Past events

September 2024
18.00 – 21.00
Location: Loyens & Loeff
Parnassusweg 300
1081 LC Amsterdam

On September 10, 2024, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, together with other European Chambers of Commerce in the Netherlands, are organising a key networking event at the Loyens & Loeff office in the Zuidas, Amsterdam. This is a unique opportunity to network with other internationally operating entrepreneurs, share experiences, and strengthen your business connections.

Welcome to join! 

Before this European Networking Event, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce members are cordially invited to a “Back to Business” Conference on “European Politics: Trends & Opportunities for Businesses,” from 16.00-17.45

Click here for more information and to sign up for the “Back to Business Conference on European Politics: Trends & Opportunities for Business.

Participating European Chambers include:

ABOUT LOYENS & LOEFF
Loyens & Loeff offers integrated law & tax advice to multinationals, investors and high net-worth individuals.
As a leading law & tax firm in Europe, we integrate tax, civil law and notarial expertise to provide you with smart and efficient solutions through our advisory, transactional work and litigation. We excel at providing full-service advice to multinationals, while having a particular focus on Private Equity & Funds, Real Estate, Life Sciences & Healthcare and Energy & Infrastructure.

With our home markets in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and offices in key financial centres and a global partner network, we reach out and support you wherever you need. We cover EU Law for pan-European projects.

Our team pools global expertise and local insights to provide in-depth and constructive advice on every aspect of your international business venture. The Loyens & Loeff Nordics team consists of legal and tax advisers with a long track record servicing Nordic companies.
If you need legal or tax advice on your business activities or consider investing in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg or Switzerland, you can call on Loyens & Loeff Region team Nordics for full-service Benelux and Swiss tax and legal advice.

Date: September 10, 2024

16.00 – 17.45

Venue:
Loyens & Loeff
Parnassusweg 300
1081 LC Amsterdam

European Politics: Trends & Opportunities for Businesses – Join Us on September 10, 2024! 🌍

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands, in collaboration with the French Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands, the German-Dutch Chamber of Commerce (DNHK), and the Netherlands British (NBCC), invites you to the “Back to Business” Conference on European Politics: Trends & Opportunities for Businesses.

This Conference will feature a Keynote Presentation by Stefan de Vries, who will provide an insightful analysis of the latest
political trends across Europe, including recent legislative elections in the UK and France and the implications of the new Dutch government.

We will also listen to the Expert Insights by Harmen Van Dam, Tax Partner at Loyens & Loeff,  who will discuss the growing significance of EU law for multinationals. His presentation will cover both direct and indirect applications of EU law through national legislation and provide real-world examples of their impact on European corporate and tax law.

After the presentation, join us for a networking cocktail where you can connect with peers and industry leaders, fostering valuable relationships and discussions.

This conference is a unique opportunity to understand European political dynamics better and their impact on businesses operating in the EU.

Welcome to sign up for this conference by registering below on this site.

Please click here to register for the Networking event from 18.00 – 21.00 separately.

Participating European Chambers:

ABOUT LOYENS & LOEFF
Loyens & Loeff offers integrated law & tax advice to multinationals, investors and high net-worth individuals.
As a leading law & tax firm in Europe, we integrate tax, civil law and notarial expertise to provide you with smart and efficient solutions through our advisory, transactional work and litigation. We excel at providing full-service advice to multinationals, while having a particular focus on Private Equity & Funds, Real Estate, Life Sciences & Healthcare and Energy & Infrastructure.

With our home markets in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and offices in key financial centres and a global partner network, we reach out and support you wherever you need. We cover EU Law for pan-European projects.

Our team pools global expertise and local insights to provide in-depth and constructive advice on every aspect of your international business venture. The Loyens & Loeff Nordics team consists of legal and tax advisers with a long track record servicing Nordic companies.
If you need legal or tax advice on your business activities or consider investing in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg or Switzerland, you can call on Loyens & Loeff Region team Nordics for full-service Benelux and Swiss tax and legal advice.

Date: 14th of June

Time: 09.00-11.00, registration and breakfast from 08.30

Place: Hybrid event. Regeringsgatan 29, Stockholm and online

 

Hosted at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, this event marks a half-decade of invaluable perspectives from Swedish companies operating worldwide and reflecting their views on economic developments, success factors, local conditions, and sustainability, giving you the opportunity to compare results across markets and regions.

 

Based on data collected from more than 1,700 employees at Swedish companies across 24 markets, the report is a valuable source of knowledge for how to succeed abroad.

