FEB 2017
Swedish sausages made in Beijing BUSINESS
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DCC Hong Kong 20 years
Restaurant owner Thomas Gaestadius, Beijing
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Finland100 centenary year 2017
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At Stenhus High School you can either attend Pre-IB in English or take the Danish STX og HF exam. Stenhus High School is one of the largest high schools in Denmark offering a big variety of subjects and extracurricular activities.
FEB 2017
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Norway maintains maritime industry support at Inmex China
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nmex China in Guangzhou is the largest and most established international maritime event in the South China Sea region. On 7-9 December 2016 Norwegian companies within the marine industry joined the Norwegian Pavilion, showcasing to the Chinese partners that the Norwegian Maritime companies put a high value on maintaining the relations. The maritime industry today is in a severe situation. It is, therefore, impor tant to keep in touch with partners, wrote Innovation Norway Asia. The agency understands the importance of maintaining the relationships even during tougher times. Therefore they have maintained their effort in promoting Norwegian Maritime industry while the industry is currently in difficulties. “It is in bad times when you realize who your real friends are – this rings especially true in China. As most already know, the Chinese way of doing business is more relation-based than in the western world, where we tend to be more transactional. This means that making and maintaining good relationships with buyers, suppliers and strategic partners is extremely important in China. It is also well known that the maritime industry is struggling in many parts of the world, maybe especially so in China and in Norway. Your Chinese
par tners know that times are hard in Norway, and also in China. The normal western response in tough times is probably to cut, save and focus on improving the cash flow. However, what does that signal to your Chinese partners, buyers and suppliers? They see someone who in hard times focuses on themselves, rather than the relationship with their friends.” Norwegian Director General of Shipping and Navigation, Olav Akselsen, attended the opening of the maritime exhibition. Norwegian Maritime Expor ters (NME) in cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Consulate Gener al in Guangzhou had prepared the Norwegian pavilion. Mr. Akselsen met the various Norwegian companies and discussed their new technologies and the importance of the Chinese market. “For Norwegian shipping, INMEX is a useful arena to show the Chinese market what products and services they can offer,” said Director General Olav Akselsen. Sources: Norwegian Marine Authority, Innovation Norway Asia, Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Guangzhou.
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February 2017
ScandAsia Community
Mr. Thomas Gaestadius
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Lucia Celebration in Beijing Finland 99th independence day celebrated in Shanghai Finland 99th independence day celebrated in Beijing Swedish sausages made in Beijing
Arrow Factory restaurant, Beijing
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DCC Hong Kong celebrates 20
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ScandAsia Business
3 Inmex China Guangzhou
Norwegian pavilion at largest int. maritime event in the South China Sea region
Nordic Design and Innovation Week 2016
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The fourth Nordic lifestyle and design event had children and youth as theme
12 Sino-Swedish Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum Inaugural event was held in Beijing 2016
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16 Marja Kurki China, in Beijing The Finnish fashion label (in China since 1994) opened its new office
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Finland 100 kick-off Shanghai
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Community
Lucia Celebration in Beijing
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he Embassy, the Swedish Church in China, SWEA and Beijing Foreign Studies University celebrated Lucia together on 4 December 2016 at the Embassy of Sweden, Beijing.
Photo: Embassy of Sweden.
February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 5
Community
Finland celebrated 99th independence day in Shanghai
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n 3 December 2016 Finns in Shanghai celebrated the 99th Day of Finnish Independence. Held at the Fairmont Peace Hotel, this was also the kick-start to the 100th year of independence celebrations with an elegant and joyful gala. The national theme for this centennial year is Together-Yhdessä, so we all look forward to seeing a lot of activities with all Finns and friends of Finland in 2017, wrote Finnish Business Council in Shanghai.
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Community
Finland’s 99th Independence Beijing celebration
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earing up for the Suomi100/Finland100 Centennial year, Finnish Business Council Beijing and members celebrated Finland’s 99th Independence at the Embassy of Finland in Beijing. The atmosphere was warm and pleasant. Finland’s Ambassador Marja Rislakki hosted the event, which took place on 7 December 2016.
FinnCham Hong Kong 30 years gala dinner
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n 25 November 2016 Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, FinnCham, celebrated its 30th anniversary and the Finnish independence The organiser thanks all the guests and of course our sponsors for a fabulous night!
