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Welcome to sign up for the Annual Dinner of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce
Welcome to sign up for the Annual Dinner of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Sweden on November 10, 2023 The Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Sweden is excited to extend a warm invitation to their Annual Dinner 2023, taking place on November 10th in Winterviken, Stockholm. Join us for an exquisite evening of fine dining and networking with fellow members and our vibrant community. Excitingly, we're opening our doors to members of the Swedish Chamber, offering them the same ticket price as Dutch Chamber members. Simply use the voucher code 'swedishchamber' when registering. Register before 15 October, 2023, by visiting their website .
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Congratulations to PR Lab for celebrating their 5th anniversary
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce extend warm congratulations to Swedish Chamber member PR Lab for celebrating their 5th anniversary last week in the presence of colleagues and business relations. From the Swedish Chamber Emma Wergeland had the pleasure to join the celebrations at Herengracht in Amsterdam. PR Lab is the only PR agency based in Amsterdam, Stockholm, Munich, and Austin specialising in PR for tech startups and scale-ups. They are a risk-taking, forward-thinking PR agency that believes in using the full marketing mix to achieve results in PR and beyond. “We understand the tech world: things are constantly changing and you never know what tomorrow will look like,” says PR Lab. Their dedication to excellence in public relations has not only strengthened their own reputation but also significantly contributed to develop the whole industry. Read more about PR Lab .
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Welcome to new Member DataSnipper
The Swedish Chamber is very please to welcome new member DataSnipper and looking forward to introduce them to our Swedish – Dutch business network. “We are delighted to join the Swedish Chamber and contribute to the network”, says Benjamin Selvani, Account Executive Nordics at DataSnipper. DataSnipper is an Intelligent Automation Platform within Excel that accelerates Audit and Finance teams' productivity. DataSnipper helps to eliminate repetitive tasks, extract, cross-reference, and document the source of any audit and finance procedure. Trusted by Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, BDO and other market leaders DataSnipper is active in 85+ countries and used by over 500.000 audit and finance professionals. Click to visit the website to learn more or reach out to Benjamin Selvani directly: benjamin.selvani@datasnipper.com
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Handelsbanken earns top marks for customer satisfaction in all its home markets
Handelsbanken press release from September 18, 2023: Handelsbanken once again has the most satisfied customers among the major banks in Sweden*, receiving top marks from both personal and corporate banking customers in all its home markets. This is the result of the latest annual survey carried out by the Swedish Quality Index/EPSI, SKI Bank 2023. “Personal meetings and long-term relationships create the stability that today’s banking customers expect and demand. These results serve as a confirmation that our way of running a bank adds genuine value for our customers,” comments Michael Green, Head of Handelsbanken Sweden. Handelsbanken is top ranked for customer satisfaction in the UK, Norway and the Netherlands, the markets outside Sweden where the Bank has operations. In Sweden, Handelsbanken has the most satisfied personal and corporate banking customers of all the major banks. The Bank was also recently awarded “Business Bank of the Year 2023” and “Sweden’s Small Enterprise Bank 2023”. This year’s survey by SKI/EPSI shows that banking customers want the option of engaging with their bank digitally and in person, and that in the current economic climate, it is increasingly important to have a personal relationship with one’s bank. The personal relationships with dedicated account managers is highlighted by many customers as a reason for Handelsbanken’s ratings. “This is further confirmation, from both existing and potential customers, of the competitiveness of our offering. Whilst our customers like to self-serve via our digital channels when it suits them, the personal meeting remains at the very heart of our approach, and today’s SKI/EPSI results show that our customers really value speaking to dedicated branch teams who are decision makers with a broad mandate and extensive knowledge of both individual customers’ needs and the local market,” says Mikael Sørensen, CEO of Handelsbanken UK. Corporate customers expressed particular appreciation for the proactive approach taken by the Bank’s advisors when making contact and for the fact that they are available whenever the customer seeks a conversation, regardless of whether this takes place online or in person. “Meetings between people are at the very heart of how we create value for our customers, and build confidence and long-term customer relationships. I would like to thank our customers for the trust they have in us. These results will encourage us to continually evolve, together with our customers,” says Michael Green. Read more at Handelsbanken's website .  
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Bernie van Leeuwen, SKF leaving the Swedish Chamber Board of Directors
At the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting on September 26, 2023, the Board of Directors took the opportunity to thank Bernie van Leeuwen who was attending for the last time. Bernie van Leeuwen is leaving his position as General Manager SKF Netherlands on 31 October and will be followed up by Mark Verbakel The Chairman of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Johan Uhlin, extended the Board's heartfelt appreciation to Bernie van Leeuwen for his outstanding dedication and commitment to both the Board and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee. His insightful ideas, generous hosting, and enthusiasm have been instrumental in driving positive change within the Chamber. Bernie's continued engagement is truly impressive and inspires us all. “We thank you for your valuable contributions and wish you all the best in your future,” says Johan Uhlin. At the same time, we are extending a warm welcome to Mark Verbakel, Country Manager SKF B.V. and we are looking forward to welcoming him to the Swedish – Dutch Business Community.
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Hollandse Kust Zuid inaugurated
Vattenfall Group press relsease from September 20, 2023: On September 29, 2023,  Dutch King Willem-Alexander officially inaugurated wind farm Hollandse Kust Zuid. To mark the occasion the king celebrated the completion of Vattenfall’s largest offshore windfarm to date together with executives of Vattenfall, BASF and Allianz on the beach of IJmuiden in front of a life-sized human turbine. The fossil free electricity generated from Hollandse Kust Zuid is expected to equal the consumption of 1.5 million households. Hollandse Kust Zuid is located in the North Sea, 18-36 kilometers off the Dutch coast between the towns of Scheveningen and Zandvoort. The 139 turbines have a total capacity of 1.5 GW, making it one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world. Its annual electricity production is expected to equal the consumption of 1.5 million households. Hollands Kust Zuid is owned by Vattenfall, BASF and Allianz. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2024 and will be serviced out of the port of IJmuiden. “Vattenfall aims to be a leader in the energy transition and offshore wind is essential for energy security and to achieve Net Zero. The realization of a project of this magnitude makes me really proud and today is a great example of what we can achieve when partnering with industry. Hollandse Kust Zuid will not only contribute to reduce BASF’s caron footprint but will also help meet local businesses and households demand for fossil free electricity,” says Helene Biström, Head of Business Area Wind at  Vattenfall. “Around half of the electricity from Hollandse Kust Zuid will be used to reduce the carbon footprint of our products at BASF sites in Europe. It is the first major investment of BASF in facilities for renewable power. To be part of making that happen makes me also personally very proud and happy. This marks another milestone on our way to climate-neutral production of chemicals,“  says Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. BASF aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by the year 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Replacing fossil-based electricity with fossil-free electricity is an important lever to further bring down emissions. “Allianz invests policyholder funds in renewable energy and owns more than 100 wind and solar farms. I am delighted that today we are opening our first direct investment in an offshore wind farm, together with BASF and Vattenfall. This underlines the ability of partnerships to catalyse action and bring climate solutions to life,” says Oliver Bate, CEO of Allianz Allianz is committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in its proprietary investment and Property & Casualty underwriting portfolios and already by 2030 within its own operations   Biodiversity at heart Several innovative techniques were used during the construction of Hollandse Kust, like a double bubble screen to dampen underwater noise during pile driving to limit the impact for harbor porpoises. Enlarged water replenishment holes in the foundations offer shelter for marine life inside the turbines, the first time the structure of a turbine itself is included in nature inclusive wind farm design. Boulders and rocks of varying sizes were used during the construction of scour protection. At several scour protection sites artificial rock reefs were added to make them more attractive to a wider number of fish, crabs and crustaceans.    Circularity - recyclable blades Three turbines are fitted with recently developed recyclable blades. The resin used to ‘glue’ blades together will be easier to dissolve after the working life of the turbines, making it easier to disseminate the blades and reuse the different elements. Hollandse Kust Zuid is a key project in the ambitious goals that Dutch government has set to combat climate change and to provide the Netherlands with renewable energy for the next generation. In 2018, Hollandse Kust Zuid was awarded as the first subsidy-free wind farm in the world. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2024 and will be serviced out of the port of IJmuiden.   Grid connection  Two offshore substations connect Hollandse Kust Zuid to the Dutch grid. These grid connections have been developed and will be operated by the Dutch TSO TenneT. As part of the Dutch offshore wind policy grid connections are publicly funded, which ensures standardisation and subsequent cost savings. It gives wind farm developers certainty that they will not have to adjust their designs later. For more information, visit Vattenfall's website . Photo credits: Vattenfall Group  
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Johan Faskunger, speaker at #NordicTalks2023
We are excited to introduce the #NordicTalks2023 speaker Johan Faskunger! Join us on October 28, 2023, at the NordicTalks 2023 Summit - Friluftsliv, where we'll dive into "The Great Impact of Outdoor Life on Health." Johan Faskunger, a PhD holder in physical activity and public health, is one of the key contributors to the insightful report "Benefits of Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature" by The Swedish Association for Outdoor Organisations. Download the report . Johan Faskunger will provide unique insights from the report during #NordicTalks2023, and bring a Swedish perspective to the discussions. At NordicTalks 2023, we'll gather experts, scientists, and business leaders from Nordic countries and the Netherlands to explore the profound effects of outdoor lifestyle on well-being. Learn how companies can boost their workforce's health and energy levels by promoting healthier choices. Discover how Nordic outdoor living positively influences personal health, organizations, and society as a whole! Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and connect with Nordic Ambassadors, all while being guided by the insightful moderation of Sander Schimmelpenninck, an accomplished author, entrepreneur, and TV presenter. Read more about the event and sign up
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Upcoming events
Join us for a dynamic fall program with insightful events and inspiring discussions! Dive into Swedish-Dutch business culture with Vattenfall, unlock the secrets of Nordic outdoor living at #NordicTalks2023, and explore the impact of Tech for Good alongside Ericsson. Mark your calendar for our two exclusive annual gatherings: the Patron Dinner on November 7, 2023, and the Sustainability & Innovation Summit on December 15, 2023. Expect enriching sessions with keynote speakers, engaging conversations, and networking opportunities that can shape your future. Which event are you most excited to attend? Click here for event details, registration, and more.
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Patrons