Scan Magazine | Issue 5 | February 2009

SCAN

STRICTLY COME DANCING WITH CAMILLA STAFFAN TOLLGARD: INTERIOR DESIGN CHEER UP – IT’S WINTHER CIMBER STERLING: EXPANDING SERVICE EXCELLENCE

PROMOTING BRAND SCANDINAVIA

ISSUE 5

FEBRUARY 2009

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Scan Magazine | Contents

Contents COVER FEATURE 10 Camilla Dallerup | Taking the Chance

21

DESIGN

10

16 Mr and Mrs Staffan Tollgard | At Home 21 Camilla | Duchess of Shoes 22 We Love This | Our Guide to Where to Buy that Valentine’s Present

SCAN TRAVEL 24 Trysil | Cheer Up – It’s winter!

SCAN FOOD 28 Bronte’s Food | We Like Big Buns and We Cannot Lie 32 Restaurant of the Month | Mad for Madsen

SCAN BUSINESS BUSINESS FEATURES

16

34 38 42 46 50

Cimber Sterling | Sterling Service Breaking Low-Cost Trend St. Anthony’s Hospital | Choosing the Right Healthcare Cass MBA | The Best Decision I’ve Ever Made Denmark | A Key Developer of Climate Solutions Scan Jobs | London’s New Scandinavian Recruitment Service

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES 44 Tax | Should You be Filing a Self-Assessment Tax Return?

REGULARS 48 Recruitment | Campbell's Column 52 We Gotta Do Something | Calling for a Green Chat 54 How Was Your Day | The Answer is Never that Straightforward

24 32

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE 55 Chamber News | Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Danish Chambers of Commerce for the UK

SCAN NEWS 58 Scandinavian Newsflash

CULTURE 65 Culture Calendar | Your Scandinavian Culture Events

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 3

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, The past year emerged as a notorious reminder of just how quickly circumstances can change. And if change is the watchword for 2009, then at Scan Magazine we aim to change things too. We endeavour to take Brand Scandinavia to new heights. You have already been introduced to our editorial A-Team of dedicated Scandinavia-lovers, of all ages, and backgrounds, and we go about our job with a key winning ingredient. Passion!

We are proud to kick off the first issue of 2009 with a cover interview with Camilla Dallerup. Some days are bound to be good and when Camilla called back to say that she would do the cover interview I knew this day was going to be one of them. I was in the middle of showing our flat to an estate agent and he seemed very impressed I was on the phone to the winner of Strictly Come Dancing. I, too, was very impressed – but realise I must stop bragging about it.

friendly hotel director who would love to welcome you to his hotel.

Next in line is an exclusive interview with the Managing Director of Cimber Sterling Air. The Danish airline is boldly expanding its routes, across Europe and to the UK, for the business and leisure markets. We follow new developments in the world of aviation with great interest and this is something that will definitely benefit the international traveller.

We continue to see a rapid increase in editorial requests and I want to encourage you: please keep them coming.

We are truly interested to know what you want to read and it is great that you take the time to get involved.

Enjoy the issue and see you next month.

Thomas Winther

On page 24 we take you on a lovely winter break to Trysil in Norway which is home to some wonderful familyfriendly resorts, with excellent facilities. There is a superb new ski-in-ski-out Radisson Hotel there. We speak to the

Scan Magazine Issue 5 | February 2009 Published 10 February ISSN 1757-9589 Published by Scan Magazine Limited Design & Print Liquid Graphic Limited Editor Thomas Winther Art Direction Mads E. Petersen

4 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Copy-editor Mark Rogers Contributors Barbara Chandler Ian Welsh Rikke Bruntse-Dahl Malcolm Campbell Emelie Krugly Helena Whitmore Signe Hansen Anders Christian Madsen Lee-Ann Cameron Photos Yiannis Katsaris Magnus Arrevad Silje Glefjell

SCAN M A G A Z I N E

Sales and Marketing Helene Oxfeldt Lauridsen

Scan Magazine Limited 53A Clapham High Street London SW4 7TG Advertising Phone 0870 933 0423 marketing@scanmagazine.co.uk info@scanmagazine.co.uk To receive our newsletter send an email to news@scanmagazine.co.uk To Subscribe send an email to subscription@scanmagazine.co.uk

Next issue 10 March 2009

www.scanmagazine.co.uk All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd.

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Scan Magazine | Contributors

Contributors Barbara Chandler is the design writer for Homes & Property, the weekly Wednesday supplement of the London Evening Standard. She has worked as a specialist writer on interiors and decoration for over 30 years, contributing to many leading UK and European publications. Books she has written include The Home Design Source Book, and Where to Get the Look. She is Journalist of the Year 2007 (as awarded by the National Home Improvement Council).

Ian Welsh is a UK-based independent writer and editor with nearly 15 years experience in business publishing.

With a background in corporate communications, Ian now specialises in corporate responsibility and supply chain issues.

Rikke Bruntse-Dahl. Being a greenie at heart, Rikke has written extensively on eco issues for a variety of publications including The Observer, New Consumer and SmartPlanet. Ethical consumerism and green business behaviour are her main areas of interest.

Signe Hansen has just finished her Ma in Journalism and is now working as a freelance reporter in London. Having previously worked with television, radio, web and local news, the good story is always her priority.

Based in London since 2006, Anders Christian Madsen grew up north of Copenhagen. With a degree in Fashion Journalism from the London College of Fashion, he contributes to DANSK Magazine and works with the menswear label J.W. Anderson. Anders is the Fashion Editor at Scan Magazine.

A Swede by birth, Helena Whitmore is director of tax at Grundberg Mocatta Rakison based in London. She has been with the firm since 1990, and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation since 6 | Issue 5 | February 2009

2002. She writes regularly for Scan Magazine, and over the coming months will examine issues relating to setting up business in the UK, relevant tax laws, how to deal with property purchases and inheritance matters.

Malcolm Campbell. Having read Chemistry at Imperial College London, Malcolm began his career in Research, moving after some years into the Human Resource function. In 1991 he was invited to found an Executive Search Company as a joint venture with a major firm of Actuaries. The business is now independent, being owned by Malcolm Campbell. It has a worldwide client list, and searches globally. Malcolm’s other interests include the Horner’s Livery Company, as a Freeman of the City of London. He is also Chairman of the Imperial College Trust.

Emelie Krugly is responsible for Scan Magazine's news section and can be contacted any time regarding an event or story.

Emelie, a native Swede has been based in London for 3 years. Early on in her career she worked on a number of Sweden's newspapers including Sydsvenskan, Smalandsposten and Norra Skane. After then travelling extensively she settled with her English partner in her favourite city, became a mother and now returns to her passion, writing and journalism.

Lee-Ann Cameron is a self-confessed Scandiphile who moved to London after finishing a postgraduate degree in History of Art at the University of Edinburgh. LeeAnn currently works for one of the major auction houses and works in the contemporary art department.

Thomas Winther – Editor. Originally from Denmark, Thomas has a background in Economic consultancy and holds a BA and a Master in Economics. Prior to becoming the Editor of Scan Magazine he worked in the City of London. He is now on a personal mission to take Brand Scandinavia to the next level. Thomas lives in Blackheath, London with his much better half and 4 month old son. Email: thomas@scanmagazine.co.uk

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Scan Magazine | Letters of The Month

Dear Scan Magazine... Letters of the Month We receive many lovely letters from our readers. As we’re fond of saying, your feedback helps to make all of the time and effort worth while. We’ve decided to select a few Letters of the Month - letters that for whatever reason, tickled our fancy.

Dear Thomas, I am not sure we have met. I was the CEO for A. P. Moller/Maersk in the UK from 2005 to 2008 and have very recently retired although I will continue to function as NED/Director and advisor for some of Maersk’s group companies in the UK. That includes The Moller Centre in Cambridge which is an excellent showcase for Danish Design at its finest (architecture

by Henning Larsen). The centre was recently awarded the “UK Training Centre of the Year“ by the Daily Mail.

Being a Dane, I am very proud that The Moller Centre, in competition with hundreds of good training centres, is being awarded such an important prize.

Hence the reason I am writing to you: I would like to see a feature on the Moeller Centre in Scan Magazine.

Hej Thomas, First, I have to say - at last and well done for a brilliantly produced magazine. I've picked up the Autumn and Christmas issues at Scandinavian Kitchen and was thrilled to see another Scandinavian Magazine - the last one I think was in the 80's (was it called Connect?).

The reason for contacting you is that I would love to display your magazine at my Farmers' Market stall in The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells which I have been running (twice a month) for just over 2 years, selling my own home-made Swedish food (I am Swedish by the way, if you hadn't guessed). I am quite certain that a lot of my customers - many regulars and always new ones - would be interested in picking up an issue. Luckily for me, there are a lot of Scandinavians living in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding area.

By the way, when the weather warms up, I put my Swedish national costume on...

Med Vanliga Halsningar Kristina Fyans

Best Regards Jesper Kjaedegaard

Dear Jesper, Scandinavian design at its best: this is something we have to cover! Our business journalist is now briefed and you can look forward to reading a feature on the Moeller Centre in our March publication.

All the Best Thomas

8 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Dear Kristina, Thank you for your great feedback; we are delighted that you will distribute Scan Magazine at your stall.

And we would really like to see that Swedish costume of yours which we all think is real commitment to the cause.

All the very best Thomas

Letters may be edited. Letters are only published with the consent of the sender.

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Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Camilla Dallerup

10 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Camilla Dallerup

Camilla Dallerup – Taking the chance

By Signe Hansen | Photos: David Venni

Through six series of Strictly Come Dancing, Camilla Dallerup has stunned 11 million BBC viewers with her glittering dresses and fancy footwork. Besides participating in the popular dance show, the slender, blonde Dane has co-hosted the BBC’s Dance Factory, modelled and made her own fitness video: Dance off the Inches. Off the screen she is, in true superstar style, dating another well-known screen personality, Hollyoaks actor Kevin Sacre. So the 34-year-old Dane has become a well-known media phenomenon often referred to as ‘the blonde bombshell’.

However, Camilla’s first waltzing steps were taken in far less public and glamorous circumstances. The place was Aalborg – Denmark’s third largest city – and Camilla was just two when her mother took her to dancing school.

Maybe it is from Aalborg that Camilla gets her down-toearth attitude, because when confronted with her media image she gives a big laugh. “You know, you just need to know what you are all about yourself. That you and your friends and family know what you are about is the most important thing.”

Then what is she really about? Having taken all kinds of creative performance classes such as singing, acting and even tap-dancing, Camilla does not classify herself as a dancer but rather as a performer. Yet there was a time when Camilla almost gave it all up to become something entirely different. Moving to Copenhagen to study when she was 16, she continued travelling around to compete and perform, but suddenly had had enough. “When I was 19 I basically decided to stop dancing and become an

estate agent. I threw away my shoes and decided that is what I am going to do now.”

With just one year left before she finished her degree, she changed her mind for the better. “At one point I became afraid that at thirty I would look back and regret that I never did what I really wanted to do. I put my last year on hold and went to London to see what would happen and here I am.”

In 2004 Camilla was asked to participate in the BBC’s new Saturday night, primetime programme Strictly Come Dancing and that rocketed her off to stardom in the UK. You were a successful professional dancer when you were first asked to take part in Strictly Come Dancing; what was your first thought when they called you?

When they first asked me, I was very concerned whether it was going to be educational for the audience or all about chit-chat. But after they explained it to me, I thought it would be a great advertisement for my business and that was it – I made my decision. They really kept true to the promise and that is what is so fun about it. Now the people watching all know what a waltz is, and all the families at home discuss who they think should be the champion every Saturday night.

The show now has about 11 million viewers and you, your comments and not least relationships have become favourite subjects of the press. Did you expect all this?

God no! No-one knew that it was going to go any further past series one. I remember the beginning when we all

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 11

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Camilla Dallerup

hoped for four million viewers and how excited we got when it reached the amazing levels it did. To be a part of something that has just grown and grown and then suddenly sit there knowing that there are 11 million watching, that is extraordinary – especially coming from a small country. It is hard to comprehend really.

Do you like the publicity?

It depends really. You know, I think publicity is great when you work with different charities and you see how these charities raise a lot of money through our publicity. That is a really nice feeling knowing that you can be a small part in something like that. And obviously I have worked really hard on my new fitness DVD, which came out just before Christmas, and in that way I have enjoyed the publicity because it has opened new doors for me.

12 | Issue 5 | February 2009

You are used to dancing with your professional partner Ian Waite. How was it partnering up with someone who did not know anything about dancing at all?

It has been really interesting. All of the partners have been really good friends and I think that throughout the programmes I kind of learned a way to attack each journey. I think that what is really important is to understand each personality and know how they work because they all have different skills and different lookouts and things that they find difficult. Mainly it is very important psychologically to get into their minds and understand how they work. But it was a great way to try new things, like with Tom, he was the actor who wanted to be a dancer and I was the dancer who wanted to be an actor.

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Any plans of settling down and starting a family any time in the near future?

This year Camilla and her celebrity partner Tom Chambers, the British actor from “Holby City”, won the show and Camilla decided to make it her last. She is now on her final Strictly Come Dancing UK tour.

What were your thoughts when you decided to leave the show?

Strictly is like a family to me and I loved every minute of it.