Source: Finnish Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong
February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 7
Community
Swedish sausages made in Beijing
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Text & Photos: Jojje Olsson
t was a long time since Chinese consumers first opened their eyes to Western fast food. But following increased incomes, the consumers are now having higher quality demands. That is good news for Swedish restaurant owner Thomas Gaestadius. In 1987, American fast food restaurant operator Yum became the first Western company to open a fast food joint in China, as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was inaugurated close to the Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing. Yum is now boasting about 7,000 outlets in China, responsible for more than half of the company’s revenues. For Chinese consumers, food security was a longtime reason for concern. Therefore, on an early stage, Western fast food restaurants was being seen as healthy, with fresh raw ingredients and safe cooking oil. But that has slowly begun to change. Consulting firm McKinsey recently noted that 67 percent of all Chinese ate Western fast food in 2012; but in 2015 the share was only 51 percent. The main reason for this is the Chinese consumers becoming richer, more educated and hence now are having higher product expectations than was the case before. But at the same time, they are still interested and curious about the Western fast food culture. This development is ideal for the business of Thomas Gaestadius, 40 years old from Gothenburg. He has been living in China since 2005 and opened his first restaurant named Stuff ’d in 2013, in a charmingly wore down courtyard building in the old hutong residential quarters of central Beijing. His concept was high 8 ScandAsia.China • February 2017
quality Western fast food, with certain focus on hand made sausages and micro brewed beer. ”I always liked beer and sausages”, says Thomas with a laugh. Indeed, that might be an appropriate description for many of us. But the description is particularly fit for Thomas, since his sister is a chef and at one point bought him a sausage making machine as a gift. The siblings developed a tradition of making sausages for each other, and in 2012 Thomas decided to bring his sausage making machine to China. ”During that time I was running a night club in Beijing and started to make sausages on my spare time as a kind of relaxing hobby. But when I offered my sausages to the visitors in the club, I realised that it was a really appreciated snack, and soon I started considering opening a restaurant instead”, Thomas remembers. Thomas soon began to cooperate with his British friend Will Yorke, who was already running a restaurant in the same Beijing neighbourhood. When opening Stuff ’d in 2013, Thomas also started to brew beers in the backroom of the restaurant, first in small batches of 150 litres a time. Today the scale of the two partners’ beer brewing business have expanded to a couple of thousands of litres every week. But unfortunately there are rules and regulations in China aggravating sales and distribution: ”Compared to Europe, it’s not as easy to brew and sell bottled beer in China. Usually only big breweries with large facilities can obtain the permissions needed”, says Thomas. The same goes for food. As much as Thomas would like to sell his hand made sausages in food stores in China, the required permissions
is in general only granted to large scale food manufacturers. Thomas and Will has just recently expanded with a new, bigger restaurant and top notch brewing equipment in Sanlitun, the entertainment and embassy district of Beijing. While Stuff ’d still remains as a restaurant in its original location, the brewery operations has changed name to Arrow Factory, which is also the name of the new restaurant. About half of their customers are Chinese, whereas the second half are made out of expats. ”Most Chinese would still eat Chinese food six days a week. And then they will come to us once a week for a ’Western food experience’. Of course they like our food, but at the end of the day, most would still prefer Chinese cuisine”, Thomas admits. Because of this, it’s now more impor tant than ever before for Western eateries to offer something more than just the food itself. Since Chinese consumers now can afford to spend
more money than before, they also prefer more unique and appealing experiences than the average Western fast food joint. According to Thomas, drinking habits has been changing faster than eating habits in China during the last few years, and therefore he reckons that the micro brewed beer is attracting a lot of customers who is also trying the food during their visit. ”But this is the norm in just a few of China’s biggest cities. In smaller Chinese cities it would still be tough, if at all possible, to run exclusive and costly Western fast food restaurants”, Thomas reminds. In China’s smaller cities, fast food chains like KFC and McDonalds is still the most popular choice for experiencing Western fast food. But they are also facing growing and ever tougher competition from Asian fast food chains which are offering everything from bento boxes to hot pot and beyond.
Facts/Fast food in China
• KFC opened in China 1987, followed by McDonalds in 1990. With over 5,000 outlets, KFC is the biggest restaurant chain store in all of China today. McDonalds has about half that numer of restaurants. • In 2010, KFC’s China sales increased with almost 30 percent. But since 2012 it has been slowing. Hence, KFC as well as McDonalds recently presented plans to cut down their China operations. • Several times, both chain stores has been plagued by so called ”food scandals”, a constant worry in China. In 2012, KFC suppliers was caught using growth hormone and antibiotics, and in 2014 rumours said its products was infected with bird flu. • This has resulted in lower trust among China’s ever more educated customers. McKinsey recently noted how 38 percent of the Chinese customers now prefer ”green” and ”organic” products in order to guarantee the food safety. February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 9
Business
Danish Chamber of Commer
A different community
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By Joakim Persson t’s only when actually talking to those active in a Chamber that one can fully understand how any par ticular such organisation is operated. All chambers vary, based on local circumstances, resources and their respective approach taken about where to best fulfil a purpose. In Hong Kong the Danish Chamber of Commerce (DCC) has just celebrated 20 years. Its Chairman,Thomas Halfdan Andersen, and Vice Chairman, Anita Vogel, reflect on the years gone by for this Chamber and share insights about their focus and approach. In introducing Thomas Andersen the Vice Chairman says that that he is one of the really long-lasting Danes in Hong Kong. “The residents in Hong Kong changes very rapidly. So I think Kirsten Hansen, Hans Schlaikier, Hans Michael Jebsen and Thomas are the only ones that have been really been consistent pillars of the Danish community.” Thomas is a member since 15 years back. In introducing the Anita Vogel the Chairman jokes: “She is now basically with this Fossil Group – it doesn’t make any sense!” “Anita became famous because she represented the well-known Danish watch brand Skagen,” he continues more earnestly. “Today I work with a big American company where I am overseeing fifteen brands all over Asia Pacific, with Skagen being among them.” Fossil Group Inc. specializes in the innovation, design, and marketing of fashion lifestyle and accessory products including watches, jewellery, 10 ScandAsia.China • February 2017
