Swedish Chamber of Commerce Holds 64th Annual General Meeting
On June 4, 2024, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce held its 64th Annual General Meeting, marking a significant day for the organization. We are thrilled to announce the addition of three new members to our Board:
- Mark Verbakel, Managing Director of SKF BV
- Fatih Noyan, Country Manager Netherlands at Ericsson
- Kerstin Gerlagh, General Manager of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce
More
Thank you to Hanna, Alexandra, and Emma – management trainees 2023-2024!
We want to express our heartfelt thanks to Hanna Bräcknell, Alexandra Gummesson, and Emma Wergeland, our three fantastic Management Trainees, for their excellent contributions to the Swedish Chamber of Commerce over the past year.
Hanna Bräcknell is the recipient of the Gull & Stellans Ljungberg Foundations 2023-2024 scholarship. For the past year, Hanna’s focus has been on business development and events. Her biggest projects have been developing the Swedish Chamber Business Plan and acting as the Chamber’s project manager for the Business Climate Survey.
Alexandra Gummesson is the recipient of the Scholarship Fund for Swedish Youth Abroad 2023-2024, and her traineeship has focused on Communication and Marketing. For example, Alexandra has proposed and managed the digital magazine Swedish Chambre Insights, written the Swedish Chamber Communication Plan and been in charge of content production. Her work has aimed to amplify the communication efforts and impact of the Swedish Chamber.
Emma Wergeland, the recipient of the University of Gothenburg's 2023-2024 scholarship, has focused on Member Strategy and served as the Project leader for the Young Professionals network. Throughout the year, she has driven projects aimed at fostering knowledge exchange among Young Professionals, conducted the Annual Member Survey, and led recruitment efforts. Additionally, Emma has served as the Mentorship Programme's project manager and contributed to business strategy development.
Hanna, Alexandra, and Emma have played a vital role within the Swedish Chamber team, making significant contributions not only to their respective areas but also to the overall efficiency of our organization's day-to-day operations. The Swedish Chamber wishes them the best of luck in their future careers!
Furthermore, the Swedish Chamber wants to extend its warmest thank you to the three foundations that enable us to work with such ambitious and talented young professionals.
More
Welcome Alexander Ljugström, our new Young Professionals Committee Chairperson
We are pleased to welcome Alexander Ljungström, founder and managing director of Einar and Partners, as the Chairperson for the Young Professionals Committee. Alexander brings valuable knowledge and experience, and we eagerly look forward to collaborating with him to further develop our Young Professional community.
“As the chairperson I'd like to actively develop the ecosystem between young talent, the Swedish and Dutch market as well as a strong sense of membership community. With special attention on creating a support and peer network between YP members and esteemed members/companies of the Swedish Chamber, I'm looking forward to intentionally designing attractive events and an inspirational career/network platform together with the rest of the committee”.We are very much looking forward to working closely with Alexander and benefiting from his expertise to continue developing the Young Professional community.
More
Swedish Chamber Annual Review 2023
Dive into the newly launched Annual Review 2023 and uncover the Swedish Chamber's story of success throughout last year! Explore our committees' dynamic activities, relive the excitement of our flagship events, discover amazing achievements, and meet the key players driving our network forward. Plus, don't miss out on the captivating insights shared in our digital magazine, Swedish Chamber Insights!
We would like to thank this year's Annual Review sponsors Volvo Cars, KPMG Meijburg & Co, Handelsbanken, Getinge, Tetra Pak and Inter IKEA Systems.
More
Thank you for the Swedish Chamber Executive Sustainability Breakfast
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomed business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, and academics from Sweden and the Netherlands to the Executive Sustainability Breakfast on May 30, 2024, at H.E. Ambassador Johannes Oljelund’s residence in The Hague.
Pär Stenmark, Chief Sustainability Officer at Inter IKEA Group, delivered the inspiring speech “IKEA: Paving the Way for Another 80 Years,” detailing IKEA’s strategy to become a circular business, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote a fair society.
Participants engaged in open dialogue on sustainable practices, corporate social responsibility, and environmental leadership while enjoying a wonderful breakfast. The Swedish Chamber thanks H.E. Ambassador Oljelund for his hospitality and Pär Stenmark for his insights. We look forward to ongoing sustainability conversations within our network!
More
Meet Tomas Korseman, moderator for the Business Climate Survey
We are proud to present Tomas Korseman as our moderator for the Business Climate Survey Presentation in the Netherlands 2024 on June 4! Tomas is the Trade Commissioner of Sweden to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg and the Area Manager of Business Sweden—The Swedish Trade & Invest Council for the Benelux countries.
Tomas has long experience establishing and growing companies in international markets, leading a team of eight at Business Sweden based in The Hague. Before that, he served as Trade Commissioner of Sweden to Chile, Argentina and Peru. He holds previous line management roles in strategy and business development at Ericsson and Motorola, coupled with significant experience in management consulting and growth advisory from Edgecom and Arthur Andersen.
The Business Climate Survey presentation gives valuable insights into economic development, success drivers, local conditions, trade obstacles and sustainability challenges encountered by Swedish-affiliated companies in the Netherlands. Team Sweden looks forward to your presence at this insightful occasion, where we will delve into the intricate dynamics shaping business climate across borders. The event is free of charge.
Sign up for the event !
More
Let’s take action: The Diversity & Inclusion Special of Swedish Chamber Insights!
With our digital magazine, , we offer you an exclusive glimpse into the activities within and around the Swedish Chamber of Commerce. This month, we are celebrating the European Commission's International Diversity Month by showcasing exclusive features on three inspiring leaders in Diversity & Inclusion, one of the Swedish Chamber's core values.
🏆 Dr Cara Antoine addresses the Netherlands' performance in global gender equality rankings, shares her personal experience as a leader in a male-dominated industry, and explores actionable steps that businesses need to take to advocate for gender equality in the workplace.
🌏 Unlocking the full potential: SKF accelerates diversity & inclusion journey. Key leaders at SKF, including Rickard Gustafson, Annika Ölme, and Yves Nys, share their insights on why and how they are committed to driving their D&I strategy forward.
👥 New article: From “Nice to Have” to "Must Have" by Wendy Broersen, International Diversity & Inclusion expert and founder of Superpeople Company, to learn about inclusive practices, CSDR, equal pay and more.
We are thrilled to present insights from these experts on implementing diversity and inclusion strategies in your workplace and making impactful changes.
More
New board candidates 2024
Will we see you on June 4 for our upcoming and Team Sweden’s ? Welcome! The Nomination Committee has put forward two new Board Member candidates for 2024: Mark Verbakel, Managing Director, SKF BV and Fatih Noyan, Country Manager, Ericsson the Netherlands. Join the Annual General Meeting to meet Mark and Fatih.
Find more information and sign up .
Mark Verbakel, Managing Director, SKF BV
Mark Verbakel was born in 1977 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and currently resides in Best, Netherlands, with his wife and two sons, aged 11 and 13. Mark earned a Master's in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Eindhoven in 2001, graduating cum laude, followed by a Master's in Automotive Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2003 and a B2B marketing degree in 2009. In 2011, he completed an Executive MBA at the Rotterdam School of Management, where he was on the Dean's Honor List for being among the top five in his class.
Mark has built a career at SKF, where he joined in 2010. Currently, he serves as the Managing Director for SKF Netherlands, overseeing various critical functions and maintaining a constructive relationship with the local works council. His previous roles at SKF include leading the Growth Enablement unit, a team focused on non-incremental innovations. He was part of the group’s central Research & Technology Development management team for over 4 years, leading expert teams, initiating new research initiatives, and managing its project management office. During an international assignment, Mark also established a new automotive development centre in Michigan, USA.
Before joining SKF, Mark was a consultant at the Automotive Technology Centre and a business developer at TNO, where he engaged international automotive customers and developed a marketing plan for a new climatic test facility. His early career began at Bosch as an application engineer, leading an interdisciplinary project team to reduce reject rates in collaboration with Japanese customers.
Outside of his professional life, Mark enjoys spending time with his family and has a passion for technology and innovation. He is committed to making profitable new business from technological innovations by fostering cross-company collaboration and working closely with SKF’s customers.
Fatih Noyan, Country Manager, Ericsson the Netherlands
Fatih Noyan serves as the Country Manager for Ericsson in the Netherlands, a global leader in the communications industry, pioneering innovation and connectivity worldwide. His academic background includes an Electrical & Electronics Engineering degree and a Master of Business Administration. Fatih has undertaken diverse leadership roles across Europe within Ericsson throughout his professional journey, navigating various industry challenges and driving growth in a rapidly evolving industry. His participation in the mentorship program is driven by his strong desire to give back to society. He is motivated to share insights with aspiring young leaders, helping them to realize their full potential and strive for excellence.
Kerstin Gerlagh, General Manager Swedish Chamber of Commerce
More