 

The event will be moderated by Lena Sellgren, Chief Economist at Business Sweden.

 

Four Insights from the Global Business Climate Survey 2024

• Demand for goods and services has gradually weakened over the past year, and the global economy is slowing down.
• Germany and China, traditionally two regional economic engines, have slowed down, and there are questions about the American economy.
• Last year’s high inflation figures have had negative effects on households’ real incomes, consumption, and demand.
• High interest rates are pressuring households, delaying corporate investments, and slowing the world economy.

Read the full Global Business Climate Survey 2024

At the launch of the Global Business Climate Survey 2024, participants included Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Trade Johan Forssell, Jan Larsson, CEO of Business Sweden, and Andreas Hatzigeorgiou, Chairman of Swedish Chambers International (SCI) and CEO of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

Watch the entire broadcast here.

 

 

 

Not a member yet?

Click here to discover member benefits and join our unique Swedish-Dutch business community.

“From industrial titans like SKF and Atlas Copco to life science leaders like Astra Zeneca and Getinge, and tech innovators like Spotify and Klarna, the Netherlands is a home away from home for a diverse range of Swedish companies. This 2024 Business Climate Survey, conducted amidst shifting economic and political winds, aims to capture Swedish business leaders’ viewpoints, experiences, and insights in the Netherlands.” – Business Climate Survey for Swedish companies in the Netherlands 2024.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands, in collaboration with Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden, was very pleased to organize the unveiling of the results of the Business Climate Survey in the Netherlands 2024, hosted by Handelsbanken Netherlands.

The inspiring event featured a keynote speech by Per-Arne Hjelmborn, Director-General for Trade at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He emphasized the survey’s importance in understanding the opportunities and challenges for companies looking to expand into the Netherlands. Additionally, Per-Arne provided insights into the hurdles and opportunities within the European market, highlighting the crucial role of innovation and technology in addressing future challenges. He concluded with a call to action: “Collaborate, innovate, and create a resilient business climate together.”

Hanna Bräcknell, Management Trainee at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, gave a brief presentation of the survey data collection, followed by a presentation by Saga Sjöberg, an intern at Business Sweden, highlighting key results from the Dutch report. The insightful reflections of the panellists further engaged the participants:

Johan Uhlin, Managing Director of Scania Production Zwolle B.V. and Chairman of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands; Armanda Willems, Country Manager at Lime Technologies;
Ashkan Danaei, Key Account Director at Tetra Pak;
Michael Vallon, Head of Financial Control DACH/BNL at Getinge.

The panel discussion, moderated by Tomas Korseman, Trade Commissioner of Sweden to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and Area Manager of Business Sweden – The Swedish Trade & Invest Council for the Benelux Countries, covered topics such as regulatory changes, the Swedish brand, the challenges faced by the companies, and trade barriers recognised by Swedish companies in the Dutch market.

Ashkan Danaei, who is also part of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Committee, stated:

“Tetra Pak is a premium brand because of the Swedish brand and the Swedish heritage. Being a Swedish company, I see it as a possibility to be a front-runner. Sustainability comes with the Swedish brand and the Swedish heritage.”

Tomas Korseman and Johan Uhlin concluded the event by highlighting the importance of using the survey results year-over-year to identify short-term issues and long-term trends.

The Swedish Chamber would like to warmly thank Per-Arne Hjelmborn for his inspiring speech, the panellists’ engaging discussion, and Roland van Pooij, CEO of Handelsbanken Nederland, for hosting this important event.

We also thank everyone who participated in the event and contributed to the survey. You are welcome to read the Business climate survey here.

ABOUT THE BUSINESS CLIMATE SURVEY

The Business Climate Survey provides valuable insights into economic development, success drivers, local conditions, trade obstacles, and sustainability challenges encountered by Swedish-affiliated companies in the Netherlands.

Click here to download the Business Climate Survey 2024

This year’s survey has been conducted across over 20 countries worldwide, further enhancing its global significance and relevance.

Find more information about the previous Business Climate Surveys here.

The event is a collaboration between

The event is powered by

Not a member yet?

Click here to discover member benefits and join our unique Swedish-Dutch business community.

Photo credits: Salar Ashari

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

In a special honor, we elected outgoing Chairperson Johan Uhlin as an Honorary Member of the Swedish Chamber. Johan’s tenure as Chairperson has been marked by his dedication and exceptional leadership, and we wish him great success in his new role as Managing Director of Scania Sweden.

