The Link - June 2022 by The LINK - Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

All you need to know about the Swedish election Learn about the important issues and how to vote from abroad.

9 Swedish startups taking on the UK market Get to know the Swedish businesses and their footprint in the UK’s tech scene.

LINK Dedicated to the Swedish-British business community since 1906

“For the future of aviation, we want to lead the way toward a more sustainable industry.” Anko van der Werff Chief Executive Officer at SAS

No.361

MAKING IMPACTFUL CHANGE We summarise key takeaways from the Impact 2022 conference.

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ABOUT

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the United Kingdom is the ultimate business platform for Swedish and UK businesses. We help businesses establish, grow and develop, through our wide range of business services, matchmaking, events and programmes. We represent some 400 businesses, from start-ups, to SMEs, unicorns and large multinational corporations, from across all sectors and industries. Founded in 1906 – by business and for business – we have connected the Swedish-British business community for over a century. Join us today, if you haven’t already.

SCC PATRONS

THE LINK ISSUE 361

Editors: Jonas Eklund, Saga Palmér, Annabel Daisley Cover: Anko van der Werff, CEO of SAS Photo: Renz Andres

LinkedIn: Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK Twitter: @SwedishChamber Instagram: @sccuk

NOT A MEMBER YET? Visit www.scc.org.uk or contact us on +44 (0)20 7224 8001 / info@scc.org.uk

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DEAR MEMBER

Celebrating light in semi-dark times At first glance, the world can feel a bit dark right now. From what we know, the war in Europe is far from over, and it continues to create uncertainty and instability on markets globally. Rising prices on natural resources is leading to rising inflation, and some are even hitting the break in their transition towards greener energy sources. Sweden and Finland’s Nato membership applications have taken unexpected turns, and so has the discussion over the Swedish Spring Budget Bill. A new recession is looming, but there are lots of positive things happening around us too, and great grounds for positive change. As I am writing this, it is the day of the summer solstice and we are only days away from the Swedish Midsummer celebration. As most of you know, this is a day when us Scandinavians celebrate and emphasise the light. A day where communities gather to sing, dance and eat together. As most of you also probably know (unfortunately), this is a day when it seems to always be raining, and the London forecast doesn’t disappoint this year either. But no matter how unlucky we are with the weather, we make the best out of the situation – to bring the food, music and dance inside (and outside again as soon as it stops raining, only to bring it back in again moments later), we re-invent, re-adjust to the new circumstances, and usually end up laughing about the inconveniences.

So far this year, the Chamber has welcomed 48 new members to the community. And I would like to see our community a bit like a Midsummer party – the more the merrier. Like at Midsummer: we focus more on the light rather than the dark, we embrace agility and flexibility towards the unforeseen changes around and see great value in getting together to make the best of the (somewhat gloomy) weather. As the saying goes, after rain comes sunshine – so we might as well make the best while we wait for the rain to stop. In this issue of the Link, we look ahead towards the upcoming Swedish election, with Niklas Nordström from SCC patron firm Miltton Public Affairs bringing us up-to-date on the main issues discussed in Swedish politics today. We guide you in how to vote in the election from abroad, and remind you of the most important things to keep in mind when doing so.

We look back at the events held this spring, and summarise the key takeaways from our sustainability conference Impact. We also explore nine Swedish tech startups in the UK, how to hack the Swedish-British media landscape and the future of recruting. This, and much more in the June issue of the Link. We are especially happy to welcome our new patrons Linklaters, Stirling Square Capital Partners and White & Case, as well as our new members Ascension, Barclays Bank Sweden, COS, Doctrin, Minesto, Rud Pedersen Group, Skillspark, Stockholms Bränneri and Tendium to the membership. We represent a fantastic membership, and a strong trading partnership. If you haven’t joined us already, I hope you will do so in 2022. We have an exciting agenda ahead, and would love to have you part of the journey. Do what 68 businesses did in 2021, join the SCC.

Marika Amartey from the Embassy of Sweden in London tells us about the newly established Office for Science and Innovation, as well as the new Memorandum of Understanding on life sciences between Sweden and the UK. We speak to members from both the forest and the sky, with SCC patrons Stora Enso and Scandinavian Airlines sharing their ambitious goals to become more sustainable.