I would love to go back as a judge because that way I would still be part of the family, but as a dancer it was just my time on the show.

Now you have won Strictly Come Dancing, what is your next big goal?

I would like to carry on in TV and radio presenting and see if there is a way I can build that into a well-being programme. I want to do more confidence-building with people. I feel that that is really what I have done on Strictly.

I mean of course I have taught them steps, but that is actually quite secondary to making them feel confident and good about themselves in front of all these people. It should be something where I can use my skills as a coach in confidence-building and work with people, I love working with people.

I am with Kevin right now and we are very happy together.

I look forward to our future so it is something I want to do one day. But not right now because I have some things which I would like to follow up. I have been carrying on with my acting classes and I may do a few auditions, so some time I see myself settling down but not yet.

It definitely does not seem like the Danish beauty is just about to slow down her pace. Outside her hotel the tourbus waits and as soon as our conversation ends she is off to the preparations for the show. Camilla’s energy and charisma might have made her a great real-estate agent, but still the ticket to London does not seem a bad buy.

FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT CAMILLA’S PERFORMANCES IN STRICTLY COME DANCING Who was you favourite partner in Strictly Come Dancing?

Tom Chambers, I have to love him, he won the trophy with me! And he is a lovely guy too.

What is the worst thing the judges ever said about you and one of your partners?

He said to James Martin (British celebrity chef) that he looked like a murderer – that was quite shocking for James.

What is the hardest dance you ever had to teach someone on the show?

It is the Rumba, always the Rumba. It is my favourite dance, but it is very difficult for beginners.

Are you planning on staying in England or do you want to go back to Denmark at some point?

What is the best memory that you have from all six series?

I would love to do a couple of jobs in Denmark, maybe some TV things. It is obviously where your roots are so it would be nice to go back. But as a whole I really feel very at home in England. I love visiting Denmark though. My family still lives in Aalborg, but they come here a lot and I visit them.

That would be the show dance in the final with Tom just before lifting in the jigger bug.

14 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Have you ever considered taking part in Vild Med Dans the Danish version of Strictly Come Dancing?

Not as a dancer, but as a presenter I would love to.

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Scan Magazine | Design | Mr and Mrs Staffan Tollgard: At Home

Mr and Mrs Staffan Tollgard: At Home

By Barbara Chandler | Photos: Yannis Katsaris

Staffan Tollgard is a Swedish interior designer based in London with a successful and expanding international practice. Relaxing at home in his socks, he shared secrets of work and life with Scan Design Correspondent, Barbara Chandler “To me, this is Sweden,” says interior designer Staffan Tollgard, standing just inside the door of his lovely Bayswater home in West London, only a five minute walk from the Portobello Road, with its famous market, and close to Paddington Station. He is looking at two very large Marimekko printed fabric panels, from the famous Scandinavian textile company. They are hanging on the wall, and show dreamy birch trees, a lake and a summer sky. Staffan has mounted them in his own inimitable fashion: backed with a good quality fabric lining, and attached with velcro to wooden battens so they can be washed. They are art of the softest kind.

Indeed Staffan's hall stretches out behind him like a gallery, in a long narrow vista adorned with an impressive series of artworks – paintings, posters, sculpture, all brilliantly lit, and chosen with an assured eye. It is an inspirational and energising space. Domestic clutter, such as coats and a buggy for his little blonde son Leo (of 16 months), is kept firmly under rein in a small lobby inside the door. Here a nice touch is three old wooden upholstered cinema seats, that conveniently pull down for removing shoes, putting on boots etc.

Staffan himself is, of course, Swedish, as you have probably guessed, from his distinctive name. And, of course, that matter of the socks – taking off your shoes at the threshold is de rigeur in Scandinavia. His mother was a nurse and his father a management consultant, and

initially Staffan flirted with a career as a civil engineer. But he spent just 18 months at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm before leaving to take up a job in TV. Loving the creativity of it all, he came to Britain to spend two years at film school in Bournemouth, followed by a career in film production in London.

But here was a young man never afraid to make changes.

As the administrative side of his work became more dominant – not to mention the budget restrictions – Staffan again yearned towards something more creative.

So he took out a substantial amount from his precious savings, and enrolled at London's prestigious Inchbald School of Design.

All change “2003 was the year that changed my life. I got married and I enrolled at college,” confides Staffan, sitting on the huge L-shaped sofa in his living room. His charming wife Monique is South African, and was a documentary film maker, before time out to have Leo, and also enrolling at the Inchbald. Now qualified, she is an essential part of the business... “but Leo is my best design.”

Staffan graduated in 2004 (“after working 24/7”), and went to work for a short while with a leading London interior design practice. Then he bit the bullet and started up on his own, initially testing the water from an attic bedroom in his then home in Brook Green in Hammersmith He immediately acquired P1 and P2 – P standing for Project.

Now he is approaching P80, showing just how far he has come in a very short time. He employs several other interior designers in his studio, based in a trendy studio/office complex built under the unlikely spot of the Westway motorway, where cars literally thunder over the roof.

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 17

Photo: Mary Wadsworth

Photo: Mary Wadsworth

Scan Magazine | Design | Mr and Mrs Staffan Tollgard: At Home

Above: The hallway in the Tollgard home. Right: Playroom and reception room of Staffan’s design.

Home is a substantial apartment that stretches from front to back of a grandiose converted Georgian multi-storey house, in a genteel London square with its own private garden. The Tollgard family also occupy the basement, with bedrooms, bathrooms and a utility room. This is their private area, as upstairs doubles up as a showroom, where Staffan can see clients by appointment.

an earlier and rather drastic make-over by David Chipperfield, one of London's foremost modern architects. Stripped of its period paraphernalia, you realise how lofty and well-proportioned is this space. And using space – delineating functions, creating light and shadow, and adding colour and texture – is what Staffan does best.

Playing to the gallery The living room is huge, approximately 15 metres in length, if you include the dining area at the back. Again, it has the feeling of a gallery. And, yes, there is again lots of art, and the walls are pristine white. But it's something more than that. Suddenly, it hits you. No elaborate Victorian wedding cake of a cornice. No ceiling rose, no dado. No fireplace. There aren't even any skirting boards.

And at the back, looking into the “light well” so typical of this building type, the traditional wooden sash windows have been replaced with metal ones.

Everywhere you look are the ideas of a very clever decorator. A whole wall is softened with a neutral fabric, with deep pinch-pleated heading hanging from a track.

Subtly, it glows along the bottom edge – “simply a string of LEDs,” says Staffan airily. He uses a similar trick underneath bookshelves at the back. By contrast, the windows do not have curtains. They face West, and the sun, warm-hued even in winter, is filtered by gauzy Roman blinds, which usually stay down. Mirrors reflect the light, as do clever touches of chrome, on table legs, and encasing completely an ovoid low table.

“It has left us with a gallery not just for art but also for furniture,” Staffan explains. He tells how he has inherited

A huge, low upholstered table sits in the square created by the sofa – “it's so much nicer than a large square coffee

18 | Issue 5 | February 2009

At work in the office.

table,” explains Staffan. “That would simply create an obstacle. Here, people can sit comfortably and talk.” He concedes however that the current covering of creamy linen, though admirably impeccable, is not Leo-proof, and will shortly be replaced by something wipeable.

Techno magical The TV is unabashedly big – in fact there are a lot of TVs in this house. “The modern home should wholeheartedly embrace technology,” says Staffan. “TV, hi-fi, broadband, wi-fi, heating, lighting, security, CCTV. It is not surprising that the average homeowner may not know where to start.

These magic facilities need to be integrated not tacked on piecemeal. Which is why you need a professional – as a design practice, we specialise in that.”

Some chairs live in the kitchen at the back, tucked up at a large table. “I was insistent we should have a kitchen table,” says Monique. “We need to be able to eat comfortably as a family, and to play with paints and paper and glue. And homework – ours now, and Leo's later.”

There is also a comfy settee – “it's actually a sofa bed,” laughs Monique. “If you insist on staying...well, there is always the kitchen...”

Nevertheless, this room too is well-ordered and cleanlined, though the central work island is softened by a generous curve. It has a super stainless steel top. “You are horrified by the first scratch,” says Staffan. “But after ten or so, you settle for a bit of patina.”

Scan Japan

The Tollgards have ten dining chairs, all with elegant laquered wood frames. But their upholstery is arranged in pairs, in differing colours, some patterned, some plain, some soft, some hard. “It's fun at a dinner party to see who grabs which chair,” says Staffan.

On the face of it, to a mere Brit, this is not an overtly Scandinavian dwelling. No cosy folk art or blonde wood.

Staffan quickly and kindly corrects my simplistic approach.

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 19

Scan Magazine | Design | Mr and Mrs Staffan Tollgard: At Home

“The intrinsic quality of Scandinavian design is to create beauty and function effortlessly – it is very clean-lined and modernist, but it is sensual, too.” He reminds me how cluttered were our Victorian interiors here in the UK – “pattern upon pattern upon pattern.” And of the sometimes suffocating plenitude wealth of our antiques and general bric-a-brac. “It was perhaps the simple lines of Scandinavian design that helped Britain wake up to modern design – you cannot overlook the influence of Ikea, for example.”

Staffan also feels a strong affinity with Japan. “It's strange, because there are no natural connections between Japan and Scandinavia – from trade, for example.

But I feel that there is a natural affinity and that as peoples we are closely linked. We are both quite reserved on the surface. We love order.

“Our landscape is very similar, with lots of trees, and water. We both use a lot of wood in our design. Of course, in Scandinavia, we do not have shoji and the sliding screens. But the Japanese are always very careful to frame the view...and in Scandinavia we do that too.”

20 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Leo, Staffan and Monique at home.

Staffan Tollgard Design handles a wide range of projects, from whole buildings, in the UK and abroad, to small commissions, such as refurnishing a single room. A particular skill is product sourcing, and access to unusual materials, furniture, artefacts and art. See their work on www.tollgard.co.uk; and/or call 020 7575 3185.

Scan Magazine | Design | Camilla, Duchess of Shoes

CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF SHOES

By Anders Christian Madsen

What women want are shoes by Camilla Skovgaard. With her 2008 collections, there wasn’t a dry eye in ladies’ fashion.

If I had a penny for every fashion party conversation about Camilla Skovgaard shoes I’ve had to listen to in 2008, I’d be able to buy, well, a pair of Skovgaards. Camilla this and Camilla that… I get the message! The woman is a shoemaking goddess. In the female dominated world of fashion you either learn to talk about womanly things that will never apply to you; or, you’re forced to. (And I don’t really mind. It would just be nice if someone would care to make equally amazing shoes for men.) So it is only fitting that my award for Best Scandinavian Fashion in 2008 should go to Camilla Skovgaard, the Danish shoe designer who gives such pleasure to my female colleagues.

A former personal designer to the royal families of the Gulf, Skovgaard took her degree at Cordwainers at the London College of Fashion before winning its Innovation in Fashion Award in 2002. She has since collaborated with Matthew Williamson and Emilio Pucci as well as providing Celine Dion’s shoe wardrobe for her 2008 world tour.

In fashion-party-shoe-talk, Camilla belongs to the heavenly category of celestial shoe designers, which

includes British shoe messiah Nicholas Kirkwood. In 2008, my female colleagues would alternate between praising Skovgaard and Kirkwood, carefully comparing the details of heel lengths, leathers, straps and so on. Like a pair of Kirkwoods, Camilla Skovgaard shoes are small architectural wonders that curve and shape and frame the feet into walking objects of art. Mysophobic footwear, I call it: Shoes that are apparently too good to touch the streets of London, for my female colleagues tend to put them on just minutes before we arrive at a party.

Of course, it’s hardly surprising that one of fashion’s biggest hopes for the future of this sort of shoe design should be the child of the Kingdom of Denmark. Between Arne Jacobsen, Jørn Utzon and Camilla Skovgaard, we pretty much rule the world of architecture. But she’s not an architect, you cry? Well, ask the women of fashion. I strongly doubt that neither Arne nor Jørn ever succeeded in satisfying women quite like Camilla did in 2008. And you can quote me on that.

Camilla Skovgaard is available at: • The Convenience Store, 1a Hazelwood Tower, Golborne Gardens, Notting Hill • Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 21

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this... for Valentine’s Day Love is all you need... and wouldn’t you LOVE THIS at Valentine’s Day.

Finsk

By Julia Lundsten. Exquisite, divine and perfect are just some of the words Blahnik has used to describe her shoes. FINSK shoes are sold in London from Poste Mistress, Monmouth Street and new for this season, ASOS.com Prices from £200. www.finsk.com

Pilgrim Bracelet Calla. Elegant slender bracelet – plated with 22K gold and preciously charmed with a lovely freshwater pearl. £35.90 www.pilgrim.dk/stores

Roseberg flowers of Copenhagen Have you remembered flowers for your Valentine’s Sweet heart? Roseberg will bring flowers to your door. www.roseberg.co.uk

Iittala Red Ibis by Oiva Toikka The Iittala Birds collection was created by Oiva Toikka, an internationally renowned artist and one of the greatest names in Finnish glass.

Retails at £224 at www.cloudberryliving.co.uk

22 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Dyrberg/Kern Kaleidoscope collection: Kamal pendant with Hataya chain, Vidya pendant with Hataya chain, Classia Showpiece, Purnima necklace, Talinda neclace, Eydis necklace, Gefion bracelet, Eirny pendant with Dynami chain, Klaki pendant with Dynami chain, Harpa bracelet.