The meeting also saw the approval of the New Articles of Association, updated by the Governance Committee under the leadership of Bert Heikens.

Our heartfelt thanks go to our current scholars for their invaluable contributions over the past year. Their efforts were supported by the generous grants from our scholarship partners. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce International Management Trainee Program offers scholars a unique opportunity to spend a year immersed in an international business environment, enhancing their professional growth.

The event was a warm celebration of our business community’s dedication to strengthening Swedish-Dutch business relations, and we eagerly anticipate new opportunities and collaborations in the future.

“I am incredibly proud and honored to have served as your Chair for the last two years and to have represented Scania on the Board of Directors for the Swedish Chamber of Commerce since April 2019. However, the time has come for my family and me to move on to future endeavours,” Johan says regarding his tenure at the Chamber.

All Annual General Meeting documents were sent to the Members on May 7, 2024.

Photo Credits: Salar Ashari

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce was very proud to welcome business executives, entrepreneurs, politicians, and academics from both Sweden and the Netherlands to the Executive Sustainability Breakfast on May 30, 2024, at the beautiful residence of H.E. Ambassador of Sweden Mr. Johannes Oljelund in The Hague.

This exclusive event featured the inspiring speech “IKEA: taking action to pave the way for another 80 years” by Pär Stenmark, Chief Sustainability Officer at Inter IKEA Group, who presented IKEA’s comprehensive sustainability strategy aimed at transforming the company into a circular business, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting a fair and equal society.

Participants engaged in open dialogue on sustainable business practices, corporate social responsibility, and environmental leadership while enjoying a wonderful breakfast prepared by the residency. The meeting provided a supportive environment for learning and innovation, fostering new ideas and partnerships.

The Swedish Chamber would like to warmly thank H.E Ambassador of Sweden Mr. Johannes Oljelund for his hospitality and the lovely breakfast and Pär Stenmark for sharing his expertise on sustainability. We look forward to the continuous active conversation on sustainability with the Swedish Chamber network!

Want to learn more?

Click here to download IKEA’s Climate Report FY2023

Click here to download IKEA’s Sustainability Report FY2023

Keynote Speaker:
Pär Stenmark, Chief Sustainability Officer at Inter IKEA Group

‘IKEA : taking action to pave the way for another 80 years’

Pär Stenmark is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Inter IKEA Group – covering the IKEA product and food range, supply, production and franchising. In his role, he leads the global IKEA sustainability strategy, which includes transitioning IKEA into a circular business, drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, regenerating resources, protecting ecosystems, improving biodiversity, creating a fair and equal society and enabling healthy and sustainable living.

About the Annual Swedish Chamber Sustainability Breakfast

Each year, the Sustainability Breakfast serves as an essential forum for networking and collaboration. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of leaders, including entrepreneurs, politicians, and academics from both Sweden and the Netherlands. This blend of perspectives fosters a rich dialogue, driving forward-thinking solutions and partnerships in the realm of sustainability.

Participants can look forward to engaging discussions, informative presentations, and the chance to deepen their understanding of sustainability challenges and innovations. Whether you’re looking to forge new business connections or gain fresh insights into sustainable practices, the Swedish Chamber Annual Sustainability Breakfast promises to be an invaluable experience.

The event is a collaboration between:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Moving beyond the WHY, this is HOW

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the Swedish Chamber’s insightful Diversity & Inclusion Breakfast, hosted by KPMG Meijburg & Co. at its stunning Amstelveen headquarters.

“What matters needs to be measured,” said keynote speaker Ingrid Tappin, Founder and CEO of Diverse Leaders in Tech, as she explained the importance of collecting data in an organisation to move forward with a diversity and inclusion strategy. Ingrid also led an interactive workshop with table discussions to exchange knowledge on the topics.

Another highlight was hearing from Montae & Partners, where Victor Steenbakker, Senior Consultant Commercial Lead and Anne Smits, Reward Specialist, shared their work about the Gender and Equal Pay Gap. It was also very insightful to hear Marco Frikkee, Partner Sustainability Reporting at KPMG Nederland, give a presentation on sustainability reporting. We also thank Armanda Willems from Lime Technologies for the excellent moderating!

Thank you to KPMG Meijburg & Co. and Jan Hollemans for hosting this impactful event!