Peter Sandberg Chief Executive sandberg@scc.org.uk

SCC TEAM EVENTS AND PROGRAMMES

MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY

FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

Mathilda Börjesson, Head of department Axel Paulsson, Scholarship Fund for Swedish Youth Abroad Andreas Tysk, Sparbanksstiftelsen Finn Scholar Julia Jamison

Christoffer Waldemarsson, Manager Emelie Farquharson Douglas Tönnberg

Anna Mackel, Finance and Operations Manager

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Jonas Eklund, Head of department Saga Palmér, Marketing Executive Annabel Daisley, Gull & Stellan Ljungberg Foundation Scholar

Business services Anna Crona, Head of department Hannah Carlsson, Sten A. Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture Scholar David Molin, Elof Hansson Foundation Scholar Linnea Ström, Elof Hansson Foundation Scholar

Contact us Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK Sweden House, 5 Upper Montagu Street, London W1H 2AG +44 (0)20 7224 8001, info@scc.org.uk

IT TAKES COURAGE TO TAKE ON A CHALLENGE EVEN WHEN IT COMES FOR FREE Together with The Carl Silfvén Scholarship Foundation, Stockholm School of Economics is proud to present a scholarship, giving you the opportunity to earn an Executive MBA in Stockholm, Sweden. Covering the entire tuition and additional expenses. All you need is courage. Read more and apply at www.hhs.se/scholarship Deadline August 10

CONTENTS THE LINK • ISSUE 361 • JUNE 2022

Sweden’s new Office for Science and Innovation New office will tighten ties between Sweden and the UK.

Page 14

Breaking through the noise

Bring back balance to your post-pandemic worklife

Nicholas Baines at Nara Communications on how to put your story in the spotlight.

The therapist on how you spot and break unhealthy habits.

Page 23

Page 19

From the forest & for the forest

BRINGING GREEN FOOD INNOVATION TO THE UK

Guest Column: The Death of the CV

Why trees are at the heart of SCC patron Stora Enso.

Why the UK is a prime location for foodtech innovator Veg of Lund.

Talent assessment platform Alva Labs on why the resume is outdated.

PAGEs 9-10

PAGE 20

PAGE 34

IN THE LINK 41 YEARS AGO In 1981, the SCC celebrated its 75th anniversary with a Jubilee Banquet at the Dorchester Hotel in London. Among the guests were the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and the Guests of Honour of the evening were Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden. In the following issue, the headline read that the event had been “a Royal Success”. Last month, the Chamber hosted another royal success – the Royal Gala Dinner on 27 May. In the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden, the Chamber gathered some 300 guests at the Rosewood Hotel, in a celebration of friendship and trade between Sweden and the UK. This shows that today, decades later, the bond between Sweden and the UK remains as good as the one between Their Majesties and the Chamber.

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AHEAD OF SWEDEN’S GENERAL ELECTIONS

A new political landscape

With a changing political landscape and new alliances forming, casting your vote in the Swedish General Elections on 11 September might not be as straight-forward as you might think – especially if you are an expat Swede used to the traditional political blocks. And with an extremely close run between the new coalitions, votes cast by Swedes abroad can have a decisive impact on the results. “We have a new political landscape in Sweden and it’s not as easy as it was before, when you could choose between the left or right block. Current polls show that it is a very close run – every vote will count in these elections,” says Niklas Nordström, Senior Advisor at SCC patron firm Miltton Public Affairs. BY: JONAS EKLUND

On 11 September, Swedes will be going to the voting booths to decide who will be governing Sweden for the next four years. With the war breaking out in Europe, the general mood in Sweden has changed dramatically in the run up to the general elections. “If you would have asked me before the war, I would have reluctantly placed my bets on more or less the same government as today after the September elections. But now, I would say

that it most likely will be the Social Democrats, with support from the Centre Party and the Left Party, that will form government,” says Niklas Nordström, Senior Advisor at Miltton Public Affairs. “However, two of the parties, the Liberals and the Greens, currently not reaching the 4% threshold to be elected to Parliament. If the Liberals pass through and make it to Parliament the table would turn in favour to the Moderates and the coalition to the right. If the Greens are elected, that will be in favour of the new Social Democratic coalition.”

“The traditional domestic issues that usually take up a lot of the debate, are now less visible.”

Niklas Nordström, Senior Advisor at SCC patron firm Miltton Public Affairs.