and leather goods. Thomas, who started his career in Hong Kong in 1992 by joining a Danish trading company, and moved on to positions both as Vice Consul and Deputy to the Consul General at the Royal Danish Consulate in Hong Kong, has recently embarked on a new challenge with a Danish company called Power Stow (provider of a ground service innovation that enables faster and more efficient loading and unloading of baggage and cargo on planes). Both Thomas and Anita travel frequently and work long hours and are thus typical representatives for executives in Hong Kong – which in essence also explains how DCC operates. Most businesses choose to set up there as an ideal hub for the region and therefore Hong Kong is used as people’s base between all the travelling to the various markets. “Most people have ver y tight business schedules and are sitting in corporate jobs. Hong Kong is very much a corporate place,” says Anita. She believes there may be less people to network with at each event compared to in other countries, though there is an abundance of business activities. “There’s always something going on. And this brings me to one of the things that people ask: ‘What can the chamber give to me?’ We can give the network opportunities and so on, but it’s really based on your self as well. DCC is based on volunteer work so one has to bring something to the table as well. If you have a problem, idea, event or something going on then we expect people
to bring it up; we don’t service everything on a plate,” says Thomas and really encourages people to actively participate. “The idea of our Danish chamber is basically a networking organisation. We don’t undertake, like the Swedish chamber does, any full-on research and consultancy jobs per request. We provide the platform for you to come and join our activities and events, to mingle and exchange ideas and views with other members. And maybe also sometimes promote your company – that’s our main purpose.” “In the network there are oppor tunities where someone knows someone but, also, the Danish companies and people are quite different; they rarely come to us with a request for consultancy services.” “20 years of being able to keep this group of people together with so many people coming and going out of Hong Kong is a very big milestone for DCC and hopefully we’ll have another 20 years,” Thomas also reflects. Anita agrees that Danes are self-sustaining in terms of getting things done. “We don’t have any full time employees so it’s a base for networking that people when they come to Hong Kong can easily find. Then they get supported in the right direction and use their own network to create the opportunities needed for their businesses,” she adds. “Other chambers work with a lot of more resources but we actually manage to keep the Danish community sticking together with very few resources.” The vice president explains that everyone
Thomas Andersen, President DCC Hong Kong
Jonatan Spang, entertainer at DCC Hong Kong 20 Years gala
rce in Hong Kong:
after 20 years in the board have 60-70 hours working weeks, including a lot travel, so DCC board meetings take place quarterly, while a networking is held monthly, including company visits. A positive change is the way DCC operates these days, described by the chairman as more modern. “We have ever ything sub-divided into committees, with an overall committee. Then we have sub-committees that are responsible for whatever goes on within social, business, sustainability or memberships, and all these things. Our meeting structure has changed over the years, from an open forum where everything was discussed to being much more focused, so I feel we work very efficiently compared to what was done before.” The number of membership in DCC has been stable while there is a slight change in the demographics. “Before, Hong Kong used to be the regional headquarter for many big companies, and there’s been a diversification into China and other places. We still have many of the well-known Danish companies as our members, but we’ve also got a lot of more SMEs coming out and doing their work out here,” says Thomas. He remembers from twenty years ago when there used to be the traditional expats; big corporate bosses, while he today is seeing a different, younger SME enterprise category of persons working here. “I think the old definition of the expat is very different from what it is today,” Anita fills in.
“Now people actually want to move out and get the experience outside their home country and are willing to do so at their own account and not the company paying for everything. So it’s a more liberalised expat market and I won’t even use that word anymore! I work myself in a company where it does not exist although it’s an international company with people moving around but you get your salary and then you make with it what you want. So it’s a very different business community.” Of all the entrepreneurs coming in from the Nordics many are related to design and crafts brands, which is in general a big trend in the market, according to Anita. “Young people start up and try to establish their business, but it’s mostly in the online category, were some of them are sourcing products out of Hong Kong, and the reason for seeing them here. It’s on the global business platform where the younger generation find their business.” “We do see multiple brands under the same umbrella for retail. I think that’s a trend we’re going to see more of,” she comments in relation to Square Street, where there are now small stores with Nordic products. Another change is the fact that Denmark’s General Consulate closed down in 2012, something DCC fought hard against. The effect is however that DCC as such gets more attention. “After the consulate closed down we’ve been able to keep our presence here and we in the Danish chamber get a lot of official approaches from the government and are acting