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER:
Ingrid Tappin

Founder and CEO of Diverse Leaders in Tech

“I believe that every individual has a part to play in shaping the future. Whether it’s in the workplace or in society at large, we all have a responsibility and a right to use our talents for good. It’s not enough to simply recognise the need for change; we must also take action to make it happen.”

Photo Credits: Fred Tigelaar

SPEAKERS:

• Victor Steenbakker, Senior Consultant Commercial Lead at Montae & Partners
• Anne Smits, Reward Specialist at Montae & Partners
• Marco Frikkee, Partner Sustainability Reporting at KPMG Nederland
• Moderator: Armanda Willems, Country Manager at Lime Technologies the Netherlands

DOING DEI RIGHT IS CRUCIAL FOR…

…Attracting and retaining the best talent

…Leading high-performing teams

…Creativity, innovation and problem-solving

…Scaling products to new markets

…Complying to new ESG regulations

…Developing responsible technology like AI

And so much more!

But DEI is not easy. Let’s be honest, DEI is hard work and comes with more complexity than most business capabilities do. And it is with that business lens, that Ingrid Tappin will shed light on how leaders can deal with these complexities and will offer a framework that can help companies amplify their DEI efforts and reap the benefits.

DOE THE DIVERSE LEADERS IN TECH: DEI-SCAN HERE:

Please complete this innovative pre-event survey to DEI-Scan your business and ensure a fruitful session.

• It will take less than 15 minutes
• It gives insights into what DEI areas make a real business impact
• Participants will receive their personalized results and action points

ABOUT DIVERSE LEADERS IN TECH

Spinning out of Techleap, Diverse Leaders in Tech is officially an independent social impact venture. With Constantijn van Oranje and Gillian Tans as founding partners, Diverse Leaders in Tech continues its mission to set the standard for DEI Excellence in European Tech. The DEI-Scan is a practical way of making this happen. We have taken care of any privacy concerns you may have. Find more information here.

The event is powered by

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, here or send an email to events@swedishchamber.nl

ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER TECH TABLES

Tech Tables is a platform for Swedish-Dutch tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to meet, learn, and discuss. At the Swedish Chamber Tech Tables, we aim to celebrate the latest in technology and discuss the latest trends, whether artificial intelligence, blockchain, or virtual reality. Click here to learn more about the Swedish Chamber Tech Tables series, or email events@swedishchamber.nl to hear more.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce would like to thank everyone who participated in the interactive presentation on “Mindfulness and Work-Life Balance” as part of the Swedish Chamber and Young Professionals Mentorship Program 2024!

Our heartfelt thanks go to our esteemed keynote speakers, Kristina Zumpolle, founder and leadership coach at Zumflow, and Jasmijn de Smit, leadership coach at Zumflow. Their insightful thoughts on mindfulness and the work-life blend were invaluable. During the session, we were provided with tools to reflect on our energy levels, beliefs, and goals in order to navigate the complexities of modern professional life. We are also very happy that Kristina and Jasmijn involve the participants in a joyful dance moment!

We are immensely grateful to all participants for your active engagement and thoughtful contributions to the discussion. Your enthusiasm and commitment to personal and professional growth inspire us all. Last but not least, a warm thank you to AIMS International Netherlands for their valued collaboration. The Swedish Chamber is proud to facilitate these crucial discussions on mindfulness and work-life balance.

Speakers: Kristina Zumpolle & Jasmijn de Smit

Kristina Zumpolle, Founder, Executive coach, Facilitator is a no nonsense coach. Workshop leader and facilitator. Kristina is a vibrant, positive and “a glass half full” kind of coach. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she works constantly to better herself so she can support her clients’ personal growth and of those around her. Kristina has worked successfully with executives and teams across a variety of industries and countries. Her broad cultural and professional experiences have shaped her expansive and innovative coaching style. Kristina views each client as a beginning success and makes it her work to help them see their own potential.

Jasmijn de Smit, Executive coach, Facilitator from Zumflow

With her extensive experience in leading teams in corporates and medium-sized companies and her
background in technology, consulting and healthcare management on three continents, Jasmijn is able to quickly recognize patterns, challenges and development points and translate these into tailor-made solutions, both for teams as well as for individuals.  Jasmijn is an experienced coach and trainer who works empathetically and decisively, is not afraid to ask questions until the core is exposed, confronts lovingly and connects with where her clients are at that moment. She knows how to create a safe atmosphere while she lures them out of their comfort zone and inspires them step by step to become the best version of themselves.

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.