Traditional issues overshadowed “The traditional domestic issues that usually take up a lot of the debate, are now less visible. A lot of focus is now on the war, the collaboration between Sweden and Finland, and

a possible Nato membership. I think this will continue being a huge part of the agenda.” Much like the UK, Sweden has seen a sharp rise in the cost of living and an inflation reaching 7.2% in May, something that under normal circumstances would be a much bigger discussion, especially during an election year. “We could see it in the French elections where Le Pen tried to make it an issue, but we also saw that it didn’t change the presidency. It will probably be a larger issue if we look six months to a year down the road, but not dominating the elections in September.” Accountability and strength to govern As the former Social Democratic Mayor of Luleå and with many years in public affairs, Niklas is an experienced opinion leader within both politics and business. He believes that accountability and strength to govern will be a main issue for the voters in the elections this autumn. “My guess is that the mood among the electorate will be much about who to trust to govern Sweden during a very special time when there is turbulence and war going on. Even if it’s going to be a close election, as elections more or less always are, I think that the opposition hasn’t really found the grip on how to how to get the voters on its side.”

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Results in the 2018 General Elections

The Social Democrats

The Moderate Party

Few differences between the parties Despite an ongoing political debate and quite a turbulent time in Parliament, there are very few differences between the Swedish parties, Niklas says, which can be troublesome for the voters. “But we have seen the parties changing position with each other depending on how they try to win short term gains.” On the positive side, all parties have come to a mutual understanding regarding Sweden’s security policies and agreed to put aside 2% of the GDP to build up the country’s defence. But voters wanting to see change in the healthcare system for example, will have a harder time to know who to vote for. “When it comes to crime in Sweden, it seems we have a rising problem with gang criminality and shootings. And we had the riots during the Easter holidays in six different cities.

“We have seen the parties changing position with each other depending on how they try to win short term gains.”

Voter sentiment ahead of the September General Elections

The Centre Party

The Left Party

6,3%

The Christian Democrats

I think this will push more or less all the parties in the direction of tougher crime policies.” A new political landscape The Social Democrats reigns in the government since the Green Party left in December 2021. “This is an interesting situation because you can’t get anything done with only 30% of Parliament behind you, so they need to collaborate with other parties.” After the Centre Party very clearly dissociated itself from the Sweden Democrats populist party, there is a new political landscape emerging with the Centre Party moving closer to the Social Democrats, the Greens, and the Left Party. “Normally, we would now have a clear majority in favour of right wing policies, but we seem to have a new divide between the parties. Most likely, we will have an outcome where we have the Centre Party working together with the Social Democrats.” Every vote counts Opinion polls show that there is a very thin margin in favour of the Social Democrats, with support of the Centre Party and the Left Party, which makes the votes of expat Swedes more important than ever. “Every vote will count in these elections. The results

5,49%

7,9%

6,32%

4,41%

The Sweden Democrats

6,0%

8,00%

17,4%

8,61%

19,3%

17,53%

33,7%

19,84%

28,26%

Voter support in June 2022 Kantar Sifo poll

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4,4%

The Liberals

3,4%

The Green Party

“The results can actually depend on where people living outside of Sweden place their votes.” can actually depend on where people living outside of Sweden place their votes,” Niklas says. “The choice probably comes down to what kind of direction you want and what your inner compass tells you. But you have to understand that the landscape in Sweden has changed. If you are leaning to the left, then most likely the Centre Party will be part of that block. And a person leaning to the right has to take under consideration that the Sweden Democrats are included in that block. It’s not as easy as it was before, when you could choose between left or right.”

Learn more about Sweden’s General Elections on 11 September by visiting val.se.

We know the Nordics by heart. With more than 160 years of Nordic Private Banking experience, we understand the unique challenges you face as a Nordic national living abroad. That is why we offer financial services tailored to your international needs.

To find out more, please contact Helena Whitmore or Daniel Wikehult +44 (0) 20 7246 4225 privatebanking@seb.co.uk Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) (SEB), London Branch sebgroup.com/privatebanking This communication is made by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), London Branch for informational purposes only. Our London Branch is available to introduce you to the SEB Private Banking network outside the United Kingdom. SEB London Branch is authorised and regulated by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority. Deemed authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.

