmaking. Now, Cinode is excited to extend its services to Dutch consulting companies, aiming to accelerate their growth and success.
With nearly 300 customers Cinode is the leading platform for consultancies in the Nordics. The platform’s capabilities include quick client response times, optimized utilization, and transparent information for informed decision-making.
Who knows what, who’s available, what can I sell? Cinode is the all-in-one Saas platform that supercharges consultancies by giving crucial insights into sales, delivery, and skills.
The event was offered free of charge thanks to the generous sponsoring by:
A warm thank you to everyone who participated in the Swedish Chamber’s enlightening Diversity & Inclusion Breakfast, hosted by Sweco at their stunning headquarters in De Bilt and featuring Refugee Talent Hub.
“Diversity is not only inviting people to the party; you need to dance with them too” said Eugene Grüter, CEO at Sweco Nederland, as he shared his personal experiences of working with and mentoring refugee talent. Sweco actively collaborates with Refugee Talent Hub, an outstanding employer initiative that connects refugees with employers to secure paid jobs.
One of the event highlights was hearing from Refugee Talent Hub’s Partnership Manager Houda Zait about the organization’s workings, as well as from Naiem Zayeri on his journey as a refugee adapting to the Dutch business climate and culture.
It was also truly inspiring to hear Sweco’s HR Business Partner Suzan Peters present the close partnership between Sweco and Refugee Talent Hub, emphasizing the importance of recruiting refugee talent inclusively and championing social responsibility. We also thank Mark Wybenga from Sweco for excellent moderating!
With approximately 100,000 refugees currently seeking employment in the Netherlands, the Swedish Chamber and its members are proud to highlight the utilization of this often-overlooked talent pool, and to welcome new exceptional employees into forward-thinking and diverse teams! A huge thank you to Sweco for this fantastic breakfast, beautiful surroundings and impactful presentations!
Photo Credits: Salar Ashari, Refugee Talent Hub
The event was in collaboration with:
ABOUT THE REFUGEE TALENT HUB
Refugee Talent Hub brings refugees and employers closer together to secure paid jobs. Our dream is a country in which employers see and acknowledge the talents of refugees and where refugees therefore have the right opportunities in the labour market.
During small-scale, tailor-made meetings and activities, personal encounters between employers and refugees are central. Together with employers, we strive for a refugee-friendly workplace, where employees with a refugee background are able to fit in – as easily as anyone else – and feel at home.
The idea of the Refugee Talent Hub descends from consultancy firm Accenture. The company presented the idea at the annual World Economic Forum in 2016, after which the Refugee Talent Hub was launched the same year.
ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER DIVERSITY & INCLUSION BREAKFASTS
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce together with its Diversity & Inclusion Committee aim to provide a series of Diversity & Inclusion Breakfasts to discuss strategies with a focus on new perspectives of D&I, share real cases and research, and support you with concrete tools to increase and develop D&I within your organization. For more information about the Swedish Chamber of Commerce D&I Program and the D&I Committee click here or send an email to events@swedishchamber.nl
“Mastering Leadership for the Future – Program kick-off”
We were thrilled to kick off the Swedish Chamber and Young Professionals Mentorship Program 2024 last week, together with the nine skilled Mentorship Program pairs joining the journey! The event started with an introduction by Mentorship Coach Hendrik Jan Guitink, leading the way with insightful guidelines. Mentees and Mentors were then divided into breakout sessions to map out personal goals and expectations, guided by former Mentee and YP Committee Member Malin Petrocchi, as well as Hendrik Jan. This was followed by the big reveal of Mentor-Mentee matches, after which the pairs had their first one-on-one chats to kickstart their mentoring journey.
Looking ahead, we are extending an open invitation to the Mentorship keynote lectures to all YP members, and welcome you to join these inspirational presentations and discussions. Seating is limited, so secure your spot today! Here’s a glimpse of what’s to come:
📅 April 18: Leadership with Niels Thijssen, Professional Leadership Coach and Facilitator
📅 May 14: Mindfulness and Work-Life Balance with Kristina Zumpolle, Founder, Executive Coach, Facilitator, Keynote Speaker, and Jasmijn de Smit, Executive Coach, Facilitator
📅 September 19: Business Culture with Candida Snow, Director of Snow Culture & Communication
Speakers
- Hendrik-Jan Guitink, Mentorship Program Coach and Managing Partner of AIMS International Netherlands B.V and Mentorship Program Coach
- Malin K. Petrocchi, Head of Speak Up & Investigations at Prosus group.
About the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Program was launched in October 2012. Since then, more than 100 Young Professionals of the Swedish Chamber have followed the program and benefited from their future personal and professional growth. The many Mentors have benefited from meeting the new generation leaders of the future and learning more about their insights and values. The Mentorship Program is made possible by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with AIMS International Netherlands B.V., a member of AIMS International. Read more here.
March 5, 2024
12:00-14:00
Location: Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197, 1012 EX Amsterdam
Keynote Speaker: HRH Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands
We are very pleased to invite you to a Women’s Day Lunch on March 5, 2024, in collaboration with the French Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands, featuring HRH Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands is a social entrepreneur, writer, and dialogue facilitator. She advocates for social and ecological innovation and intergenerational dialogue on socio-economic issues. As the director of Number 5 Foundation, founded in 2017 with her husband Prince Constantijn, she promotes dialogue and co-creation to address complex societal issues. Their work spans environmental concerns, educational reform, language development, child poverty, and digital inclusion. A warm welcome to all our members to sign up for an inspiring Lunch event on March 5!
Men are also welcome to join this event!
Member Fee
Thanks to generous collaboration with the French Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands, Swedish Chamber members are offered an exclusive member price.