John Lewis (Oxford Street), Fortnum & Mason (Piccadily) plus many more all over the UK & Ireland. www.dyrbergkern.com

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

Kids love this...

Brio Sleep (Cot Bed) Children might outgrow most things in the blink of an eye, but not the BRIO Sleep. This bed is designed to fit every stage of your child's first 5–6 years of development by transforming from a cot into a relaxing day bed and later into a stylish junior bed. We love the fact that despite this versatility, the bed's safety, comfort and style is never compromised. Available in three colour finishes: yellow, white and natural this modern yet classic bed will be at home in any home. £199 at kidsen.co.uk

Brio Grow (Chair) The beautifully ergonomic Brio Grow starts out as a regular stool but in a few easy moves can be turned into a junior chair by removing the safety bracket. We love the fact that the seat itself is made out of leather which is soft and easy to clean. Available with a white, black or red seat.

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Scan Magazine | Travel | Cheer Up – It’s Winter

24 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Scan Magazine | Travel | Cheer Up – It’s Winter

Scan Magazine goes to Trysil

CHEER UP – IT’S WINTER!

By Rikke Bruntse-Dahl

The winter season generally has a bit of a bad reputation in the UK, which tends to puzzle many Scandinavians: give us some snow and a pair of skis and wintermoodiness is soon a thing of the past.

A guaranteed remedy to beat the winter-blues is to go skiing at Trysil – Norway’s largest alpine ski resort. So what is it about Trysil that magically turns winterdepression into winter-delight?

First, there is the snow. Scandinavia is famous for its good, dry snow and Trysil’s snow is guaranteed the best in the world. Then there are the slopes. On one side of the Trysil mountain there is forest, on the other side there are no trees at all and on the North side, there’s the wilderness.

The quality of the slopes is extremely high, too. Every night an area equal to 315 football pitches is meticulously groomed by eight prepping machines, so all the slopes are perfect when the lifts open in the morning.

Although Trysil ski resort was founded 30 years ago – and was home to the world’s first ski club – it has very much been a well-kept Scandinavian secret so far. This is about to change now.

This season a new hotel, the SAS Radisson Trysil, opened its doors and not only has it been received with open arms by everybody from the farmers and loggers, who founded

Trysil, to families and famous footballers, who are regular Trysil guests – it is already attracting a larger international clientele.

Henning Hanevold, General Manager at SAS Radisson Trysil, says: “Everybody says a hotel like this was just what Trysil needed. It brings luxury to Trysil and it has made Trysil much more international. In terms of the UK market, it’s vital to have a hotel because Brits don’t fancy staying in cabins like most Scandinavians do. They want to stay in a hotel with the full service and that’s what we’re giving them now.”

The design is typical Scandinavian with clean but cosy lines. It is luxurious, but far from overstated and best of all, it caters for absolutely everybody.

Henning Hanevold says: “What’s so great about this hotel is that there is something for families, children, couples without children and groups of friends. There are recreational areas within the hotel, such as the wellness spa, that are just for grown-ups, but there are also lots of activities for children like the special kids’ swimming pools and an area just outside the hotel where they can play.”

The hotel also boasts a modern bowling alley with eight lanes, a water adventure world with a glass climbing wall,

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 25

Scan Magazine | Travel | Cheer Up – It’s Winter

Scandinavia’s only indoor surfing wave pool and a great variety of restaurants and bars, so there is plenty to do if you want a break from the slopes.

What really makes Trysil exceptional – to which the new hotel has added greatly – is the fact that skis are the main mode of transport around the resort.

Henning Hanevold explains: “Everything in Trysil has been built in a way so you won’t need a car or a bus. All accommodation is close to the slopes and you can ski everywhere – from the slopes to the bars and even to the grocery store. At the hotel we also have this ski-in-ski-out system, which means that guests can get on their skis in the hotel and go wherever they want in Trysil on their skis.”

And every detail has been thought of. For guests who have just arrived at the hotel and haven’t yet got any skis to get around on – if they are renting skis – can go and fetch them from the Tourist Centre by embarking on a new glass-covered transport-belt that goes straight from the hotel to the Tourist Centre.

26 | Issue 5 | February 2009

The fact that there are no cars and buses makes Trysil incredibly safe for children to just get about on their own.

According to Henning Hanevold, Trysil is an amazingly safe place to bring children. He says: “If your children are pretty good on their skis, you can just leave them to it here.

I’m more than happy to leave my children for half a day to do what they want as I know they’ll be safe. I would never do that in the Alps.”

More importantly, being able to ski everywhere means that being in Trysil is a real, relaxing holiday. You never need to check the watch to make sure you catch the bus, you never need to worry about lugging your skis around – as you can keep them on most of the time – and if you are staying at the hotel, you can literally just ski right into it after a long day on the slopes, enjoy a trip to the spa, a good meal and perhaps end up in one of the bars.

Not even your cold feet will remain blue – let alone your mood – after a day at Trysil!

For more information, visit www.skistar.com and www.trysil.radissonsas.com

Scan Magazine | Travel | Cheer Up – It’s Winter

Special offer for readers of Scan Magazine Pay 3 nights at 1500 NOK and Stay the 4th night for free.

Take advantage of the ski in/ski out access to 65 ski slopes without queuing and experience the fairytale Norwegian winter.

Here’s what you will receive • 4 night accommodation • Super Breakfast Buffet • Early check in or late check out upon availability How to Book To book please, call or e-mail the Radisson SAS Resort Trysil at: reservations.trysil@radissonsas.com Tel.: +47 62 44 9000 Please mention the booking code: SCAN Terms & Conditions: Valid for stay from Sunday to Thursday for the period 1 March 2009 to 1 May 2009 (with exception of 5-12 April 2009).

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Scan Magazine | Food | We like big buns and we cannot lie

28 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Scan Magazine | Food | We like big buns and we cannot lie

We like big buns and we cannot lie

By Bronte Blomhoj

You’d be forgiven for thinking that in the dark and cold snowy winter months, Scandinavians hibernate in their cosy houses and look forward to the spring only to surface once Easter puts a spring in their steps.

However, Shrovetide is still celebrated and comes along with an opportunity to get together with friends and fatten up on delightful wheat buns as well as dress up and party.

In most Nordic countries, Shrovetide is known as Fastelavn, a word deriving from the German Fastelabend (meaning the eve before the fast). Some also refer to it as the Scandinavian carnival (literally “farewell to meat”) this being the last chance to dress up, party and be merry before Lent.

When Scandinavia became Protestant around 500 years ago, many of the Catholic traditions died out although several Shrovetide traditions remained and became ingrained into the cultures in their own right (although mainly the “let’s eat and be merry” bits and not so much the “I will not eat chocolate/drink wine/pick my nose for the whole forty days of Lent”).

Shrovetide across Scandinavia today is celebrated in many different ways. In Denmark it is focused around kids who dress up on the “Fastelavn Monday” and sometimes also go from door to door and collect money or sweets. Very

similar to trick or treating, which is why Fastelavn is sometimes dubbed the Danish Halloween.

The Danish kids also gather for a game very similar to “piñata”: a wooden barrel stuffed with sweets is hung up and the kids take turn with a bat to try and break the barrel. This tradition is called “Slå katten af tønden” – literally: ‘beat the cat out of the barrel’. The one who finally cracks the barrel will be crowned King or Queen of Cats as well as get fist dibs at the sweets. A live black cat used to be put inside the barrel as it was believed by doing so all the evil of the kitten would be beaten out of it.

Surprisingly, it was only about a hundred years ago that this barbaric tradition was halted.

Another even more ancient tradition is the Danish and Southern Swedish tradition of Fastelavnsris: a bouquet of budding birch twigs decorated with colourful paper, sweets and feathers. These were traditionally used to whip the young maidens of the village – who could then “buy” their way out of further amorous whipping advances by offering some Shrovetide buns to the young gentlemen.

Today in Denmark, no maidens are whipped but the tradition of the decorated twigs lives on with kids using them to wake their parents on Fastelavn morning.

The tradition of birch twigs stems from olden times rather than religion and one other such 15th century fertility

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 29

Scan Magazine | Food | We like big buns and we cannot lie

ritual was for the farmer boys to run around the field naked whilst sowing seeds – with the ladies looking on from the sidelines, hiking up their skirts to show their bare buttocks. Rumour has it this still happens some places in Jutland.

Shrove Tuesday – the day before the start of Lent – is known as Fat Tuesday in Sweden and whilst this means pancakes to a Brit, to a Swede it means only one thing: Semlor (the word comes from the Latin “simili” meaning fine wheat).

A “Semla” is a heavy wheat cardamom-flavoured bun filled with marzipan and whipped cream. The average Swede will eat 5 of these every year (plus any sneaky homemade ones they are offered at Auntie Gunilla’s house). Sampling a semla bun is well worth the submission to calorie torture: the popularity of this seasonal cake is testament to this. While these buns used to be available only on Fat Tuesday, they are now sold in Sweden from early January until Easter, leaving plenty of time for everyone to fatten up.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH:

SWEDISH SEMLOR Makes 12 buns Ingredients 25g fresh yeast 75g butter 200ml milk 2 eggs 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder 500 ml sugar 700 ml plain flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder For the filling and topping, you need: Good quality marzipan/almond paste (mandelmassa, 50% is the best to use) Whipping cream (around 500 ml) A bit of vanilla custard (about 100ml) Icing sugar to dust

30 | Issue 5 | February 2009

In the olden days the traditional way to eat semlor was the “hetvägg” way: in a bowl of hot milk to really fill the bellies before the forty days of fasting, although this way of serving is no longer that popular. Nor is it without danger: Swedish King Adolf Fredrick (1710-1751) reportedly died from eating this, his favourite indulgent dessert.

Admittedly, before he died from ‘acute digestion problems’ he had stuffed himself with an impressive 14 hetvägg semlor buns (as well as a whole lobster, some caviar, a bucket of herring and some sour cabbage).

Other Scandinavian countries have traditions with a similar filling: the Finns also eat Semlor (but sometimes fill them with jam instead of marzipan), whereas Norwegian buns only have the cream filling. The Danish version is a big fluffy Danish pastry bun filled with custard, cream and chocolate icing.

However you choose to celebrate Shrovetide or Lent, it is certainly well worth the treat of one of these filling pastry buns on Fat Tuesday – they are easy to make and worth the effort.

Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the milk so mixture has lukewarm temperature (between 35-42 degrees).

Crumble the yeast into a bowl, and add some of the liquid to dissolve the yeast.

Add the remaining lukewarm liquid, add salt, cardamom, 1 egg, sugar and 600ml of the flour.

Work the mixture into a dough. You can do this in a mixer on dough hook or by thorough mixing with a wooden spoon. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise for around 30 minutes.

Sift the baking powder and remaining flour and work into the dough. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and stops being sticky – either in the machine or on a flour dusted table top.

Cut the dough into 12 pieces, roll into equal sized buns.

Put the buns onto an oven tray lined with baking paper and allow them to rise for 35-40 minutes. Beat the other egg and use a brush to glaze the tops of the buns.

Heat the oven to 250 degrees C and bake the semlor in the middle for around 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover the buns with a cloth and allow to cool on a wire rack – you want the buns to stay quite soft on the outside, which is where the cloth helps.

Prepare the semlor before serving Cut a circular “lid” off the top of each bun. Scoop out 1/3 of the inside of the bun.

Mix together the marzipan with the crumbs from inside the bun, add the vanilla custard to make a smooth mixture and use this mixture to fill the holes.

Whip the cream and spoon the cream on top of the bun filling.

Replace the lid of the bun and decorate with icing sugar.

Recipe by Bronte Blomhoj 2009

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Scan Magazine | Food | Restaurant of the Month

32 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Scan Magazine | Food | Restaurant of the Month

MAD FOR MADSEN!

By Lee-Ann Cameron | Photos: Madsen

On a cold January evening my partner and I ventured to Madsen in South Kensington where we were greeted by smiley staff and much needed warmth. The venue is immediately inviting, hip and smartly decorated. Formerly a pizzeria, the space has been transformed into a friendly restaurant (with conference room upstairs for hire).

Particularly striking are the paintings displayed by Danish artist Per Hillo, which are passionate and full of life. The original brickwork and cornicing have been preserved and incorporated into the sleek Scandi design, accented with PH5 lamps by Poul Henningsen. The interior balance of traditional and modern beautifully mirrors the philosophy behind the food that is served.

The menu is a well-balanced mixture of typical Scandinavian food and contemporary cuisine. For those unfamiliar with Scandinavian dishes, each one is indicated on the menu with a heart and is always translated. There is also a children’s menu, surely a welcome inclusion for families wishing to dine med sina barn! We spoke with the founder, Charlotte Madsen, a young, intelligent entrepreneur who was happy to talk us through the menu and tell us how things have been going. Only open since October, Charlotte mentioned that weekday lunches are busy, as are weekend brunch/lunch. However, as we learned, dinner is also a great experience.