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How to vote in the Swedish General Elections from the UK

On 11 September, Sweden goes to the polls to decide who they trust to govern the country for the coming four years. As a Swedish expat, you might feel far away from Swedish politics, or that the election does not affect you. However, a high voter turnout is a crucial element of any well-functioning democracy. Although there are a few differences when it comes to voting from abroad versus voting from Sweden, voting will be a piece of cake if you follow the steps outlined below.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE The Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) is the institution that keeps track of where Swedish citizens reside and, by extension, who is included in the electoral register. As a Swedish expat, you have the right to vote in national elections if you have, at some point in your life, lived in Sweden. However, you have to re-register every 10th year, but casting a vote also counts as a re-registration in the electoral register. This means that if you have lived abroad for 10 years or more, without voting in the last two national elections, you must fill out the form “Ny address/Anmälan till röstlängd” and send it by post to The Swedish Tax Agency. You can find the form at Skatteverkets website and the deadline to do this is 12 August 2022.

The Swedish Embassy in London will be open for voting between 22 August and 4 September on weekdays 3pm – 6pm, and on weekends/bank holidays 10am – 4pm. Some of the Swedish consulates around the UK will also be open for in-person voting in late August and early September. Check www.swedenabroad.se/london for opening hours at the consulates.

ENSURE THAT THE SWEDISH TAX AGENCY HAS YOUR CORRECT RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS Your voting card will be sent to the address where you are registered. When you move to another address abroad, you need to notify the Swedish Tax Agency by filling out the form “Ny address/Anmälan till röstlängd” and sending it to them by post. You can find the form as well as more information about the process at Skatteverkets website. You can also order your voting card online from The Swedish Electoral Authority.

DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO VOTE BY POST OR IN PERSON Remember that you cannot vote on election day from abroad If you vote in the Swedish national elections from abroad, voting needs to take place in advance. This is to ensure that the votes will reach Sweden in time. There are two ways to do this: 1) Postal voting: Just like in Sweden, you can vote in advance by post. For this, you need your voting card and two witnesses signing your vote. 2) In-person voting at the Embassy or another designated voting station: If you prefer to vote in person, you can do so at a couple of designated areas during specific hours.

Lastly, remember that Swedish democracy is dependent on the engagement of all its citizens – those who reside in Sweden as well as those in other parts of the world. Given how the voting can take place with such ease even from abroad, there is no reason why you should not use your democratic right to vote and influence Sweden’s future.

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PATRONS HIGHLIGHT

Forestry at the heart of business With a history dating back an astonishing 700 years, SCC patron Stora Enso is the world’s oldest limited company. Although operating within multiple industries, one thing only is at the heart of Stora Enso – trees. “Everything we do is based on trees. We are constantly innovating, researching, and making new discoveries, to replace anything that is not renewable with renewable material,” says Mila Ducheva, Business Development Manager UK & Ireland at Stora Enso Building Solutions. BY: MATHILDA KENNETT

Back in 1288, mining and forestry company Stora Kopparbergs Bergslags AB was founded in Falun, Sweden. Over the centuries, the company has had many forms and diverse operations. In 1998, it merged with Finnish forestry production company Enso-Gutzeit Oy and became Stora Enso. Today, it is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging biomaterials, wooden construction, and paper, employing 22,000 people world-wide. Among the many areas of operations, we find the Building Solutionsdivision within Wood Products – the largest sawn wood supplier in Europe and one of the world’s largest mass timber suppliers. “We develop the international mass timber market within building solutions to create more sustainable, energy-efficient, and healthy homes,” says Mila, Business Development Manager UK & Ireland for the Building Solutions division.

The need for fast-built homes is increasing With the UK’s current housing shortage, and a massive demand in Sweden, the need for fast-built homes is increasing. “We are seeing that urban populations are growing, and more rural populations are decreasing. As of now, there are not nearly enough homes in the making to satisfy the increasing population. Our strategy is to build communities working closely with our design, supply and install partners and all the project stakeholders. Not only are we building homes, but we also build large-scale buildings such as schools, universities, and offices,” Mila explains, and continues: “And with the current state of the environment, it is crucial these communities are built in sustainable ways, and with renewable materials.” With the cost-of-living crisis in the UK, affordability has become an increasingly important topic. Mila emphasises that with increased energy efficiency, improved

Mila Ducheva, Business Development Manager UK & Ireland at Stora Enso Building Solutions.