as the intermediate body between the local government and the community here asking for comments or questions on whatever goes on in Hong Kong,” says the president. They also support the Denmark–Hong Kong Trade Association, an official organisation in Denmark coming here every year invited by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. “We meet up with them and exchange whatever goes on.We are so privileged that Hong Kong has a very active trade council officially.They are very good at arranging bigger events, so we tag along with that.” DCC also tags along with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, says Thomas. “We’re ver y for tunate that the Swedish chamber in Hong Kong and Eva Karlberg are very strong. We tag along with her and try to support her as well as she’s doing a really good job!” In combination with the annual event arranged by the Danish Seamen’s Church – the welcome home party – Hong Kong DCC Hong Kong held its 20 years gala event in September 2016. “Since ever yone was already invited the Danish Chamber joined the celebrations and then brought in some entertainment in the form of the Danish comedian Jonatan Spang,” says Anita. The Danish chamber also plays host to the famous annual Christmas dinner – clearly a highlight not to be missed for any Dane and Danish friends in Hong Kong. In terms of ease of investing and doing business with and from Hong Kong there are really no issues, conclude the Danish representatives. And combined with its location it is really well suited as a regional hub. “I always tell people: ‘If you are small to medium-sized then try Hong Kong first.’ It’s very easy to set up a company, with very straightforward taxation rules, so in terms of administration you have a simple setup here. But you just have to be prepared that the business – unless you are in finance or some retail or so – means that you have to travel around the region. So I promote Hong Kong to anyone who wants to listen to me, not only because I’m in love with Kong Kong, but because I see great benefits for it as a hub, including not just China but the rest of Asia. Anita agrees: “I definitely always speak very highly of Hong Kong. It sometimes feels like the rest of Asia evolves around it; that all the trends come into here from Japan, Korea and China etc. You really feel the buzz of the region here in the Hong Kong, and there are so many people that are reaching out to learn from that. There are a lot of things on the plate all the time.” Cost of living, the Danes confirm, is indeed high – people often spend up to 50 per cent of their income just on rent. But this is somewhat compensated by the fact that salaries are high, and taxes are low. “One of the things that make this a great place to live in is the big diversity within short distance. We have a very efficient transportation system, and you can be in the middle of the city among crazy many people, and with shops everywhere including any brand you can think of – and around the corner, there’s a hill, a mountain you can hike, beaches for swimming etc.” concludes Thomas. February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 11
Business
Sino-Swedish
innovation forum, Beijing
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he first ever Sino-Swedish Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum took place in 2016 at Hangxing Science Park in Beijing on 21 November, organized by alumni organization SANC , Swedish Young Professionals and Zhongguancun Hangxing Science Park. Sweden’ Ambassador to China Anna Lindstedt delivered the opening speech at the forum, attended by 300 guests listening to presentations and panel discussions on Swedish innovation in China. Sweden consistently ranks among the first in the world in innovation and
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they got to learn more about the thinking and policies behind the success. “It is a pleasure to see Swedish and Chinese companies, alumni and entrepreneurs gathered here at this forum, which I hope will function as a platform for successful exchange between Sweden and China and cooperation on the field of technologic development and innovation. I also wish that this event will bring together skills of different industries for future joint progress and open up for a sharing culture,” said Ambassador Lindstedt. Speakers included Peter Levin, veteran in
Swedish computer game development and founder of special effects company Goodbye Kansas. Other speakers were vice director Hou Yun from Zhongguancun science park, Sun Shaoming (Hangxingyuan Science Park), LarsÅke Severin from the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China and Mikael Salomonsson from the Swedish Institute. Panelists were: Lu Jiang (Zhongguancun), Andreas Scheibenpflug (Business Sweden), Erik Forsberg (Zhejiang University), Joakim Diamant (Scania), Jerry Zhao (HMS Industrial Networks AB), Zhang Ling (organiser), Li Zhuona, Xia Han, Nils Pihl (Sweden alumni with star t-up companies). Han Xia, Li Zhuona, Mats Wang (Moderator ) and Nils Pihl, Founder & CEOTraintracks discussed ‘Innovativeness in Sweden & Entrepreneurship in China’. ‘How Swedish Innovation Inspires China’ was the topic for discussion between Christer Ljungvall, Erik Forsberg, Hou Yun and Liu Qian (Moderator) Mats Wang, Founder & CEO of TOTWOO Fashion Tech presented Swedish “Smart Factory” Meets “Made in China 2025”. China is promoting mass innovation and entrepreneurship nationwide to refuel the economic engine, targeting a new normal of slower but higher-quality growth.As the birthplace of many successful innovative multinational companies, Sweden will play an important role in implementing a strategy of innovation-driven development in China.
Zhongguancun is one of the most energetic entrepreneurial centers in China, with more than 40 unicorn companies settling in the zone. E s t a bl i s h m e n t o f t h e S i n o - S we d e n Innovation and Entrepreneur Base, sponsored by Zhongguancun Yonghe Hangxing Science Park, the Sweden Alumni Network in China and the Young Professionals, was announced during the event, writes Chinadaily.com.cn. The base is intended to build a platform for development of innovative cooperation between China and Sweden and accelerate the flow of talents and capital. It will focus on researching cutting-edge information technologies, exploring high-end manufacturing and attracting innovative programs to settle in Zhognguancun Science Park, and will offer newly entered firms localized services.
Finland 100 Expo in Hong Kong
3
0 years old Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong has announced its biggest event in Hong Kong, coming up on 6 May
2017. “We are doing this since Finland is celebrating 100 years of Independence this year. This is our biggest event of the year that showcases Finnish culture, food and businesses,” Executive Director Anna Räisänen also reports. The event will be free for public and is arranged in collaboration with the consulate and Invest Hong Kong. Companies from all over Finland will be represented with focus on food and beverages, design, education and innovation
Four workshops and panel discussions about the focus areas (food and beverages, design, education and innovation) will be held. ”Experience the oddest countr y in the Nordics; the home to Santa Claus, Moomin, Nokia, nature, unique design etc. with ’Finland simulators’ (we are making a small Moomin world, Santa´s workshop and possibly a sauna simulator).”