I started my dinner with a tasty Jerusalem artichoke salad with Jarlsberg cheese, pecans and croutons dressed with a light vinaigrette. My partner had the delicious herring with lettuce and crisp rye bread in a curry vinaigrette. We

chose a 2007 Brouilly red wine, which tasted of mixed berries and had a smoky finish. The wine really complemented the hearty Hakkebøf med bløde løg I had for my main dish. Perfect for a winter’s night, this dish is a Danish beef burger with gravy, parsley potatoes and fried onions. My guest enjoyed the Pytt i panna med stekt ägg, a Swedish hash topped with a fried egg, which is great comfort food. To finish, I indulged in the chocolate cake with hazelnut mayonnaise and vanilla ice cream whilst my guest relished the Æblekage (apple cake) with Amaretti and whipped cream. As one can imagine, we were stuffed to the gills with the fabulous meal and upon leaving vowed to come back soon. In short, we fell madly in love with Madsen! We will be having Valentine’s dinner there to take advantage of this fantastic offer: £28 for a three course menu with a glass of Champagne and a rose for the lady!

For the month of February there will be 10% off the bill for readers who quote “Scan Magazine” but only if mentioned when booking by phone or email. Please note: this discount applies to lunch and dinner during the week (Monday-Friday) but excludes Valentine’s evening.

Madsen Restaurant 20 Old Brompton Road London, SW7 3DL Phone: 020 7225 2772 Email: reservations@madsenrestaurant.com www.madsenrestaurant.com

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 33

Scan Business | Business Profile | Cimber Sterling

Business profile: Cimber Sterling

Sterling service breaking low-cost trend

By Ian Welsh | Photos: Cimber Sterling

Danish airline Cimber Sterling is boldly expanding its routes, across Europe and to the UK, for the business and leisure markets. And, if you’re lucky, the boss might be up front flying the plane.

Cimber Sterling’s core customer service values are fair price, friendly atmosphere and respect for customers’ time. Jørgen Nielsen, the airline’s president and CEO says: “Customers need to be on time, and we need to value this when transporting them for business or pleasure.”

34 | Issue 5 | February 2009

He believes that while price is the driving factor for travellers making their airline choice, getting passengers to their destination on time, all the time, is just as important. For business passengers travelling to important meetings, a saving of a few euros on the fare is nothing compared to a delay or problem that means they miss their appointments. And the statistics back Cimber Sterling’s performance, with 75% of flights arriving on time, 90% within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival and a flight reliability rate of over 98% in the three months to October 2008.

Scan Business | Business Profile | Cimber Sterling

Cimber Sterling’s director Jørgen Nielsen.

There is also a level of basic service from Cimber Sterling that Nielsen feels is lacking from other airlines operating on European routes. “We treat our customers as guests.

When you have a guest in your house you offer them a cup of coffee, for example. For us it’s important not to be low cost at any cost.”

Another indication of this ethos is that Cimber Sterling passengers don’t have to pay a supplement for checking a bag into the aircraft hold. “It’s ridiculous to expect people travelling on holiday or on a business trip for a few days not to bring a bag, so we accept that they do and don’t hit them with a hidden fee when they come to the airport and want to check it in,” Nielsen says.

The airline – privately-owned and created in its present form through the acquisition by Cimber Air of parts of

Sterling in December – has recently launched 20 new routes. This is building on its base as a domestic Danish carrier and extending its network to 33 airports across Europe, which now includes three destinations in the UK. Cimber Sterling now flies twice daily from London Gatwick to and from Copenhagen, with one flight direct to Billund from Gatwick. In addition there are daily flights from Copenhagen to Newcastle and three per week to and from Edinburgh.

Nielsen is pleased that Cimber Sterling can now offer convenient flight times, particularly on the LondonCopenhagen route. “We are limited by the take-off and landing slots we can get at the airports. However, the timing of our morning and afternoon Gatwick services now mean that not only can Danish passengers have a convenient length of time for meetings in London, but the

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 35

Scan Business | Business Profile | Cimber Sterling

“For us it’s important not to be low cost at any cost” Jørgen Nielsen

same also applies for London-based customers flying to Copenhagen,” he says.

much preferable to be increasing the size of aircraft and numbers of available seats than going the other way.”

From Copenhagen, passengers can connect to six domestic Danish destinations. And from Billund, Cimber Sterling flies to Stavanger, Bergen, Oslo and Stockholm, as well as Gatwick, so increasing the options for UKbased travellers.

There are no surprises in Nielsen’s thoughts on the route to success for an airline in the current economic climate.

“It’s all about cost control, cost control and cost control.

And to achieve this we need to keep a close eye on the fine details of where we are spending cash. Fuel is a big cost, of course, but it is really the same for us and all our competitors. It’s the other areas that we need to be very tight on to keep us competitive.”

In addition to the routes aimed, by and large, at the business market, Cimber Sterling is opening up its sunshine destinations for Danish holiday travellers.

Among the locations reached direct from Copenhagen are Crete, Naples, Nice, Mallorca, Allicante and Malaga. In addition, there are convenient flights to European cities like Athens, Barcelona, Venice and Rome that attract leisure and business customers.

Competition on these routes is fierce, but Nielsen is confident that Cimber Sterling has the right strategy to provide good customer service while maintaining profitability. “As a regional airline our cost base is small, effectively by definition. Cimber Air’s acquisition of Sterling means that we are able to develop our routes, and operate larger aircraft, while keeping our costs down. It’s

36 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Nielsen does have one leadership technique that he feels keeps him close to his colleagues and their passengers.

As a fully qualified and experienced pilot, he still gets behind the controls whenever he can. “I like to fly one of our routes once a week if possible. It keeps me in touch with what’s going on,” he says.

It’s clearly something he loves doing, and is popular with passengers. Hopefully dealing with the development of Cimber Sterling’s new routes and the airline’s continued growth won’t keep him from the cockpit over the coming months.

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Scan Business | Business Profile | St. Anthony’s Hospital

Choosing the right healthcare

By Signe Hansen | Photos: St. Anthony’s Hospital

Having read the various bad publicity stories about the NHS, many Scandinavians may find the thought of visiting a UK hospital less than comforting. We talk to Philip Cook, Marketing Manager at St. Anthony’s, a renowned private hospital in South London, about the pros and cons when choosing private care.

basic healthcare for all, free at the point of service. But there are always additional things that you can do. Private hospitals can give you an enhanced quality of care that gets you treated more quickly, with more dignity and privacy and in a manner in which you retain greater control.”

For those fortunate enough to have private health insurance, England offers numerous possibilities within private healthcare. “Since 1948 we have had the NHS and it is probably one of the greatest inventions of the British.

But there has always been a huge debate about how much money the taxpayer can afford to put into it and there can never be enough,” Philip Cook explains during our tour around St Anthony’s in Surrey. “The NHS aims to provide

St Anthony’s itself is thoroughly tested by thousands of Scandinavians. In 1980 it partnered up with the Norwegian Heart and Lung Association in a project called ‘The Heartbridge’. “We received about 350 heart patients each year for a period of ten years for cardiac work. They came here with their families, who also stayed at the hospital, so Scandinavians are well-known to us,” says Philip.

38 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Scan Business | Business Profile | St. Anthony’s Hospital

The old St. Anthony’s Hospital from 1914.

The hospital still specialises in cardiac work, but as it is also one of the few remaining charity hospitals in England, its work is close to the heart in a more symbolic way too.

The hospital is owned by nuns in a religious order known as the Daughters of the Cross. With the hospital as the main revenue generator within the organisation they have established schools, hospitals, hospices and residential homes. Philip explains: “The hospital works on a commercial basis, it charges fees. But the profit that we do not invest in new equipment helps to support the other activities that need help with funding. One of them is St. Raphael’s Hospice, here in our grounds, which provides totally free care for terminally ill patients.”

Despite its age and religious heritage, St Anthony’s has patients of all beliefs and some of the newest medical technology available. It is also one of only a few private hospitals which have an intensive care unit. This means that it can undertake more complex surgery and should serious complications occur, the patient does not have to be transferred to an NHS unit.

The one thing private hospitals do not provide, however, is emergency care. Fortunately, Philip assures us, the NHS is quite good at that. “But sometimes the situation is not life-threatening but still very painful, for example if you have gallstones. Such patients may go to the NHS but just get prescribed pain-killers with a referral to another doctor. Usually, they can have the gall bladder removed within the current maximum waiting time, which is 18 weeks. We can take these people in and operate on them in 24-48 hours.”

St Anthony’s has more than 250 consultants practising at the hospital and can help with everything from weight reduction surgery to joint replacements. During a stay at the hospital all patients are installed in what Philip describes as comfortable private rooms with their own bathroom, TV, internet connection and view of the garden.

“Hospitals are often huge buildings of concrete and glass – quite frightening actually. But when this hospital was rebuilt in 1974, the Sister in charge was adamant that patients should feel comfortable and the hospital be built

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 39

Scan Business | Business Profile | St. Anthony’s Hospital

St. Raph Courtyard at St. Anthony’s Hospital.

from the patient’s point of view. Now when you come into our hospital, although the medical technology is all there, it feels more like a country house hotel than a hospital.”

Patients can therefore expect to recover in a relaxed atmosphere and even rejoice in the fact that while they get well, their choice of hospital also benefits those who cannot afford private care themselves.

• Both private and NHS hospitals in Britain are inspected by the Healthcare Commission, an independent watchdog working with the Government to ensure minimum standards.

• Reports on hospital performances can be found on: www.healthcarecommission.org.uk Facts about St. Anthony’s Hospital

Useful facts about private and national health care • Most patients go to see a consultant at a private hospital after being referred by their GP. • Last year about £345 million was spent on non-cosmetic private healthcare in the UK. • The targeted maximum waiting time in the NHS is 18 weeks.

• NHS patients have the right to opt for private care for non-emergency operations if they can find it at NHS cost.

40 | Issue 5 | February 2009

• Situated in Surrey, 801 London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9DW. • It is one of few independent charitable hospitals in England.

• Founded in 1904 by the Daughters of the Cross.

• It has 91 private bedrooms and four resident doctors.

• It has an 8 bed Intensive care unit.

• It has accommodation available for relatives.

For more info see: www.stanthonys.org.uk

Miller Rosenfalck is a full service international business law firm specialising in international trade and business migration within the European markets.

Founded by experienced City of London lawyers in 2002 and based in the City, Miller Rosenfalck is a multi-national partnership, which employs lawyers from across the EU, but in particular from England, Denmark and France. We also have an international network of carefully selected and locally recognised specialists. The firm’s clients range from entrepreneurs and start-ups to substantial private and public companies nationally and internationally.

More than 60% of the firm’s business is of an international nature.

Miller Rosenfalck’s core work areas include: • agency, distribution and franchising agreements; • company and business formations and structures; • information technology and software contracts; • intellectual property planning and brand management (including trademark and design registrations); • employment law and business migration; • commercial dispute resolution; • mergers, acquisitions, investment and funding; • joint ventures and shareholders agreements; and • commercial and investment property.

For more information about Miller Rosenfalck, see the firm’s website - alternatively, please contact: Stuart Miller sm@europeanbusinesslawyers.com DDI +44 20 7553 9936 M +44 7812 062 487 Aylesbury House 17-18 Aylesbury Street London EC1R 0DB T 020 7553 9930 F 020 7490 5060 E info@europeanbusinesslawyers.com I www.europeanbusinesslawyers.com

Steen Rosenfalck sr@europeanbusinesslawyers.com DDI +44 20 7553 9931 M +44 7736 634 727

Scan Business | Career | Cass MBA

Cass MBA - The best decision I’ve ever made

By Emelie Krugly | Photos: Cass Business School

Martin Mortensen, the Executive Director of the DanishUK Chamber of Commerce is currently attending an Executive MBA at one of Europe’s leading Business Schools, Cass Business School at London City University.

Martin Mortensen ranks applying for the course as one of the best decisions he has ever taken. Following his graduation from Aarhus Business School, Martin came to London in 2001 to embark on an internship at the DanishUK Chamber of Commerce, as he felt the timing was right for a challenge abroad. Within two years he was offered a key role in shaping the future of the organisation when he became the Executive Director.

An executive MBA, running part time over two-years, was essential for Martin’s career development, while remaining in full-time employment. “Applying for an MBA is something I always knew I wanted to do and Cass was my preferred option. Although I had attended a number of open days, in the end I only applied for Cass and I was glad to be accepted. My advice is to start to work early on your application as it is a long process. You will need to work on a good strategy by finding out what qualities the school looks for in people and how best to build on your strengths.”

In addition, a good work-experience record is required as well as the TOEFL and GMAT tests that must be passed prior to application and should not be underestimated.

The course is a significant personal investment (£35,000) but Martin believes that it is well worth it. Financial support and grants are available if you have the time and patience required to apply for them.

“It is good value for money but you must be sure that it is what you really want as the phases of the course are intense and competitive at times. But one of the things I

42 | Issue 5 | February 2009

like the most is the idea of education in a global arena. We shall spend two weeks abroad this year and I shall soon be off to Argentina to do consultancy work for a company in Buenos Aires that wishes to expand into the European market; on the other hand, our feet are kept firmly on the ground through different team-building exercises such as days out at military training centres.”

Martin’s expectations when he started the Cass MBA programme have been comprehensively met. “It’s exceptional when something lives up to your expectations.