affordability follows. “Energy efficiency helps with creating more affordable buildings that also stay affordable during their lifespan. We’re creating high quality homes that can last. For example, in the tallest timber building project in Scotland the predicted energy bills were £296 per annum with 18 tonnes of carbon removed from each of the 42 apartments, 757 tonnes of carbon captured in total. If you consider that just one tonne of CO2 is equal to 72 train journey’s from Amsterdam to Paris – 757 tonnes of carbon is a lot! Overall, it’s a healthy, clean, and affordable place to be in.” Creating more sustainable, energy-efficient, and healthy homes Cross-laminated timber is a wood panel system that in recent years has been widely adopted around Europe, as it has shown to have many benefits. The product has been called the innovative engineered wood product of the future and has been described as advantageous because of its energy efficiency, its ability to be combined with other materials, and that it can be used as a prefabricated building component, accelerating construction timelines. “Using cross laminated timber, you can build very quickly. With our materials and methods, buildings can be built much faster than with traditional procedures. For example, an 50,000 square feet building extension of 828 panels, providing work-spaces for lots of people, can be built in just eight weeks by five people,” Mila says. The material is also favourable for thermal design – making buildings more energy efficient. Mass timber has been used for passivehaus standard buildings for example. “Cross-laminated timber has inherent thermal resistance and is a highly accurate form of construction which is easily sealed with no gaps. This helps increase the air tightness, which results in greater thermal energy performance and lower costs on heating and cooling throughout the year.”

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PATRONS HIGHLIGHT

Stora Enso’s Building Solutions division makes use of cross-laminated timber, often called the innovative engineered wood product of the future. Photo: Mikko Nikkinen, Stora Enso.

Preserving the forests to remain a truly renewable resource Being Europe’s largest timber supplier within the construction industry, and one of the world’s largest private forest owners, it is of greatest essence that Stora Enso leaves a positive environmental footprint, something Mila explains is at the core of the company’s operations. “Everything we do is based on forestry, and that is something we want continuing in the future. To keep it a truly renewable resource, it’s really important for us to take care of our forests.”

“In order to keep it a truly renewable resource, it’s really important for us to take care of our forests.” She says that in order for the trees to stay healthy, the whole ecosystem of the forests needs to be considered. “When talking about taking care of the forests, I’m not only talking about the trees, but also the soil, and the water, and all other components in the ecosystem. We are therefore very meticulous with minimising the effect we have on the forests.” Whenever Stora Enso needs to bring in equipment, it makes sure it doesn’t disrupt the natural processes of nature. “For example, we build arched bridges that don’t impact the natural water stream. We also make sure that the part of the bridge that is under water has a

surface made from materials that are naturally present in the streams. That is to ensure the flora can contrive in the world under water, and make sure the fish can swim as usual.” Apart from always planting at least one tree for every tree harvested, Stora Enso does conservation work to increase biodiversity. “As trees are critical for us, we work with the best experts in the world to make sure our forests stay healthy, creating the best environment for them to grow in. We have recently announced a three-year cooperation with WWF to improve biodiversity – a very reliable partner that knows all about biodiversity from a species point of view.” Fossil-based today – made from trees tomorrow Stora Enso’s goal is to have all its products and solutions 100% regenerative by 2050, something Mila is passionate about; “Everything that’s made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. You can trust me that when we say truly regenerative, we really mean it. We use many science-based targets, and work with the best experts to identify the measures to make that a reality.” Although the Building Solutions division mainly uses trees as building material, the company as a whole is making use of trees in many other formulas and constellations. “In biomaterials, we are creating a ‘plastic’ that is recyclable up to seven times and is made 60% out of trees. We also have batteries with proven technology where we have replaced the fossil-based graphite with lignin from trees,”

Mila says, and continues: “Trees are also very good at producing light weight carbon fibre, so we’re experimenting with using that to make recyclable cars and airplanes, as well as wind turbines that can generate renewable energy. We are constantly researching to replace anything that’s not renewable with a renewable material.” Net-zero future It is no secret that the sustainability issue has become top of the agenda in recent years, and that different forces in society are putting more and more pressure onto businesses to do their bit. According to Mila, sustainability has been at the heart of Stora Enso for centuries which has given them lots of experience – something they want to share with others. “We have focused on innovations for centuries. Now we have solutions ready for the market to make sure everybody can meet the targets they need for sustainability. We have solutions for replacing everything from plastic food containers to energy sources. We spoke about batteries and wind turbines, and especially the one thing closest to my heart personally – the buildings we spend 90% of our time in.” THE PATRONSHIP The SCC patronship consists of a core group of SCC member businesses committed to supporting the Swedish-British business community. The patronship comes with a range of benefits – if you would like to know more, please contact membership@scc.org.uk.