Other opportunities at this event:
• Participate in fun activities such as games and quizzes • Free ’Finland themed goodie bags’ for the first 100 participants • The Event will be followed by a dinner at FINDS (Nordic restaurant in HK) Source: Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
• Meet Finnish companies and make new contacts and collaboration partners • Taste Finnish unique delicacies • Learn from the best education system in the world with free workshops February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 13
Business
Nordic Design and Innovation Week 2016
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he 2016 Nordic Design and Innovation Week, which was held on 4-13 November 2016, was arranged for the fourth time. The event is a platform to showcase the Nordic concept of sustainable innovation and creative design, which was organized in cooperation with the Shanghai Intercultural Association and Daning Lifehub. Co-organised by Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden the venues Center Plaza and Hub Novo (3F, Block 5) at Daning International Commerce Plaza in Jing’an District, Shanghai were filled with a wide smorgasbord of Nordic lifestyle and design. The theme for the 2016 edition was children and youth, showcasing a wide range of fun design and innovations for children. All Nordic Consul Generals participated in the opening ceremony. “There is a saying that the things you learn without joy you will forget easily”, said Jan Wahlberg, Consul General of Finland in Shanghai. “Therefore we want to have fun and give our children a chance to play and experience the world in an inspiring but safe environment.” The general exhibition had more than 30 different companies displaying some of their latest and most inspiring products within design and fashion such as for instance furniture, candy, animation films and cartoon characters. The Danish Consulate General also cohosted a workshop on Danish design. Meanwhile, the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai organized a baby box side event 14 ScandAsia.China • February 2017
during the first weekend of the Nordic Design and Innovation Week. One of the most famous Finnish symbols of the egalitarian culture is the maternity package, also known as the baby box. This Finnish social innovation from 1937 includes around 50 items from baby clothes to diapers and is sent to every expectant mother or family in Finland – if they so choose.The box even contains a mattress, under sheet and a blanket. The par ticipants got to hear about the background of the box, could have a peek at the items in the maternity package, take a picture of their baby in the box and hear some Finnish children’s songs. Still, the biggest buzz was around the company Moi Trading that introduced their commercialized concept of the Finnish baby box called Onnea Maternity Box From Finland. In the Finnish pavilion, one could buy children’s clothing by Blaa, test children’s furniture by Sampo, try Xylitol tablets by Idun Works or read under the Stora Enso tree. Visitors could also learn more about Nord Water or the Berry Drinks of Roberts and have a closer look at the the Moomin porcelain enamel set by Muurla as well as the Moomin diapers and Vuokkoset sanitary towels by Delipap. The cool Golla bags and the popular children clothing by Reima were also showcased. The Finnish game ‘Angry Birds’ also participated. Among a plethora of aspects of society and life displayed numerous activities and events were held, including exhibitions on children’s literature, lectures and workshops on design by and for children, children’s theatre workshops,
experiments with art education, cross-cultural communication and nature, cooking classes with Nordic chef, etc. IKEA, BabyBjörn, Fillidutt and many other Nordic brands participated. The Consulate General of Sweden together with Swedish Institute invited children and their parents to take part in two drama workshops based on the famous fairytale – The magic brush. The facilitators took 50 children (age 6-8 and 8-10) on a journey through time and space into the magic world of a little boy and an evil King.The workshops were based on the European method Processes Drama. Using different conventions, such as creative drawing, teamwork and role-play, the facilitators introduced the Swedish way of reading and understanding. All attendees visited the Swedish children’s literature exhibition on site. Norwegian Centre of Architecture and Design; Norwegian Seafood Council; Norwegian top brands Stokke, Scandinavian Business Seating; and Norwegian literatures and animations shared stories of how to create a better life for our children. In events designed by Norwegian experts various organizations in Norway, kids brands, and cultural institutions showcased the varieties of Norwegian values for kids. Sources: Royal Norwegian Embassy Beijing, NorAlumni China, Consulate General of Finland Shanghai, Consulate General of Sweden Shanghai, Consulate General of Denmark Shanghai.