It’s the first time that I have learnt as much from my classmates as from my teachers. My forty-two fellow students are very competent and hail from many different backgrounds, both in the professional and academic worlds and this has helped me obtain a balanced view of affairs, which is especially useful, whether it be at an organisation like the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce or at any company”.

“The most important thing that I’ve learned so far is the value of time and how to prioritise; but I’ve also got to know myself. Often there are times when you are given a case that has to be presented to the class in only twenty minutes. Not to mention that being surrounded by very driven and ambitious people has taught me a great deal about competition.”

The MBA programme has given Martin Mortensen a new dimension to his career and helps him in his everyday life.

“Every day I implement in the company what I have learnt on the course: the MBA has given me the tools to serve the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce better and to move it forward much more effectively”

Scan Business | Career | Cass MBA

CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL FACTS Located on the doorstep of the City of London, Cass has close relations with top international firms which may greatly improve your career prospects. Their world-ranked MBA courses equip students to make more of their business acumen and expertise by combining academic thinking, business practice and personal development. Donna Odriscoll, MBA marketing manager, lists the key components of the Cass MBA.

Leading range of MBA programmes which include • 12 month full-time MBA • 24 month part-time Executive MBA (2 evenings per week or one long weekend once a month) • 24 month part-time Executive MBA (one long weekend once a month) delivered in Dubai • 3 key components of the course.

• Comprehensive Business Research Project with a specific company or as an industry-wide piece of research.

Focus on international markets • Emerging Markets Consultancy includes a placement with an SME from an emerging market for a week (in Poland, Argentina or Vietnam) • Electives delivered in emerging markets such as Global outsourcing in India, Doing Business in China, Change Management in South Africa or Regional Business Trends in Dubai.

Career Development • Access to industry specific career coaches • Professional development programmes including media training, creativity workshops, presentation and negotiation skills and languages.

General management core programme • Specialist elective pathways available in areas including finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, international markets and marketing or a mix of disciplines

For more detailed information please visit the website www.cass.city.ac.uk

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 43

Scan Business | International Services | Tax

Should you be filing a self-assessment tax return for the first time in 2008/09?

By Tax Columnist Helena Whitmore

The UK tax year 2008/09 is now nearing its end on 5 April 2009. Following the introduction of the new “remittance rules” on 6 April 2008, a large number of international people based in the UK will now have to file UK tax returns for the first time. Those who need a return must request one by 5 October after the end of the tax year, otherwise they may be subject to a penalty of up to 100% of the tax unpaid as a result.

I have written about domicile and the remittance basis in previous articles*, and will not go into detail about this again in this issue. In outline, the new remittance rules affect taxpayers who are UK resident, but non-domiciled.

Domicile signifies a deeper emotional attachment than residence. A large proportion of Scandinavians who now live in the UK remain non-domiciled, so the new rules are relevant to them. The remittance basis means the special rules which in some circumstances allow UK resident, but non-domiciled (or not ordinarily resident) taxpayers to pay tax in the UK on certain overseas income and gains only to the extent that these are remitted (brought to) the UK in some form.

The remittance basis is not relevant to people who are UK resident, ordinarily resident and domiciled.

The new remittance rules mean that the use of the remittance basis now often comes at a cost in the form of lost allowances, and for long term residents through the need to pay the new £30,000 remittance basis charge (“RBC”). Non-domiciles who do not want to suffer this cost will have to pay tax in the UK on the worldwide arising basis instead. Fortunately, there is a “de minimis” limit, meaning that non-domiciles who have overseas unremitted income and gains of less than £2,000 for the tax year can use the remittance basis automatically, without the need to make a claim and without the loss of allowances or payment of the RBC (but remittances will be taxable).

44 | Issue 5 | February 2009

A tax return may therefore be needed either to claim the remittance basis, to give details of remittances or to disclose worldwide income so that this can be taxed in the UK. The first step in deciding whether a return is needed to declare overseas income or to claim the remittance basis is to add up all income and gains received outside the UK in 2008/09. This includes income which may already have been taxed somewhere else (but where foreign tax credit relief should be available). The income and gains need to be calculated using the UK rules. If the result is £2,000 or above, a comparison should then be made to see if it is beneficial to claim the remittance basis.

Filing a UK tax return for the first time can be complex.

The online filing software provided free by HMRC may not include all the relevant supplementary pages needed in this situation, so it is important to start in good time.

Those who want to file their own returns online must also register in advance. The filing deadline for 2008/09 is 31 October 2009 for paper forms, and 31 January 2010 for online forms. The balance of any tax due must be paid by 31 January 2010. If in doubt take advice from a professional adviser with the necessary skill to review the paperwork relevant to your situation – for example language skills may be important to understand worldwide financial statements.

This article is intended for outline guidance only and does not constitute advice. Please contact the writer if you would like to discuss further. helenaw@gmrlaw.com www.gmrlaw.com * Previous articles referred to are available upon request or you can read them online at www.scanmagazine.co.uk

Designed to inspire The Møller Centre is an award winning executive training and conference centre located in the historic city of Cambridge, England, built following a donation from the A.P. Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation • Designed by the Danish architect, Henning Larsen, with furniture by Hans Wegner • Day meetings - 23 meeting rooms with a capacity to cater for between 2 - 150 delegates • Residential training - flexible training spaces, flooded with natural light • Accommodation - 71 en-suite bedrooms, complimentary WiFi, bar, ample free parking • Fine Dining - Menus designed by our Executive Head Chef to match your specific requirements

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Scan Business | Denmark | A Key Developer of Climate Solutions

Thomas Clemens Jensen

DENMARK – A Key Developer of Climate Solutions

By Thomas Clemens Jensen, Invest in Denmark, Danish Embassy in London

Denmark has gone from being 99% dependent on sources of foreign oil to becoming completely energy self sufficient. Thirty years of focused energy policy, implemented after the 1973 oil crisis, have catapulted Denmark ahead of most other nations in the use of renewable energy technology and development of sustainable climate solutions. In this sense, “Green” pervades the present Danish climate debate.

Decades ago, Denmark recognized the need to protect the environment and to promote and safeguard sustainable development. Today, this recognition means that the country is at the forefront of tackling issues like sustainable generation of energy, energy efficiency, district heating, waste water treatment and waste management. One significant example is that 25% of electricity in the country comes from wind and, as a result, green technology has become one of Denmark’s biggest export sectors. In 2007, the energy technology exports alone amounted to more than 9% of the country's total exports and today, 30% of all installed wind turbines in the world comes from Denmark. For obvious reasons the strong Danish competencies attract a number of international Renewable Energy companies. Denmark has well-established programs of research and numerous companies with expertise and production capability in the field of sustainable technologies.

46 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Therefore, Invest in Denmark – Denmark’s official promotion agency - has over the years put focus on the development of Danish innovative technology for wind turbines and windmill blades together with the usage and development of bio-fuels, fuel cells and hydrogen to build a sustainable society. During recent years, we have seen an increasing interest in the up-and-coming electrical vehicle industry. As of late, the American-Israeli venture backed company, Better Place, announced that they, in collaboration with the Danish Energy supplier DONG, will put approximately £100 million into the launch of electric cars as well as charging stations in Denmark. 2009 will mark the establishment of a new energy infrastructure build on a network of charging stations, where electric cars can have their discharged batteries replaced with fully charged batteries in just a few minutes. On a global scale, this development will be one of the most innovative experiments within the national energy infrastructure.

One major reason to why Denmark has been chosen for an investment of this size is country’s geographical structure. Denmark is a manageable size for building a network of charging stations. Another and perhaps a more important reason behind this choice of location, is the above mentioned large production of environmentally friendly wind energy. This energy can be used to charge electric cars at night, when the exploitation of energy production is low. It provides the opportunity for optimal

exploitation of resources. An electric car uses its energy twice as efficiently as a petrol-engine car – and in addition, the energy is from a renewable source, so we have a double environmental benefit. And last, but certainly not least, the Danish political framework conditions such as the current tax exemption on electric cars, which initially applies to 2012, offers attractive opportunities for investors within this industry.

There are private hospitals

and there is St. Anthony’s

On the export side, Danish companies can function as sub-suppliers of technical solutions to the automotive industry. Electric cars are far more technologically complex than conventional cars. There are more electronics and computer technology in an electric car, which increases the opportunity to exploit existing Danish strengths in collaboration across various disciplines.

The Danish example regarding energy demonstrates exactly how to create the changes in behavior that can be decisive in the battle against climate changes – a challenge, which has the outmost attention across the world. Because of Denmark’s proven track record and cutting edge technologies in this field, the government wants to contribute to the political debate about renewable energy and sustainable solutions on climate problems. Denmark recently won the mandate to host the COP15 - UN’s Climate Change Conference - and in December 2009, representatives from 179 countries will come to Copenhagen to discuss and hopefully agree on what will replace the Kyoto Agreement, i.e. a global agreement on how to reduce our CO2 footprint. Six months prior to the UN Climate Change Conference in December, global business leaders will meet on 24th-26th May at the World Business Summit on Climate Change. Within these settings, they will showcase the contribution and commitment from businesses to solving the climate challenge. As a result, Denmark is at the center of this year’s broader discussion on climate issues.

Invest in Denmark, Royal Danish Embassy 55 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SR T: +44 (0) 207 333 0233, E: tcj@investindk.com

Where to invest and where to grow? In a new series of articles Scan Magazine gives the word to regional promotion agencies for them represent their case.

Whilst our practising consultants and advanced medical technology are outstanding, it is the very special caring ethos that truly defines St. Anthony’s Hospital.

St. Anthony’s specialises in complex cardiac cases, orthopaedics, urology, vascular, breast and colorectal cancer surgery – and is also the only independent hospital in its area having full intensive care.

Reassuringly, St. Anthony’s adheres to a strict ‘Culture of Hygiene’ – with a single room for every patient, regular infection monitoring and a dedicated housekeeping team.

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH SCREENING Does your bodywork need an MOT! St. Anthony’s offers a range of health screens designed to review overall health and wellbeing – and to detect potential problems at an early stage. Request a brochure before 31.3.09 – and we’ll send you a discount booking voucher worth £25.

FOR THIS AND ANY OTHER ADVICE, CALL THE HELPLINE ON 020 8335 4646

Caring to be better North Cheam, Surrey SM3 9DW.

020 8337 6691 www.stanthonys.org.uk

Scan Business | Recruitment | Campbell’s Column

Campbell's Column May I start by offering my contribution to dispelling the “doom and gloom” that surrounds us and hopefully trigger an upturn in the world economy.

Photo: Magnus Arrevad

Will everyone join me in launching a global vocal Mexican Wave of that inspiring masterpiece of song writing “Bring me sunshine, bring me laughter”?

Governments have done their bit; now it is the turn of citizens everywhere.

If trumpets could bring down the walls of Jericho there can be little doubt that a few choruses of “Sunshine” will do the trick with the Banks.

Having solved the world’s economic problems I turn now to tricks of the Head-hunter’s trade. Head-hunters are of course expecting a few economic problems themselves.

Those unfamiliar with the activity often congratulate Head-hunters on the number of heads to hunt at times like these. However, boom times are best for headhunters, when companies are in recruitment mode, for their fees are derived from the recruiting companies. It is those engaged in “Out-placement” who may permit themselves a secret smile as redundancies grow, for that is the situation in which they prosper.

Those who are looking for a new post should have a look at a directory of Head-hunters, such as “The Executive Grapevine” and e-mail a CV to those that look as if they work in sectors relevant to your own interests. Do not send glossy hard copy unfolded in a large envelope. Headhunters largely use paper-free systems. Hard copies are hard to handle. Engage in some self-promotion: write a piece for a management magazine. A PR firm such as The Communications Group may be able to help you get noticed. Consider the internet, in particular Linked In. Head hunters have research staff to help find candidates: make life easier for them. Keep networking.

You may be networking to find a new job while I am on the lookout for potential new clients. My theme tune in recent weeks has been Borodin’s “In the steppes of Central Asia” as I have been to Kazakhstan and Azerjbaijan functions, amongst others. Venues included the House of Lords, the Azerbaijan Embassy and the Cadogan Hall. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra played at a Kazakhstan Concert at Cadogan Hall, sponsored by ENRC plc whom we know well. We contributed to the appointment of three Knights as Chairman and NED’s at the time of their IPO on the London Stock Exchange. The composition of the Board certainly supports the “global village” concept!

Returning to the House of Lords, in earlier years I had a colleague who was married to a Viscount and that meant we could invite a potential client to “tea and a tour” at the House of Lords. Few declined! It was from him that I learnt how the fire started that burnt down the old Houses of Parliament. The disposal of “tally sticks” used to record debt.

If we had stuck to the old ways, the current banking disaster might have been avoided!

Let us hope that like the Palace of Westminster we rise Phoenix-like from the ashes of our own folly to a brighter future.

Malcolm Campbell

Take stock of your life. Do you want to continue doing more of the same or is there now an opportunity to plot a different course? Some long-held ambition? Garden gnome manufacture? Drag artist? Let your mind run free.

48 | Issue 5 | February 2009

STC Partners Limited, Executive search consultants Email: mdc@stcp.co.uk, www.stcp.co.uk

Scan Business | Recruitment | Appointments

Swedish-speaking Credit Controller

Swedish-speaking Customer Service (temp) Reference: 426378

Reference: 094053 The Company: Our client is a well know company located in over 40 countries providing various types of training. They are now looking for a Swedish speaking Credit Controller. This position is based in Surrey.

The Company:

The Role: You will be part of an international team within the accounts department. Your main responsibilities will be building and maintaining client relationships by being in contact on a daily basis with your international clients. From recovering unpaid invoices to preparing all necessary documentation for the raising of manual invoices and credits you will be in charge of the whole process. This is unique opportunity for a 6 month contract.

The Role:

Candidate Profile: You are fluent to native or equivalent in Swedish and you have at least 6 months of Credit Control experience. You enjoy working in a buzzy and multilingual and multicultural environment. You are dynamic and able to work under the pressure of deadlines.

You have great communication skills and posses a high numerical and analytical insight.

Salary/Additional Information: For this position our client offers a salary between £20,000 £23,000 depending on skills and experience. The company offers excellent benefits and a 36.25 hours working week.

2.0_ScanJobs_ad_215x135:Layout 3 22/11/08 To apply, go to www.scanjobs.co.uk

20:05

Page 1

Our client is a global company with offices all over the world; they are currently looking to recruit an outstanding Customer Service Representative fluent in Swedish, English and ideally Finnish. The position will be based in their office in Middlesex. This is an ongoing temporary position.

The overall aim of the position will be to support the customer service department by being the main point of contact and service provider for clients in the UK and Scandinavia. Also handle customer service for other countries if necessary. The position will include the following key responsibilities: Managing relationships with the clients and provide excellent customer service. Answering any incoming queries in a customer-friendly, timely and professional manner, applying problemsolving skills. Processing inbound and outbound orders, enquiries and first-line complaints.

Candidate Profile: Candidates must possess an excellent telephone manner and they must be highly customer focused. Good PC literacy, and the ability to work individually are required, and previous customer service experience would be an advantage. The successful candidate would have a passion for helping clients and be able to multi task. Fluency to a mother tongue level in Swedish along with excellent English is required. Knowledge of Finnish language would be advantageous but not essential.

Salary/Additional Information: The hourly rate is £9.00 - £9.25 including holiday pay (£8.17 - £8.62 basic plus holiday entitlement). The working hours will be 8.00am to 4pm, Monday to Friday (37 hours per week).

To apply, go to www.scanjobs.co.uk

Scandinavian Speakers Needed

Do you speak Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian or Icelandic?

– Check out the great job opportunities for speakers of Scandinavian Languages on www.scanjobs.co.uk Scandinavian Chefs, Waiters, kitchen Assistants | Scandinavian Translators | Finnish Game Testers Swedish Web & Customer Services Operator | Scandinavian Telephone Interviewers | Swedish Credit Controller | Icelandic Customer Service | Finnish Translator | Scandinavian Sports Trader Scandinavian Client Relationship Executive | Norwegian Channel Account Manager | Finnish Credit Controller | Danish Customer Support | Scandinavian Telemarketers | Scandinavian Partnership Manager Danish Key Account Manager

SCANjobs

an affiliate of Scan Magazine

www.scanjobs.co.uk

Scan Business | Recruitment | Scan Jobs

SCAN JOBS – London’s New Scandinavian Recruitment Service

By Thomas Winther | Photo: Silje Glefjell

Scanjobs is a new bespoke recruitment service based in London for companies seeking staff with Scandinavian language skills or people with experience of the Scandinavian market place e.g. Finance, IT, Sales etc. We also help Scandinavian ex-pats returning home to find new roles in their native country. Madeleine Ellis is the Manager of Scanjobs and met with Thomas Winther to tell us about her vision and plans for the future.

When I tell people that I am starting a recruitment company, many people give me an encouraging smile, but I can see they are really thinking: ‘Why is she setting up a recruitment company during potentially the biggest economic downturn we have experienced in decades? Is she mad?? Doesn’t she read the news?’

Actually, it couldn’t be a better time. Why? Because of what we are about!

Being direct, as all good Scandinavians are, Madeleine passionately launches into setting out her vision for Scanjobs.

Scandinavians are generally well-educated, highly productive, culturally diverse, have an excellent work ethic, are well-travelled and open-minded and therefore adapt easily to different environments. Take our language skills, for example: in Denmark, 80% of the work-force speaks English, 43% German and 14% French. I am sure that this can be said of several nations – so what else do

50 | Issue 5 | February 2009

we have to offer? Let’s look at some of the cultural nuances that can be used to an employer’s advantage. In Sweden you are frowned upon if you cannot complete your job between 9am-5pm – you are viewed as a bad manager of time or more likely incompetent! In the UK and elsewhere, those who spend the most time in the office are regarded as the hardest workers, but how crazy is that?!? Guess who have been proved the most productive?

Yup – the Swedes!! I believe passionately in a work-life balance, and if you take the best from Scandinavian and British cultures you can tap into an excellent ready-made work-force! I want to create an environment where employers who recognize these traits can find the best candidates the market has to offer and candidates can equally find the right employers to meet their needs.

Recruitment has acquired a bad name in recent years – with the boom in the economy and rapid business expansion there were more jobs than qualified candidates, so naturally quality and standards suffered. Some of my experiences have been unbelievable. When I first came to London I visited over 8 recruitment companies before one would even take my CV. Why? Because I didn’t ‘fit the mould’: they didn’t look at me as a person with skills and potential; they preferred to tick off elements of my experience against ill-thought-out and often inaccurate job descriptions. It was like a sausage

Scan Business | Recruitment | Scan Jobs

Madeleine Ellis, Manager of Scanjobs

The new Scanjobs homepage.

factory – CV to Job role, no real matching or understanding. On one occasion I was told that I couldn’t be put forward for a job as I didn’t have a second language – and on my CV it clearly stated I had 4!

will take the time to understand employers’ needs and candidates’ backgrounds and skill sets. We shall look at them not as a commodity to sell but as an individual with aims and objectives. Our approach is holistic, fun and productive – make the most out of your life – you only have one!

By the end of my search I saw a job on a recruiter’s website, which I applied for and once again I was told that I was ‘not qualified’. Wanting to get my own back, I applied direct to the company in question, and guess what? I got the job!

As I’d heard stories like this from many other contacts I resolved to use my experiences and do something positive, hence the opportunity to join ScanJobs has been fantastic.

I have to say that not all recruiters are bad. Indeed, I’ve had some pleasant experiences, and not surprisingly the best firms are the small niche agencies with a personal approach and where a real attempt is made to match client and candidate needs. My feeling is that as the market worsens, it will be harder and harder for those agencies to survive which just try to make a quick buck without providing a proper service.

So what makes Scanjobs different?

We are a company for people who are serious about building a career and a network of like-minded people. We

If you are looking for employment or have a position to fill in the UK please contact Madeleine Ellis on 0773 999 0273 or by email at Madeleine.ellis@scanjobs.co.uk Go to www.scanjobs.co.uk to see current vacancies for speakers of Nordic languages.

A new west London office will be opening in April this year and further plans will also include Scandinavian representation in Denmark and Sweden to service Scandinavian-based companies and jobseekers.

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 51

Scan Business | Regular | We Gotta Do Something

We Gotta Do Something!

CALLING FOR A GREEN CHAT

By Rikke Bruntse-Dahl | Photos: Nokia

We talk to Markus Terho, Director of Environmental Affairs, Markets at Nokia about low energy chargers and bio-plastic mobile phone cases.

Mobile phones are not exactly known for their ecocredentials – how is it possible to combine communications technology and sustainability?

We have quite a long track record of working with environmental matters. We started over a decade ago with the basic principle that environmental awareness should be part of everything we do and now, I’m happy to say, it is part of everything we do from our product development, the services we provide to people and the way we manage our business from the factory floor to our offices. Even the coffee cups we use in our canteens are eco-friendly.

52 | Issue 5 | February 2009

Environmental awareness is one of our key principles along with things like cost and quality.

We always look for solutions that are good for the environment, but also for our business performance. For example, we have introduced smaller packaging for our products, which means we have been able to reduce the number of trucks on the road transporting our products by roughly 12,000, which has also reduced our costs by 474 million euros. So, it’s a big win for the environment and it has given us the opportunity to run our business in a more efficient manner as well.

From an environmental perspective, Nokia is famous for the 3110 Evolve phone. Can you tell us more about that?

The 3110 Evolve is a product where for the first time we

Scan Business | Regular | We Gotta Do Something

have combined the best offerings in terms of environmental performance into one product.

The casing is made with a mix of two plastics and 50% of the plastic is made out of bio-based materials meaning that it is made out of renewable resources, not oil. We have calculated that this particular material that we’ve been using in this first generation of bio-based cases has reduced the CO2 impact with roughly 25% in the manufacturing phase compared to the conventional kind of plastic we use in our mobile phones.

The charger that comes with the 3110 Evolve is also much more energy-efficient than ordinary chargers. With this new charger, we have been able to reduce the energy consumption down to about 50 milliwatts when the battery is full but the charger is still connected to the electrical socket or the phone has been disconnected from the charger, but the charger is still plugged in. At the moment our average chargers use around 150 milliwatts, but our target is to reduce this by 50% by 2010. This new charger is being rolled out with many of our new products.

We also work hard to raise awareness around environmental issues. Nokia was for example the first manufacturer to remind our customers that they should unplug their charger when the battery is full.

Markus Terho, Director of Environmental Affairs, Markets at Nokia.

We have a billion people in the world using a Nokia phone, so if everyone unplugged their chargers when not in use we would save an amount of energy equivalent to the annual energy-use of 100,000 average-sized European households.

manufacturer to introduce a product, in 2005, which met new EU regulations on restrictions of certain substances a year before they came into force.

Would it ever be possible to make a mobile phone that doesn’t contain any dangerous substances?

Recycle your old mobile devices. We take them back in 85 countries in the world in more than 5,000 physical locations. You can go onto Nokia’s websites and find your local recycling location, bring in your old phones and we’ll recycle them responsibly.

There are some materials in a mobile phone that require special attention. The challenge is that something that is widely recognised as safe today, we may find in five or ten years’ time, according to new scientific findings, shouldn’t be in our products. Nokia collects and analyses every single piece of material that goes into our products from batteries to keypads so we can take very quick action to make sure that a particular substance no longer is in Nokia’s products should they turn out to be harmful. An example of Nokia being proactive is that we were the first

What can we do if we can’t live without our mobile phone but want to be as green as possible?

“We Gotta Do Something!” is a regular feature in Scan Magazine.

It gives Scandinavian companies the opportunity to tell about initiatives they take to conduct business in an environmentally sustainable way. Are you doing something?

Email rikke@scanmagazine.co.uk

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 53

Scan Magazine | How was your day?

How was your day?

– These are our busy lives! We ask a Scandinavian businessman or business woman the question: How was your day? The answer is never that straightforward.

Louise Kjellerup Roper, ripple maker, method products Louise is the marketing director for method eco cleaning products.

My day starts early, well 6 o’clock-ish. I like to be first up and gather my thoughts for the day before my children wake up and we embark on the biggest task of the day – getting everyone out of the door on time, with everything they need and in a good mood. Always a challenge.

Most days, I drop my youngest daughter off at nursery while my husband takes our son and our au pair takes our six year old. She is the extra pair of loving hands that makes life with three children and two demanding fulltime jobs actually work. And she helps me keep up the children’s Danish language.

Living in Richmond means I can cycle to nursery and work – it is convenient and completely in line with method’s strong environmental stance. As a company, we are trying to reduce our negative impact on the earth in all ways from employee transport to less packaging and sustainably sourced ingredients and World firsts like factories with solar–powered forklifts. Just got an email from our founder Adam, in Washington advising Obama’s team on sustainability and how business can drive the needed change. Completely reinforces why I work at method.

There are only 9 of us in method UK so we’re a close-knit team collaborating across all functions and a day includes all kinds of work – I am responsible for all the marketing as well as 3 customers; Tesco, Boots and B&Q, so there’s a real mix between calls to buyers, planning promotions, organizing printing of coupons and telling the method story at conferences or to journalists.

Part of the method philosophy is that we and our customers are ‘the people against dirty’ so an important part of the day for every one of us is picking up the phone

54 | Issue 5 | February 2009

– all kinds of people call to ask questions about ingredients, availability or just to tell us that a product has changed their life. A cleaning product!! It never fails to amaze me how making a little thing the best it can be can have such a great impact.

The day flies by; before I know it I am rushing to pick up my 9-year old son. It is an enjoyable time of day despite the packed train, we manage to chat or do a Sudoku in a free paper together.

Get home to have supper with the children, play, tidy up their rooms, read a story – try not to collapse before I finish work for the day with a call or two to the team in the US. Then finally time with my husband and it is all too quickly time for bed.

method makes stylish, non-toxic cleaning products that “clean like heck and smell like heaven.” In the UK method products are sold at John Lewis, Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury, Homebase, Waitrose and Boots as well as many independent stores. For more stockists and information visit www.methodproducts.co.uk

Would you like to tell us how your day went?

Email: thomas@scanmagazine.co.uk

Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce The Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce (DUCC) is a forum for Danish Businessmen and women in London, professionals working for global institutions in the City of London, Danish Entrepreneurs and Danish companies in the UK. Membership of the DUCC offers value through providing the opportunity to attend our Business Events and to remain up-to-date on the latest issues relevant to Danish professionals in London.

The DUCC programme in 2009 will again incorporate the three Annual Traditional Chamber Events, which are: The DUCC Annual Dinner, Summer Cocktail Party and Christmas Lunch. In 2009 the dates for these events will be 15th May, 8th July and 11th December respectively.

Furthermore, the 2009 programme will contain 2 CityFocused Events. One will be an Economic Update paneled

by Senior Economists which will take place on 1st April 2009 at the Royal Danish Embassy. The other will be the Joint-Nordic event, which will be on Private Equity and

Active Ownership, organised at the London Stock Exchange by the DUCC on behalf of the Nordic Chambers of Commerce on 11th June 2009.

Becoming a member of the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce provides an opportunity to attend the above events and to establish contact with more than 600 fellow members. Our main asset is our members and it is our aim to facilitate contact between them in order for them to build their professional network.

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7259 6795 | Email: info@ducc.co.uk | www.ducc.co.uk

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce 2009 is well under way – a year in which we hope that NBCC will represent stability, growth and opportunities in a world otherwise characterized by challenges and bad news. Let NBCC be a tool for you to create new business opportunities in a time when it is more important than ever to build and maintain a strong network. As you will see from our 2009 events calendar, we have both business and social events, new events and more traditional ones in the pipeline.

We would like to express our gratitude to Norwegian which left as our main sponsors at the end of last year, after three years of close co-operation. One change normally leads to another: a warm welcome to StatoilHydro as our new main sponsor!

At the same time, we would like to welcome NBCC’s new President, Martin Falch. A big thank you goes to Douglas Brown who stepped down, and we wish to congratulate him with The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit

Award, Knight First Class, for his outstanding service in the interests of Norway.

Martin Falch

Douglas Brown

UPCOMING EVENTS Panel of Business Women – 25 February Nordic Thursday Drinks – 26 February

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7930 0181 | Email: info@nbccuk.com | www.nbccuk.com Issue 5 | February 2009 | 55

Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK The Swedish Chamber wishes you all a very warm welcome back to a new and exciting year. In the current climate, networking, and thereby creating and strengthening existing relationships, becomes increasingly important. The Chamber will offer a Spring with a wide selection of interesting events. Take a look at the ones coming up first in the list below.

On 26th January the first event of the year took place.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce, together with Select

Collection, hosted a champagne reception at Select Collection’s showroom in the heart of Mayfair.

The Chamber also organised a Welcome to London seminar in Stockholm on 2nd February. Representatives from a wide range of companies and industries gathered to learn more about doing business in the UK. On 10th February the Chamber, together with the Brunswick Group, held a much appreciated seminar on Corporate Responsibility and Communications with IKEA and Save the Children among the speakers.

UPCOMING EVENTS UGL – Probably the best leadership course in the world - 16 Feb Departure drinks for Elisabet Baldwin - 17 Feb Fashion Event with COS - 24 Feb Networking Lunch at Madsen Restaurant - 26 Feb Effective Cost Reduction in your organisation - 5 Mar

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7224 8001 | Email: info@scc.org.uk | www.scc.org.uk

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce How to present to international audiences – avoid the pitfalls and be a success.

We are happy to invite our members to a lunch seminar on 24th February about “Presenting to International Audiences – How to avoid the pitfalls and be a success” by cross-culture specialist Deborah Swallow. The event will be organised simultaneously with the Shrove Tuesday Lunch at Garbo’s restaurant, so prepare yourself for some delicious pea soup and pancakes!

FBCC continues to work closely with other the Nordic Chambers. A career seminar for young professionals will be organised with the Danish and Norwegian chambers at Radisson SAS Portman Hotel on 3rd March. If you want to boost your career or find out how to reach your dream position, don’t miss this opportunity.

For further information about our events and membership, please see our website at: www.fbcc.co.uk.

Should you be interested in any of our chamber’s activities

do not hesitate to contact us. We are looking forward to the year 2009 with all its exciting events.

UPCOMING EVENTS Presenting to International Audiences - 24 Feb Nordic Networking Drinks at Scandinavian Kitchen - 26 Feb Joint Nordic JCC Career Seminar at Radisson SAS Portman Hotel - 3 March Breakfast Meeting at Grundberg Mocatta Rakison about topical law issues -19 March

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 8741 6352 | Email: fbccevents@fbcc.co.uk | www.fbcc.co.uk 56 | Issue 5 | February 2009

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Issue 5 | February 2009 | 57

Page 1

Scan Magazine | Scan News

Edited by Emelie Krugly

Photo: Silje Glefjell

SCAN NEWS

Diamonds and champagne sparkle at the Danish Club The Danish Club, situated at 40 Dover Street, organized a spectacular evening on 30th January. Diamonds and Drinks was the theme of the evening, the diamonds supplied by Mylendorph and the champagne by Flint Wines. Both sparkled and impressed the guests while Angus the pianist provided gentle, mellow tunes as a background. About 100 elegant and glamorous members and guests mingled and networked enjoying the fine atmosphere.

38-year old Lizette Bang, the new director of The Danish Club since 1st January, welcomed members and guests. Her aim now is to add to the existing 600 members of the club by attracting a new and younger age group

with an interesting events programme.

“I needed a new challenge, I’m looking forward to taking the club forward with even more exciting events. The Danish club has been a centre for the Anglo-Danish community for 140 years and for some people it has become a home from home, a place to meet new people and friends, or simply escape from hectic city life and relax for a while.”

She adds: “Thinking of the economic climate we’re living in, I think people have become more patriotic and have realized that we need each other and The Danish Club is a good way of finding new colleagues and new ideas. There are other

BORBA MARGO

Korea, two new markets in which the label will be launched this year.

“There is a growing interest for fashion in these two continents and Korea especially is predicted to be the next Japan,” explains Jessika Goransson. The brand is stocked in a number of exclusive boutiques worldwide, for example in Dover Street Market (London), Colette (Paris) and Loveless (Tokyo).

“Our designs are sculptural, three dimensional and have a glamorous, luxury feel,” says Jessika. “Our new collection evokes a similar spirit to the previous

– At London Fashion Week The Swedish/Brazilian duo Borba Margo has gone from strength to strength since its first accessory brand Launch in 2004. Showing at London Fashion Week’s exhibition “New Generation” helped the brand to take off in London, and now the world is a stage for Jessika Margo Goransson and Anderson Borba Da Silva. Their glamorous belts and bags will now take them to Russia and

58 | Issue 5 | February 2009

advantages of being a member as well, for example you can use our facilities for business meetings.”

Not everyone knows that The Danish Club is the oldest foreign club in London and was founded in 1863. Its patron is HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who has visited the Club on several occasions. The aim of the club is to maintain and enhance links with members of the Anglo-Danish community in the UK by means of social gettogethers, special events and lectures.

Among the many prominent Danes who have visited the Club over the years, are the writer Hans Christian Andersen, King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine as well as many Danish Prime Ministers.

Interested in becoming a member?

Simply fill in an application form online at www.danishclub.co.uk You need to have some sort of link to Scandinavia to become a member. News about Club events is sent to members every quarter. The next big event is when comedians Mette Lisby and Jo Brand visit the club on 11th March. Other Club fixtures include a celebration of HM Queen Margrethe’s birthday; also coming soon, a charity event with a celebrity host.

one and is inspired by haute couture featuring satin detailing and flounce.”

Borba Margo will again be part of the “New Generation” exhibition at London Fashion Week 2009, from the 20-25 February. Their new stockist this year will be Harvey Nichols (London and Bristol), The Convenience Store (London), Labour Of Love (London), Boon The Shop (Korea), Noema Boutique (Russia), HP France (Tokyo).

For more information visit: www.borbamargo.com

Scan Magazine | Scan News

From Bowler Hat and Umbrella to Email and a Blackberry – London’s great Dane turns 70 In spite of a long business career in England, Kaj Worsoe Jensen is not a fan of trendy buzzwords when quoting his lifelong motto: “Have a sense of urgency, a fear of loss and take nothing for granted.” These are the words Kaj starts with when telling his story.

Since 1960, Kaj has been living in England where the cornerstone for his extraordinary business career began.

Kaj’s first successful commercial venture was when, at Christmas 1962, he sold London-Copenhagen return air tickets to 105 Danish au pair girls for just 20 pounds per ticket. This was a risky venture in the eyes of business people at the time. They all shook their heads at this insane idea, but Kaj proved that they were mistaken when he later produced what became the starting cap-

ital for his future business ventures.

The starting capital was used on carpets, and in 1965 Kaj introduced the Dutch carpet tile to the UK from premises in Halstead and Sudbury. Once more, critics told him this was a crazy idea, but again he proved them wrong.

By 1970 his business turned over some £7m.

As a progressive entrepreneur Kaj turned to several bold new business concepts, which made his career exceptionally versatile and colorful. Over the years his activities ranged from maternity clothes, bakeries, leisure complex design and a forum for the over 50s to international trading across 45 countries: truly a wide-ranging career.

Today he is busy with his latest business idea: Anglo Corporate Services

(www.anglocorporateservices.com), which operates from Hadleigh. The firm specializes in corporate tax mitigation and wealth protection, using offshore holding structures and trusts. It also sets up UK holding companies for Scandinavian clients.

In addition to his professional life, Kaj is deeply involved in voluntary work and was recently elected UK representative for Danes Worldwide, an organization with members in 120 countries. In addition to language and cultural education, its main objectives are to secure voting rights to the Danish parliament for Danes living abroad, dual nationality and a better deal for people seeking family reunification.

Finnish Institute’s new Arts & Culture Program There’s something about this place that’s special for me.”

Her focus for the next two years is to put new Finnish design on the UK map.

Her challenge is to conduct a 3 year long design project which will flow into Finnish Design Week in April 2010 and include a series of exhibitions and workshops around London.

These will showcase some of the country’s new top designers creating, for example, graphic works, furniture and visual art that we should certainly keep an eye on in the future.

“This will hopefully mean a new chapter for Finnish design history and the next big push to help designers and lead them in the right direction.” Hanna goes on to explain: “There is so much humour in Finnish design. Besides all the

beloved classics, there is an amazing energy, smart ethical practice, forward thinking and a bold and brave provocative approach by much of the new talent.

We are hoping to discover the new future classics of this nation.”

Photo: FINSK SS 09 Aleksi Niemelä

The Finnish Institute has a new and passionate director by the name of Hanna Harris. Hanna was born in England but was raised in Finland and has now returned to her motherland. The mission of The Finnish Institute in London is to identify emerging issues in contemporary society and to facilitate social change. They work with artists, researchers, experts and policy makers in Finland, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to promote strong networks within the fields of cultural and social studies.

Hanna Harris is in charge of The Finnish Institute’s new Arts & Culture Program and took up her position in October. Hanna has worked in a variety of areas and has experience as a producer, journalist, concept designer and researcher. In the past she has promoted Finnish arts, culture and urban development in Europe but her heart surely beats for the U.K. “I’ve spent a lot of time here and it’s great to be back. When I’m away from London I’m always longing to return.

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 59

Scan Magazine | Scan News

Mingleplanet Are you a newcomer to London and want to meet quickly new friends, business contacts or dates? Mingleplanet.co.uk is here to help. Danish entrepreneur Ulla Vitting Madsen is the lady behind the idea. Ulla came to London herself three and a half years ago to do something new and exciting.

“When I first came to London, I knew somebody from the beginning and got involved in the Danish community from day 1, so I was lucky in that sense. But I’ve met many foreign people who have found it very difficult to find friends in London. On top of moving to a new country, facing a new culture as well can be very daunting.

So I guess that’s how my idea started,” she remarked.

Ulla Vitting Madsen is also a full time fashion buyer and on returning home from work, her second job starts. Mingleplanet is aimed at foreign professionals in their 20s and 30s; it was launched six months ago and is close to

Sparkle and Spin Children’s clothes, gifts and toys from Scandinavia are now available at a new store in East Dulwich, 14 Melbourne Grove, London SE5. Some of the clothing brands stocked include Hollys, Katvig and Aya Naya. Also pop in to find affordable and fun, birthday or new baby

60 | Issue 5 | February 2009

gaining its first 1,000 members from 55 different countries.

The response from members has been positive and membership at present is free. What is unique about Mingleplanet is the events programme. All events are designed to help newcomers settle more easily into their new home, become acquainted with British culture, explore London and find new friends or possible dates.

“It’s not only a pub quiz or a drink in a bar,” explains Ulla. “I’m aiming to give people something memorable to talk about. It’s simply events you can’t find anywhere else. I’ve always liked to help people and to organise events and have worked on team-building in the past.”

One of the events she describes involves gathering members together to try some of Britain’s more unusual dishes, such as “pigs in blankets”. Ulla Vitting Madsen is ambitious and has high expectations for Mingleplanet. She is hoping to reach 5,000 members within a year and work full time on Mingleplanet.

Her long term plan is to try and expand

gifts from a selection of unusual and original toys from The Tate and Brio.

Danish-born Stine Goetrik and her English colleague Louise Smart are behind the new shop. They are planning to be a seasonal shop and will open from Sept. to Dec. and from March to June. Business hours are Monday to Friday 9-5pm and Saturdays, 10 – 4pm.

into other markets worldwide. Her dream city would be New York.