Members €95
Non-members €115
Cancellation before February 20: 100% refunded
Cancellation after February 20: no refund possible
Registration
Register for the event by emailing n.abraini@cfci.nl at the French Chamber. Kindly mention “Swedish Chamber” as your company affiliation in the email. You will receive your invoice and confirmation directly from the French Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands.
Keynote Speaker: HRH Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands
Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands is a social entrepreneur, writer, strategist and dialogue facilitator. Her work revolves around social and ecological innovation and intergenerational dialogue on socio-economic issues. She is a passionate advocate of bringing together different organizations and individuals – including the “unexpected” experts – as a basis for developing systemic solutions to urgent issues. Princess Laurentien is the director of Number 5 Foundation, which she founded in 2017 together with her husband Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands. Number 5 is an independent space of thought and action around complex societal issues. Through its philosophy and methodology based on dialogue and co-creation, it helps diverse groups of stakeholders build mission-driven alliances. Besides from environmental issues, Number 5 Foundation works on a broad range of societal issues such as educational reform through youth participation, language development, child poverty and digital inclusion.
The event is in collaboration with
PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS REGISTRATION, BUT INSTEAD, EMAIL N.ABRAINI@CFCI.NL TO REGISTER.
Last week, the Swedish Chamber was honoured to celebrate the annual New Year’s Reception together with Honorary Members and guests at the residency of H.E. Ambassador of Sweden Mr Johannes Oljelund. The Chamber would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who joined this fantastic event, and a special thanks to H.E. Ambassador Oljelund for hosting and sharing his insights about the upcoming year.
”Businesses play a key role in the green transitions, and they need to be included in the conversations” – H.R.H. Prince Jamie de Bourbon de Parme, Climate Envoy of the Netherlands
On December 15, 2023, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce hosted its highly anticipated annual flagship event, the Sustainability & Innovation Summit, themed “Driving the Green Transition Together”.
The event commenced with H.E. Ambassador of Sweden in the Netherlands, Mr. Johannes Oljelund, sharing valuable insights from the recent Swedish Presidency of the European Council, with a specific focus on advancing the European sustainability agenda. Following this was a captivating fireside talk featured H.E. Climate Ambassador of Sweden, Mattias Frumerie, and H.R.H. Prince Jamie de Bourbon de Parme, Climate Envoy of the Netherlands. Together, they shared key takeaways and reflections from COP28, emphasizing its historic significance as the first inclusion of the private sector. ”Businesses play a key role in the green transitions, and they need to be included in the conversations” said H.R.H. Prince Jamie de Bourbon de Parme.
Just like COP28, this year’s Summit uniquely incorporated the business perspective on the green transition, emphasizing the need for a systemic and collaborative approach. Pär Stenmark, Chief Sustainability Officer at Inter IKEA Systems, delivered an insightful presentation on IKEA’s innovative sustainability strategy. Subsequently, a panel discussion featuring business leaders offered valuable insights into how Swedish and Dutch companies are adapting their business models for green transitions, the collaborations propelling their efforts, and their navigation of the policies and regulations under the European Green Deal. The distinguished panellists included Anne Korthals Atles, Sustainability Manager at Vattenfall, Jan Terlouw, Director of Saab Netherlands, and Douwe Dirks, Chief Commercial Officer of the circular furniture company NORNORM.
From the academic field, René Kleijn, Professor of Resilient Resource Supply at Leiden University, delivered a compelling talk on the interrelation of resources, resilience, materials, and geopolitics in the context of green transitions. The discussions were skillfully guided by Andrea Orsag, a proficient moderator, Sustainability Strategy Expert, and the founder of Mission C
In conclusion, the Swedish Chamber’s Sustainability & Innovation Summit 2023 provided expert insights, showcased cutting-edge innovations, and stories of change-makers actively turning the green transition into reality. The Swedish Chamber would like to thank the speakers, attendees, and sponsors for their active engagement and commitment to fostering cooperation and discussion within the Swedish-Dutch business community on the crucial topic of the green transition.
Sponsors
Exclusive Sponsor:
Corporate Sponsors:
In-Kind Sponsors:
On December 15, 2023, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce were proud to host its Exclusive Annual Lucia Dinner at Hotel Hilton in Amsterdam, in the presence of H.E. Ambassador of Sweden in the Netherlands, Mr Johannes Oljelund.
Guests enjoyed an exciting program featuring a four-course seasonal menu, live entertainment, and captivating music performances by the talented Swedish artist Anne-Lie Persson and the band Stockholm Tivoli. The night also included an exhilarating charity raffle and, of course, the magical Swedish Lucia procession by Svenska Högtidskören.
A highlight of the evening was the Swedish Chamber Business Awards Ceremony, where the following awards were handed out by the Jury:
- Swedish Chamber Achievement Awards 2023 – Husqvarna
- Swedish Chamber Tech for Good Awards 2023 – Getinge
- Swedish Chamber Entrepreneurship Awards 2023 – Einride
The event included festive dancing and a celebration of all the achievements and memories created in 2023 within the Swedish Chamber community, as well as an opportunity for networking and forging new connections, making it a memorable night for all in attendance.
The Swedish Chamber extend their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined this unforgettable experience and look forward to welcoming you again in the future.
Charity Raffle for the support of Stichting Gilat
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce has a longstanding tradition of hosting an exciting Raffle Ceremony featuring exclusive prizes donated by loyal members from our Business network. We were proud to inform the total proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets were donated to supporting Stichting Gilat, an organization dedicated to bringing children’s theatre to provide comfort and entertainment for terminally ill children in academic hospitals across the Netherlands.
Charity Raffle Sponsors:
Exclusive Sponsor:
Corporate Sponsors:
In-Kind Sponsors:
