Swe-Cham connects You!
We must all change working practices and overcome challenges together. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce welcomes members to join us to offer professional information and assistance to all members within our business network.
Contact us if you need a sparring partner and/or professional juridical or financial advice or any other professional guiding. We have a wide range of professionals and companies in our network who can help and support you and your business. Many of them have knowledge and long time experience of doing business in both Sweden and the Netherlands. We will make a personal connection with you to relevant member companies.
Welcome to contact us if you have a specific issue and we will help you finding the right person or organisation to help you.
Welcome also to all our Member companies to contact us and inform us how they can help fellow members with their expertise in these challenging times. Special offers and member services will be published on the Swedish Chamber of Commerce website with a link to your company and made public in our social media channels.
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Meet Petra Zachrisson Beets, Officer of Communication, Culture and Sweden Promotion at the Swedish Embassy
The Swedish Chamber is very pleased to talk to Petra Zachrisson Beets, who started as Officer of Communication, Culture and Sweden Promotion at the Swedish Embassy in the Hague in February.
About Petra:
“I am Swedish and I have been living in the Netherlands for 20 years. First in Amsterdam and now in Amstelveen, just outside of Amsterdam for about 15 years. I am married to a Dutch man and we have two daughters and a dog.
For almost 15 years, I worked at the marketing department at IKEA Netherlands after which I started my own company in PR & Communication. Since I arrived to the Netherlands, I have been active within “Svenska Klubben” and also a very active member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce. So I am very familiar with Swedes living in the Netherlands.
My new role at the Swedish Embassy gives me the opportunity to combine my study, knowledge and work experience within communication. Also, it enhances my everlasting love for sharing information about Sweden and the Netherlands in both countries. The most important thing in this role and our main priority, is to communicate information about Sweden to the Netherlands, and specifically the Swedish take on Equal rights, Sustainability and Innovation. Another main topic this year is to give attention to the ‘Drive for democracy’.
The most challenging and fun goal is to try to reach more Swedes living in the Netherlands and also to reach more Dutch people that are interested in Sweden. But it is also a challenge to get through with our messages about the Swedish values to the Dutch people; Why is a ‘feminist foreign policy’ important? Why is it important to have equal rights? How can Sweden and the Netherlands share experiences in those areas?
Our communication tools are our website and Social Media channels and we are very active on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. That is how I want to reach more people, especially now. Quick and correct information is so important in these corona-times. Of course, we look forward to when the Corona crisis is behind us and we hope to have more personal meetings again.
At this moment of course the Corona situation is taking up most of my time. I was very fresh at the Embassy when the Corona crisis started, so I have been forced to learn everything at a very high speed. As a Communication Officer my number one priority has been to continuously keep myself as updated as possible on the Swedish and Dutch governments measurements and to share all the information as soon as possible on our website and in social media. In that sense, my work has been everything but normal since the Corona virus outbreak. But I do find it very rewarding to be able to share all information as quickly as possible for the profit of our Swedish community in the Netherlands and I hope that everyone will find the information on our website useful and that it is helping them to take the right measurements to keep safe.”
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Welcome new Patron Volvo Group
About Volvo Group
"Our products are part of your daily life. They take you to work, collect your rubbish and keep lights shining. Volvo Group is developing tomorrow’s public transport solutions so that you can get to work or to school quickly and easily. We ensure that the power is always running when you visit a hospital and we make rescue services run when you need urgent help. But we are also there when you relax, on holiday in your pleasure boat, or in one of our touring coaches. We are driving prosperity through transport solutions, we are Volvo Group."
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A warm welcome to new Member SoundTribe
About SoundTribe
- Sound guides us, sound connects us and sound protects us
Sound affects us constantly. Where we work, live, learn or heal. It affects our health, wellbeing, mood and our emotions. We at SoundTribe are passionate about designing user-based sound environments that works for you. We will help you connect the dots from Concept to Design to Solutions.
Positive sounds like wonderful music, laughter and the voices of other people make us feel good and help us to connect with others. Sounds of nature make us feel comfortable and relaxed. Human evolution took place outdoor in nature, our hearing and voice developed there to what they are today. Outdoor sound conditions differ a lot from the indoor conditions we spend 90% of our time in nowadays. That is why we should mimic the outdoor conditions as much as possible indoors. A good sound environment helps us to collaborate better, to focus on the right things and to perform at our best. Good sound environments affect health, performance and wellbeing positively. Poor sound design does the opposite.
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Q&A with Malin Hedlund, Founder of MHLeadership
Malin Hedlund started as a leadership trainer in Sweden, 1995. During her many years of experience from multiple projects she found that most managers had not reached their potential despite their desire to grow in their professional development. This led to MHLeadership where Malin work with people who believe that they have more to give as a leader and as a person, and who are willing to be gently but steadily pulled outside their comfort zones.
This year’s Business Women Leadership program is the fifth one together with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, what is your experience of the past programs?
Yes, I believe it is! My experience is that it is high engagement amongst the women who participate. My experience is that it is needed because they want a platform and a space to get together to discuss the things that they don’t discuss elsewhere. It has grown and my experience is also that it is a core group that always comes back and has participated for almost all five years actually. So we have several of the women that I have seen there almost every time, every year, so that is incredible!
Who should join and why?
I believe women should join if they are ambitious and hardworking and sometimes struggling to get everything in place and to have a balanced life. Also, if they want to learn more about how to flourish themselves to more of what they are. Women who work on themselves, personal development, leadership development, they have bigger success. Because they grow in areas that they don’t even think that they can grow in.
What can businesswomen achieve by participating in the program?
I would say they will get greater awareness about their own health and they will make choices to be empowered, fulfilled and healthy.
Many companies do not have Women Leadership Programs of their own, what is your advice to these companies and how can they profit by enrolling their Women Leaders to this program?
When companies have women in leadership positions, and actually this is more about top positions, the company itself have a greater profit. They have done a lot of studies on that. Also another study that I just read says that women benefit from leadership development designed exclusively for women leaders. Because the challenges women face are different from men’s, and when they have an opportunity to get together and talk about their aspirations, how to overcome barriers that they face and build confidence they expand into higher levels. That is another big thing, so when they have this type of program they expand to become this, maybe, executive leader in the company. They can see that companies that have women leaders also have employees that are happier because women are more, not always, purpose-driven and speaks to the individuals.
The focus on 2020’s program is health, why do you find this topic important?
For me it is crucial! I think the best way to explain it is that if the foundation of everything, we have heard this before, is that if you don’t have your health, you have nothing. You can’t build a house without the foundation and here health is the foundation. When you have it, when you are well, and thriving, magic will happen. Not just physically but also mentally and I have so many examples of executive leaders, how they have grown into different positions thanks to that they have been working on their health with me.
What is the difference with this program in comparison with earlier programs? If you have attended earlier Swe-Cham Business Women Leadership Programs, is it still a gaining experience?
Absolutely you can gain! I would say that the big difference here is that in the past programs we have been focusing a lot on tools and skills to be able to, for example, communicate when you have a difficult person. There has been a lot of tools for managing those types of things. Now it is about getting more knowledge about your health and understanding why health and wellbeing and prioritizing yourself first is important to be a sustainable leader. The focus is on themselves this year.
From your point of view, how is the partnership together with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and do you think it is important for the Chamber to have a Women Leadership Program?
The partnership we have had for five years now and I think it is very enriching and expanding. What I love about working with you is that you are very professional and always forward-thinking. It is a forward-thinking organization, it’s always evolving. We try to find new ways of facilitating this Women Leadership Program so it is something new every year, different angles at least. It seems like the Chamber needs this program because last year when we asked “Do you still want it, do you think it is important?” all participants said yes. It is a platform for women in Holland to discuss specific topics and the needs that they have that are unique for women. And the Swedish Chamber is a great example of how we support women to grow into different roles.
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Meetings about #NordicTalk and upcoming Eurovision event
Last week we had two very successful and exciting meetings with Swedish fika. We discussed upcoming #NordicTalk about sustainable fashion and food together with the Nordic Chambers in preparation for the next #NordicTalks on October 8, 2020. We also discussed the possibilities for Nordic presence during the Eurovision Song Contest that will be held in Rotterdam in May. Together with Digit by Poetfarmer, FDCC, YP Nordics and the Swedish Church in the NL we discussed great possibilities for collaboration and fun events for Eurovision lovers! Stay tuned for more information.
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Company visit at Inter IKEA Group
On Wednesday, February 19, we were very pleased to meet with the new CEO of Inter IKEA Group, Jon Abrahamsson Ring for a great talk about Inter IKEA Group, leadership, sustainability and collaborations. The interview will be published in the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Annual Review 2019 distributed to all members in April 2020.
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Jon Abrahamsson Ring new CEO of Inter IKEA Group
“Torbjörn Lööf, who has successfully led Inter IKEA Group, headed by Inter IKEA Holding B.V., for the last seven years, has decided to end his assignment,” says Anders Dahlvig, chairman of Inter IKEA Holding B.V. “His successor will be Jon Abrahamsson Ring, who today leads IKEA franchising.
”To facilitate a good handover, Jon will first become Inter IKEA Group Deputy CEO as from 1 March, reporting to Torbjörn. He will start as CEO on 1 September. His succession will be announced in due time. Torbjörn Lööf joined IKEA in 1989, and he has since held various leadership roles throughout the IKEA business. Before his present position, he led the development of the IKEA offer and the IKEA supply chain as the Managing Director at IKEA of Sweden AB. He became CEO of Inter IKEA in 2013.
Under his leadership, Inter IKEA Group launched a new long-term direction to make IKEA even more affordable, accessible and sustainable. Also during Torbjörn’s leadership Inter IKEA performed a major business transformation – successfully acquiring and integrating all IKEA range, supply and industry activities and restructuring the IKEA franchise system.
Equipped with a new structure and direction, IKEA has expanded to more than 15 new markets during Torbjörn’s leadership – making it one of the most intense period of international expansion for IKEA. Soon, IKEA will also enter South America, with the first store expected to open in Chile in 2021.
“I have had more than 30 fantastic years with IKEA and the privilege to have many exciting assignments with the opportunity to live in different countries. IKEA has had a remarkable development during these years and it has been a big inspiration for me to be part of this journey. When I now have taken the decision to end my current assignment and time with IKEA, I do it with a lot of proudness of what we together have achieved. I will always carry with me the memories from all the wonderful meetings with IKEA colleagues and partners from around the world. It is all the people working at IKEA that makes us unique”, says Torbjörn Lööf.
Jon Abrahamsson Ring started his career as a trainee at IKEA Örebro in 1998 after completing his Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Umeå University. A year later he moved to IKEA Canada, where he worked for four years. He then spent four years as assistant to IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad before becoming Deputy Retail Manager for IKEA China. In 2008 Jon left the IKEA business to become CEO of the fashion brand Filippa K and – later – CEO of gardening brand Plantagen. He re-joined IKEA when he started working for Inter IKEA Systems in 2017.
”IKEA is in my heart and I truly believe in our vision to create a better everyday life for the many. IKEA is on a great journey, which is only in the beginning, and we will continue to stay true to who we are and what makes us unique: our culture and values, our vision and our business idea. And we must remain curious about our customers’ needs and dreams and their lives at home” says Jon and continues:
“I am humbled by this opportunity, but also very proud and happy. I want to thank Torbjörn for his generous guidance and support, and Anders and the board for their trust in me.”
“With a new IKEA direction and a solid franchise system in place, it’s a good time for Torbjörn to hand over responsibility as CEO of Inter IKEA Group,” says Anders Dahlvig and continues:
“I sincerely thank Torbjörn for his important contribution to IKEA over many years. I have had the pleasure to work with him both in his role as MD of IKEA of Sweden and now as CEO of Inter IKEA Group. I have very much appreciated his leadership, commitment to the IKEA values, common sense approach to things, openness and vision about what is right for IKEA. I am sure we will find ways to continue our cooperation in one way or another in the future.”
“I am very happy that Jon has accepted the position as CEO of Inter IKEA Group. Jon brings with him a leadership solidly grounded in our IKEA values, a broad IKEA experience, a commitment to our long-term direction, a healthy sense of urgency and a strong strategic ability that I am confident will greatly contribute to IKEA’s continued journey to create a better everyday life for the many people”, says Anders.
Inter IKEA Group 11 February 2020Delft, The Netherla
PRESS RELEASE
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