Volvo Cars’ owner launches new brand Lynk & Co
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sing no rule books, no conventions and no traditions a new Chinese-Swedish next-gen vehicle concept is born to cater to the Millennials. The brand new global car brand LYNK & CO is addressing the needs and preferences of a global connected generation and challenging car industry conventions. Its products are designed and engineered in Sweden and will be sold globally, in China in 2017 followed by Europe and the U.S. Its natural habitat is the mega-city and these frantic and culturally diverse places have provided much inspiration. “Together, we’re changing how we think about cars. How we access them, how we use them and how they fit into our lives. Everything,” states this Geely Auto Group brand as it challenges auto industry conventions. Based on Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), shared with Volvo Cars its first model in the range will be the Lynk & Co 01 – a bold and tech-laden SUV. This will be followed by models 02, 03 and so forth as a full range – reflecting the brand’s idea of simplifying and challenging industr y conventions, right down to model names. The CMA is an advanced modular architecture capable of accommodating many body styles and sizes – which also underpins Volvo’s new compact car range and many upcoming Geely models. The brand introduces “a premium, state of the art range of cars – at the most accessible of price points, challenging and redesigning every link in the chain. Our aim is to enrich and simplify car ownership by redefining how they are bought, owned, connected, serviced and used,” says Alain Visser, Senior Vice President of Lynk & Co. “Our industry has been refining design and engineering successfully for decades – but not
so much the distribution and ownership model. Our customers’ values and preferences have evolved dramatically. It is time for us to step into the future and reinvent the model to become a comprehensive solution for mobility and lifestyle.” “The design brief was simple: the cars should stand out from the crowd and appeal to a global audience. Acknowledging that our users are extremely tech-savvy – a smartphone is an integral part of their lives and our interior design reflects that and feels familiar in the context of new technology,” says Andreas Nilsson, Head of design. “We have engineer s with decades of experience at some of the world’s best car manufacturers developing the new range of Lynk & Co models. A close working relationship with Geely and Volvo, and years of intense digital and physical testing has delivered really outstanding results. The architecture and the range of powertrains we have developed are state-of-theart, helping us produce vehicles that are strong, lightweight, efficient, fun to drive and packed full of technology,” says Mats Fägerhag, CEO of CEVT. The new brand has abandoned the traditional concept of meagre base models and long option lists that create infinite build configurations and costs in manufacturing. “Ever y model will have full premium specification and characteristics as standard, and full mobile connectivity as standard – working in partnership with Ericsson and collaborating closely with Microsoft and Alibaba. It will also be the most connected car to date, built around an open API and inviting developers’ creative ideas to enrich the automotive experience. It sets out from the start to be open to outside innovation and aims to be the first organisation in the world to leverage a complete commercial platform, to
Business
bring innovative applications and services to the customer.” All cars will come with a large central touchscreen and telematics systems that are always connected to the internet and the car’s own cloud. The car has a share button, enabling the owner to provide others with access to the vehicle via a shareable digital key.Via the dedicated app they control, monitor and share their car from a smartphone – or directly from the car. “While other car brands are undergoing a digital transformation, Lynk & Co is born digital. The lack of legacy systems and the ability to build solutions in the cloud enable us to depart from the old model of car sales and service to bring the customer seamlessly through an omnichannel platform, with intuitive interaction at ever y touchpoint – from researching and purchase and all the way through to owning, sharing, servicing and re-selling,” says David Green, Chief Digital Officer. The new car brand will come with a range of ultra-efficient powertrains. The engines will allow for fuel economy figures and performance among the best in their class. All models will offer electrified powertrains. Its efficient business model will deliver significant savings, reflected in highly competitive pricing. Cars will be sold online or in owned stores in strategic retail locations, with fixed and transparent prices. They will then be delivered, and picked up for service, directly at the door of the consumer. And new solutions for car usage and access will be offered – from traditional ownership and leasing to subscription and sharing-membership. Designed and engineered in Sweden for the global market Lynk & Co will go on sale in China in 2017, followed by Europe and the U.S. February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 15
Business
Finland 100 kicks off at Sino-Finnish Center
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inland 100 celebrations started in Shanghai on 16 January with an event organized at the Sino-Finnish Center at Tongji University. The event was originally planned for the Consul General’s residence but had to move to another location because we had so many people signing up. Those in attendance heard for example about the Sino Finnish 100 Challenge and the latest news from Slush China. Last but not least, they got to enjoy a surprise music performance by the “Street music emperor of Finland”, Juha Pekka Tapani Heikkinen! Source: Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai
Marja Kurki China new Beijing office
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n November the Managing Director of Marja Kurki China, Ms. Caroline Xue invited the Embassy of finland in Beijing, along with several bloggers and other fashion influencers to the Marja Kurki’s new Beijing office opening event in Liangmaqiao area. Also Marja Kurki`s CEO Mr. Tapani Kurki had flown from Finland to attend the event. As Finland celebrateed the 65th anniversary of Finland-China diplomatic relations in 2015, the Finnish fashion label Marja Kurki counted down on its 21 years in China market. Kurki Fashion (Beijing) Limited, a Marja Kurki subsidiary, was established in China in 1994, with headquarters in Beijing business offices in Shanghai and Nanjing, and now with nearly 70 retail facilities in China’s most developed cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu, Shenzhen etc. The Marja Kurki operation in China is reaching out to the Chinese consumers, introducing the Finnish design and culture to the quality conscious 16 ScandAsia.China • February 2017
and stylish Chinese consumers. For them, these designer fashion pieces are fitting accessories for people in the pursuit of joy of colours. Their first store in 1994 was at the Solana Shopping Park in Beijing, which is popular among young adults. The shop, with 80 square metres of floor area, is elegant and represents the minimalist Nordic style in its decoration. In addition to silk scarves, the store’s product offering includes a broad range of clothing accessories, from hats to sunglasses and leather products. Founded in Finland in 1976, fashion accessory label Marja Kurki is the result of one woman bringing together great business acuity with a powerful artistic vision. Originally a one-woman business, it has expanded into an international fashion house, characterized by unique color palettes and custom designs. Two new collections are released ever y year – Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter.
Consistent, high quality and a distinguished reputation means Marja Kurki products are worn by some of the world’s best-known personalities, notably in political circles and amongst royalty. Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the late Princess Diana have all kept Marja Kurki accessories as par t of their wardrobes. The Presidential Palace of Finland presents its products as gifts to State guests; and Parliament of Finland uses the brand’s scarves and ties to deliver high image of its organization. Marja Kurki accessories are often individually commissioned by enterprises seeking to reinforce or rebuild their image, for special occasions such as anniversary ceremonies and new product launches. Sources: Marja Kurki; Embassy of Finland, Beijing
Business
China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum, Beijing
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he first ever China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum (CDRCF) was held from 5 to 6 of December in Beijing, where local governments and businesses from both countries were provided with a whole new framework for more active dialogue and potential cooperation, reports the Embassy of Denmark, China. In the opening ceremony, six cooperation agreements were signed between Chinese and Danish commercial and municipal partners on agriculture, wastewater treatment, dair y and organic farm, tourism, and finance. These fields represent those where Denmark is willing to further strengthen its all-out cooperation with China, and share its world leading knowhow and expertise. Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Karen Ellemann, Danish Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Gender Equality opened the conference and delivered opening speeches. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Fr iendship with Foreign Countr ies, and Minister Karen Ellemann witnessed the signing. A . C a r s t e n D a m s g a a r d , D e n m a r k ’s Ambassdor to China said: “We are glad to see par ticipants from both Denmark and China
satisfied with this forum, its rising role in the Sino-Danish political exchange on the local level, as well as its various outcomes.” “The forum’s main themes, including Green Urbanisation, Public Health, Sustainable Food and Agriculture, and People-to-People Dialogue, have generated a lot of common interests, and will surely be put at the center of bilateral cooperation, as the Chinese government has prioritized some of these areas in its latest development and reform plans.” In total, over 400 representatives participated in the forum, which was hosted by the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Frank Jensen and Mayor of Aarhus Jacob Bundsgaard led delegations to Beijing for the CDRCF, respectively, along with John S. Andersen Mayor of Frederikssund Municipality and Daniel Rugholm Vice-Mayor of Hjoerring Municipality, as well as high level representatives from Region South and Central Region. During the Lord Mayor’s visit, he announced that Copenhagen would co-host Beijing Design Week 2018, offering Danish designers, architects and urban planners a one-of-a-kind opportunity
to showcase their state-of-the-ar t works to the Chinese and inter national audience . Copenhagen will be the Beijing Design Week’s seventh co-host city. Prior to the opening, the Danish Minister and mayors also toured along the streets of Beijing on bicycles provided by Mobike, a Chinese ondemand bicycle sharing service. Two agreements were signed on the local government level, along with one governmentbusiness joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on wastewater treatment, and two other business MoUs on dairy and organic farm. The CDRCF aims to offer representatives from cities, regions and provinces as well as companies of both countries great opportunities to gain valuable insight into the work areas of their counterpar ts and peers, and to fur ther engage on a local political level in China. Enhanced cooperation at the local political level is at the center of the Sino-Danish bilateral relations, while knowledge exchange in business sectors, including, but not limited to, environmental protection, infrastructure, sustainable energy, food safety and health, also requires political involvement at a local level. Source: Embassy of Denmark, China
Danish Food and Fashion return to Chongqing
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he 3rd Danish Food and Fashion Show 2016 was held in Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. The event that took place on 5 November, hosted by the Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing, aimed to promote communication in the fashion and design industries between the countries. It also gave guests the opportunity to enjoy the latest Danish and Greenlandic fashion designs and taste some extraordinary canapés. Kopenhagen Fur and Pudu staged their 2016 autumn and winter fur design show, while Danish Chef John Kofod and team InterCon ser ved delicacies from the Kingdom of Denmark with
fresh seafood transpor ted from Greenland. Present at the show were also design eyewear from Lindberg, furs from Great Green, women’s wear from Dea Kudibal and seafood from Royal Greenland. Mr. Vittus Qujaukitsoq, Minister of Industry, Labour, Trade, Energy and Foreign Affairs of Greenland and Trade, Ms. Anja Villefrance, Consul General of Denmark in Chongqing and guests from both China and Denmark attended the event. During his 30 minutes presentation, Mr. Vittus Quajaukitsoq presented all the special and beautiful things Greenland has to offer including the natural landscape, the seafood and the fashion. February 2017 • ScandAsia.China 17
Business
Hong Kong Nordic chambers’ Innovation and Digitalization forum
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hen assessing China’s innovation landscape and capability,outsiders, particularly the Western media, often view the country as an innovation desert made up of copycat firms providing shan zhai (imitative and pirated) products. China is said to be lacking in innovativeness due to weak or non-existent intellectual property rights, a rote learning-based education system that does not encourage creativity and entrepreneurship, a monopoly of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), poor legal systems and so on. Such a perception is a fallacy arising from expectation gaps,” says Tekes’s Future Watch Report: China’s Innovations are Going Global – New Emerging Business Models. To understand better the future of digitalization and Chinese market from the Nordic viewpoint the Nordic Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong organized panel discussion about innovation and digitalisation (held on 2 November 2016). Each Nordic chamber presented one speaker. Ms Sari Arho Havrén the Consul for Innovation from Tekes was one of the panelists.The other panelists were Ms Anita Vogel from Fossil Group and Mr Torbjörn Dimblad from OKAY.com, reports Consulate General of Finland, Hong Kong. The theme “future” dominated the conver sation. Moderator Ms Hanna Halin (Sustainable Manager for H&M Sales Market Greater China) star ted the panel asking the audience what innovation means for them, especially in the future context. The answers varied, but one thing was agreed: Innovation is something that brings value. Some par ticipants divided innovation into three different models. First, they defined innovation to be related to research and development, and taking those to the next level and innovate new things. The other way of producing innovations according to the audience is using old innovations in innovative ways. The third model of making innovations was copying and stealing ideas from other industries. Ms Arho Havrén agreed with the audience: “The core of the innovation is value. Innovation
18 ScandAsia.China • February 2017
means creating value, it can be for example social, economic or monetary value. If something brings value we classify it to be innovation. In my work I scout innovation landscape in Asia, mostly in China because that is the most interesting area at this point. Despite this we still need to remember that most of the Asian innovations still come from Japan, even though the future of China is the most interesting future in the area.” Ms Halin asked the panellists if innovation mean same thing in the Chinese and Nordic contexts. “Innovation base in China is rather different than in the West. Chinese are good in making new business models. I could mention Alibaba for instance. They do not have inventory of their own, and still it is a brilliant business model, new type of doing things,” Ms Arho Havrén commented. Ms Arho Havrén described how Chinese take some models from other industries and then modify them into their own purposes: “They are very good at making innovations coming from other parts of the world fit into the Chinese market. Didi Chuxing, who just bought China’s Uber business, is a good example of how they do it, in this case it meant adapting sharing economy successfully in the Chinese market. The company wasn’t really ready to compete in the Chinese market before the change of the ownership.” She clarified that one of the main differences between the Nordic and Chinese contexts is that the Chinese companies innovate with their customers, and the private Chinese companies do not invest lot of money in research and development: “Chinese are ver y good in innovating products and ser vices to middle segment, where the most money is actually made in the Chinese market.” Ms Arho Havrén said she is expecting that the next big shifts within the digitalization will change the world dramatically: “Everything will be linked. Right now we are connected with our devices,
something in our pockets or handbags. After that the human body will be the platform for the next innovations. Then we move to the augmented reality, ar tificial intelligence and vir tual reality. These three will change the world dramatically within the next ten years.” “The other thing that is going to change the world dramatically is block chain. I think it will be bigger than Internet. We have only seen very little of that so far. It is so much more than just Bitcoin, you can do so many things with it. All these things within digitalization are enablers of new kind of future. It is already possible to hug someone who is million miles away, so for example distant relationships will change significantly in the near future,” Ms Arho Havrén said. Even though these changes will bring joy to the world’s citizens there are of course many risks and challenges related to them: “Many work positions will disappear. Many job descriptions that we have in this room may not be there after next 15 years. For example the Rolls Royce Finland is already testing the “unmanned ship”. They have a very nice control centre in the town called Rauma in Finland. There is one guy who operates the ship that is going around the world and everything is controlled from there. For example there are drones that do the maintenance on the ship.” Ms Arho Havrén thinks the changes she describes are in the core of our near future: “Actually this future is very close already. One of the transitions in the near future that we have to go through is the extensive mechanization. We can already have planes without pilots but the passengers do not like it, even though the majority of the accidents are caused by human mistakes. The machines are more accurate, but we just don’t like the idea of them taking over.” Ms Arho Havrén said. Source: Consulate General of Finland, Hong Kong.
ScandAsia means Business!
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re you aware of our steadfast business section in ScandAsia? You may have noticed our strengthened focus - in print and online - on innovations, business solutions, joint ventures, star t-ups, trade etc. This is now further enhanced as Business pages in the magazines and with the dedicated ‘Business in Asia’ channel, along with adding business categories, online! The digital economy and the start-up scene, with business disruption coming with it, are having significant impact on all business sectors and trade, creating the economies of the future. As part of this, and in parallel, Southeast Asia’s economies are continuing to grow and taking significant steps forward and towards becoming developed countries. Investors and entrepreneurs from the Nordics are increasingly participating in this, setting up businesses here and targeting the region with their products and services. The type of businesses the Nordics are involved in now span across the board, much thanks to their innovative spirit and the very strong Scandinavian start-up scene. Also, the Nordic countries are shifting focus from developing projects to commercial support in connection to the Southeast Asian countries they have been active within. The developments and trends that define and shape the business climate are covered by ScandAsia. We award coverage to all stakeholders; introducing new start-ups and business concepts and portraying how larger corporations are adapting their businesses and preparing for the future, and also how the innovations, solutions and know-how from the Nordic countries can find markets and gain market shares in Asia. With this brief introduction we want to put the spotlight on the increasing importance of B2B and B2C for ScandAsia! Build awareness around your brand and product (s) through storytelling and engagement!
And did you know: • That ScandAsia is the only dedicated media reaching out and communicating all things of relevancy in connection to the Nordic countries - SEA/China? • That ScandAsia can assist your business in various ways by communicating news and events as well as other commercial messages (sharing news and events, republish PR, advertorial, email blast, print and e-magazine marketing, e-marketing…)? • That you can publish your own content marketing on ScandAsia.com?
• That you can have your complimentar y personal and company profile as one of our members on ScandAsia.com (with high-ranking result on Google) and that our web traffic is close to 100,000 readers monthly! • That you can get extra print copies of the magazine edition featuring your business for an affordable price?
For further information and prices, contact: Mobile: +66 (0) 89761 6701, Ph: +66 (0) 2943 7166, joakim@scandmedia.com, gregers@scandmedia.com
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