“I’m hoping that members will spread the word through Facebook and post events on other websites as well as word of mouth.” Her plan is also to attract UK-based companies that would be able to offer attractive services and offers to her members.

To become a free member, simply sign up at www.mingleplanet.co.uk and create your profile.

Stine Goetrik explains: “We had a great response before Christmas as we have a fantastic range of clothes and gifts at reasonable prices. This Spring we will add new brands to our range including beautiful clothes from Danish brand Norlie and gorgeous shoes from Petit by Sofie Schnoor. The shop will re-open again in March but we will be previewing our new collection at Kid’s Modern, a showcase of new design for kids held at Dulwich College on Sunday the 15th February.”

The duo are hoping to have the website up and running as a transactional shop later this year but encourage people to join their Facebook fan club where new products are uploaded. “Alternatively, customers can always call or email to place an order and we will mail goods out to them.” www.facebook.com/pages/LondonUnited-Kingdom/Sparkle-Spin/3041385 3923

Scan Magazine | Scan News

A Swedish Wolf in London “Varg” (wolf in Swedish) is the name of a brand new London-based PR agency, offering bespoke PR solutions in the fashion and design industry. Tove Westling and Caroline Almgren, are both Swedish-born and have between them many years of experience in this sector, working with brands such as Day Birger et Mikkelsen, Louis Vuitton and Topshop.

Caroline Almgren has worked as a buyer and producer of clothing, set up a rock club in Stockholm and at the same time founded an interior design wholesale business. More recently, she has been working as a Business Development Manager at the No. 1 independent advertising agency in the UK, Mother London.

For five years Tove Westling worked as an Account manager for brands such as Louis Vuitton and Topshop at the Stockholm-based agency RMPR, before moving to London and joining Day Birger et Mikkelsen as the UK PR & Marketing Manager in 2006.

To set up a business has been their dream for many years. “We have always

known that we wanted to create something together since we complement each other, both within our work and on a personal level. The year 2008 was when it all fell into place and was a natural step for both of us.”

Varg works closely with its clients to build and expand their presence and visibility within the UK and Scandinavian markets, through a personal, straightforward approach both to clients and the press.

“We have a personal and honest approach, which is unusual in the industry in the UK. We see ourselves more like employees at each individual brand, rather than an external PR agency. We are tailoring our solutions for each customer since no two are the same.”

The agency has started up with a client base of five brands: award winning shop/online shop Sarah Coggles; the highly successful Danish lifestyle brand Day Birger et Mikkelsen; edgy French jewellery brand Miss Bibi; Swedish fashion label Dagmar, and the retro shoe brand Swedish Hasbeens.

“Our company philosophy is only to represent brands we are genuinely proud of, have lots of fun and, most impor-

tantly, always do our best and a bit more,” says the team. “We believe in growing slowly and with the right type of client base. We obviously have plans to expand, firstly into Scandinavia, since we are both Swedes with experience and contacts in the Scandinavian market.”

Varg’s office is in Shoreditch, East London and the duo explains why they are happy with their choice of location.

“It’s a creative and inspiring environment and perfect for setting up a business.”

The name Varg was their first idea and felt like a natural choice as Tove explained. “We wanted a name that would say something about us and who we are, since we both have dogs and have always been crazy about wolves. It also has a good rock’n’roll feel to it.”

Photo: www.imagebank.sweden.se © Denise Grünstein

Swedish Fashion – Exploring a New Identity

Swedish fashion is now not just blonde, functional and minimal. Thirteen fashion and jewellery designers challenge the stereotypical image of Swedish Fashion at an exciting new exhibition entitled

“Swedish Fashion – Exploring a New Identity” at the Fashion and Textile Museum, South Bermondsey, from the 6th February to the 17th of May. The exhibition showcases the works of a new wave of Swedish designers.

Since the late 1990’s there has been a growing sense of a new guard emerging – putting Sweden on the map with a burgeoning number of bolder, more avantgarde fashion labels and designers.

Perhaps the best known of this new band of designers in the exhibition is Ann-Sofie Back, who is based in London and regularly shows her work at London Fashion Week. Her garments often create confusion about what clothes should look like, such as shirts that become skirts, or collars and sleeves that seem

to moved about and loose their original function.

Her work is accompanied by other equally impressive designers such as Sandra Backlund who elevates knitwear to a sculptural art-form; Helena Horstedt whose technical designs stand out like gigantic curvaceous exclamation marks, and Nakkna whose voluminous, loosefitting and draped garments have helped alter the silhouette of Stockholm’s young fashion avant-gardists.

Swedish Fashion – Exploring a New Identity is created by the Swedish Institute and is especially enhanced and adapted for the Fashion and Textile Museum.

Issue 5 | February 2009 | 61

Scan Magazine | Scan News

Violinist Björn Kleiman and guitarist Nils Klöfver.

Swedish Hall Concerts – A new concert series with Swedish Music in London

London’s classical music scene has been enriched with a new concert series focusing on Swedish music. The project’s initiators are two Swedish-born and Londonbased musicians, Björn Kleiman, a violinist and Nils Klöfver, who plays the guitar.

The concerts are held in the Swedish Hall at the Swedish Church in Marylebone. The location was a natural choice as the Swedish Hall is perfectly situated and frequented by many London-based Swedes.

Björn and Nils are both graduates of The Royal College of Music in London and thought the city needed a venue where people could experience the best in Swedish classical music. “We musicians have a tendency to moan

62 | Issue 5 | February 2009

but not take any action, so I thought I’d better do something about it,” explains Björn. “Our vision is to create a platform for music and art from Sweden. London is one of the biggest cities in the world and whatever happens here has a big impact on the rest of Europe,” comments Nils.

The concerts aim to mix the core classical repertoire with contemporary works. “We like to have a friendly atmosphere and give the audience a chance to meet the performers. Sometimes we also have composers present to introduce their works,” says Björn.

Sweden, compared to our Scandinavian neighbours, has not had such a famous composer as, say, Sibelius or

Scan Magazine | Scan News

Grieg, although there are several gifted composers.

Swedish contemporary music and art has a well-deserved reputation abroad and is receiving more and more attention. British ensembles and artists should be encouraged to perform music by Swedish composers and vice versa.

“The first three concerts have been a great success and we were happy to launch our first season on 9th September with the Tippett Quartet, one of Britain’s leading young string quartets,” explains Björn. This concert was also attended by the Swedish Radio P2 which broadcasted a part of the concert as well as an interview with Björn, Nils and members of the quartet. The spring season is now running and the next concert is on 3rd March when the British cellist Marie Macleod performs music by Vaughan-Williams, Rachmaninov and de Frumerie together with the Swedish pianist Martin Sturfält.

“This is to be a showcase of Swedish talent to an international audience and support for the Anglo-Swedish connections,” says Nils, who also performs in a Duo with a British flautist.

The Swedish Hall Concerts preview was on the 12th June last year when the Swedish ambassador, Mr. Staffan Carlsson, gave a speech along with the evening’s sponsors, Roger Gifford of SEB (Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken). Other partners supporting the project include: the Swedish Music Information Centre, Gehrmans Musikförlag AB, the Swedish Embassy, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, the Swedish Church in London and the Anglo-Swedish Society.

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For more information please visit: www.swedish-hall.org.uk

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Scan Magazine | Culture Calendar

Scandinavian Culture Calendar – Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!

Fred Jonny Berg (7 February) Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia Orchestra will perform the World Premiere of the Norwegian composer Fred Jonny Berg’s Flute Concerto No. 1 Op.70. Flautist: Emily Beynon.

The event is at St. John’s Smith Square, London in connection with the release of Berg’s new orchestral album.

Renja Leino – Just anybody & Absent Minds (until 13 February) Finnish photographer Renja Leino’s new series ‘Just Anybody’ was made using a mobile phone camera. She took thousands of photographs of people out and about in London and by the seaside.

The Winchester Gallery, Park Avenue, Winchester, SO23 8DL

Photo: Sony BMG Music

FEBRUARY

Ida Maria U.K tour (11 – 13 of February) One of the most challenging female punk icons of her generation, the Norwegian sensation will sing her heart out at three UK gigs (Shockwaves NME Awards season).

11 Feb, Koko Club, Camden High Street, London, NW1 7JE 12 Feb, Club Academy, Manchester University Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR 13 Feb, The Garage, 490 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2

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Anders Ruhwald: You in between (until 15 February 2009) This Danish artist is among the most noted of a new generation of ceramic artists. There is a strange sense of functionality to his work and his domestic objects are often mutated beyond recognition. This is his most significant exhibition to date.

Mima, Centre Square, Middlesbrough, TS1 2AZ. Times: Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat 10.00am - 5.00pm

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Scan Magazine | Culture Calendar

Le Corps Mince de Françoise (23 – 26 February) Fun and trashy girl pop from the Helsinki trio, more famous outside Finland than back at home. NME AWARDS SHOW with The Wombats: Feb 23 Shepherds Bush Empire, Feb 24 Manchester Academy, Feb 26 Glasgow Barrowlands Ane Brun U.K tour (24 – 28 of February) www.anebrun.com 24 Feb, The Roadhouse, Manchester, UK 26 Feb, Union Chapel, London, UK 27 Feb, Academy 2, Glasgow, UK 28 Feb, Academy 3, Birmingham, UK

Grieg Trio at Wigmore Hall, London (23 February) The Grieg Trio were the first winners of The Parkhouse Award in 1991, following success at the Colmar Chamber Music Festival where their performance so affected the jury that, as one, they stood to applaud.

66 | Issue 4 | Christmas 2008

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra, (25 February) City of Dreams: Vienna 1900-1935 is EsaPekka Salonen’s first major project as principal conductor/artistic advisor with the Philharmonia Orchestra. An exploration of Viennese music at the turn of the 20th century in its historical/social/ cultural/scientific context.

Concerts in 18 European cities include Mahler, Schoenberg, Berg and Zemlinsky.

The Anvil, Basingstoke. 01256 844 244

Signals (until 14 March) Exhibition of contemporary Finnish arts; includes works by Kaija Poijula, Saana Murtti, Nina Nisonen, Aino Kajaniemi, Kristina Riska, Kati Tuominen-Niittylä,

Swedish Fashion – Exploring a New Identity (6 February – 17 May) Curated by Maria Ben Saad in cooperation with the Swedish Institute.

Showcases work by 14 Swedish fashion designers as well as some of the best jewellery designers/makers in Sweden. In association with the Swedish Embassy.

11 am – 6 pm Wednesday to Sunday The Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF www.ftmlondon.org

Photo: Mikael Schulz, Designer: Martin Bergstrom

London Fashion Week (20 – 25 February) Scandinavian designers on the catwalk this year are Ann-Sofie Back and Peter Jensen. Ann-Louse Roswald, Minna, Borba Margo, Charlott Vasberg are also featured among the exhibitors.

Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7. www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

IB Geertsen (until 24 March) This year is the 90th birthday of Danish artist and designer IB Geertsen and Rocket Gallery, Shoreditch High Street, Whitechapel is holding a celebratory exhibition of paintings, mobiles, screenprints and furniture. www.rocketgallery.com Morten Schelde In the woods (20 February – 29 March) Danish artist exhibiting at two venues.

Vane, Kings House, Forth Banks, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PA, Gallery hours Wednesday-Saturday 12-5 www.vane.org.uk, Sandford Goudie Gallery, The Customs House, Mill Dam, South Shields, NE33 1ES www.customshouse.co.uk

Lordi (12 – 16 February) An over-the-top, unstoppable show that combines the theatrics of classic horror movies with rock'n'roll sensibility, monster rockers LORDI know how to bowl over their fans.

12 Feb at 7pm Carling Academy Islington 13 Feb at 7pm JBS in Dudley 16 Feb at 7pm Carling Academy Sheffield Scandipop (19 February) New club night in London for Scandinavians.

Live DJ’s all night. Scandipop is a smiley and shiny new night out in London.

Zen Bar, Denmark St, London WC2H 8LP 8.30pm to 3am. £3 on the door, students free with NUS. www.scandipop.co.uk

Tiia Matikainen and Renáta Jakowleff.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 11am until 6pm.

Flow Gallery, 1-5 Needham Road, London W11. 020 7243 0782

Scan Magazine | Competition

Competition Win two tickets to a Swedish Hall Concert at the Swedish Church in London Enjoy a classical performance this spring at one of London’s new venues for chamber music. The two winners may choose any concert they would like to go to.

Tuesday 19 May, 7.30pm New Stenhammar Quartet Music by Brahms, Larsson-Gothe, Hillborg and Britten

The programme is the following:

To win two of the four tickets available, please answer the following question: Where is the Swedish Church in London based?

A. Marylebone B. Wimbledon C. Holborn

Tuesday the 3rd of March, 7.30 pm Cello & Piano Recital Marie Macleod cello Martin Sturfält piano Music by Vaughan-Williams, Mendelssohn and de Frumerie Tuesday 14 April, 7.30pm Soprano Recital Malin Christensson soprano Simon Lepper piano Music by Stenhammar, Rangström, Wolf and Strauss

Email your answer to competition@scanmagazine.co.uk and Scan Magazine will draw two lucky winners. Scan Magazine must receive your answer before 22nd of February. The winners will be contacted directly.

The winner of the La Chance Bracelet is Jennie Andersson.

Congratulations!

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