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SWEDISH FOoTPRINT IN THE UK

 9

Swedish TECH STARTUPS TAKING ON THE UK MARKET As the fourth largest tech investment hub in the world, the UK is an invaluable platform for Swedish tech startups looking to expand internationally. The UK tech ecosystem is today valued at £800bn – 17 times the value ten years ago. For many Swedish businesses, an expansion to the UK is a gateway to the rest of the world. In this issue of The Link, we continue examining the Swedish footprint in the UK by presenting nine exciting startups that are about to make it in the UK. BY: JONAS EKLUND

UK START- AND SCALEUP SCENE IN NUMBERS







4th

41%

Having achieved a record year in 2021, the UK is fourth in the world for tech investment at $40.8bn.

Fintech is the UK’s biggest scaleup sector, contributing to 41% of the value of the sector as a whole and 34% of investment in 2021.

There are now just under 5 million people working in UK tech startups and scaleups, an increase from just under 3 million in 2019. Source: Tech nation

AURA CLOUD

 40

Aura Cloud increased its headcount to 40 in 2021. The company will be expanding to the UK in 2022.

Fintech company Aura Cloud has built a banking platform that will make it easier for financial institutions to deliver tailored services to their customers. In 2020, the company raised SEK 7m and during the past year, Aura Cloud has grown to over 40 employees, divided between the Stockholm headquarters, the R&D office in Bangalore, India, and the newly opened office in Helsinki, Finland. The next step is to expand the business to the UK in 2022. Aura Cloud is currently participating in the SCC’s Nordic Scale Up UK accelerator programme for scaleups across the Nordics.

GORDON DELIVERY

 +300%

Gordon Delivery increased its revenue by 300% to SEK 413m in 2021.

Gordon Delivery is a last-mile company specialising in collaborative delivery flows of refrigerated goods. Its AI platform enables real-time route optimisation and automation of complex workflows in chilled deliveries, offering an unbroken cold chain from production to the end customers’ doorsteps. Market-leading in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, the company presented a revenue increase of 300% in 2021, to SEK 413m. Now, with the participation in the AccessUK 2022 programme, Gordon Delivery is taking on the UK market.

DOCTRIN  

£11m

Doctrin raised £11m in 2021 to accelerate its international expansion.

2021

After expanding to the UK in 2021, Doctrin’s first client went live with its platform.

Founded in 2016, Doctrin is a provider of digiphysical healthcare solutions and with a quarter of Sweden’s population having access to the services, it is the country’s leading B2B platform for digital healthcare. Doctrin expanded to the UK in 2020 and in late 2021, its first client and one of the largest GP Partnerships, Lakeside Healthcare, went live with the platform. The same year, Doctrin raised £11m to accelerate its international expansion.

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POCKETLAW

25%  £8.9m 

BILLHOP After its 2021 UK launch, UK customers make up 25% of PocketLaw’s total client base. In 2022, PocketLaw raised £8.9m to enable further international expansion.

PocketLaw is revolutionising legal for businesses with its all-in-one solution enabling organisations to create contracts and manage legal with the help of a smartphone. In the autumn of 2021, the company established in the UK and today the market represents 25% of its client base. Recently, PocketLaw closed a £8.9m Series A with SCC member Atomico. “By early 2023, our target is for our UK clients to make up 50% of the total customer base,” said Co-founder Kira Unger in a statement to Swedish leading tech and innovation media outlet Breakit.

  £12m

2022

SWEDISH FOOTPRINT IN THE UK

ALVA LABS Billhop has raised £12m over two recent investment rounds. With the UK being one of Billhop’s strategic markets, the company established its London office in early 2022.

Billhop is a Stockholm-based payment institution that enables businesses and individuals to pay their invoices using their existing payment cards. During the last three years the company grew by a record 768% and has been named ‘Sweden’s most disruptive company’ by Deloitte. In 2021, the company secured €3.5m in a Series A investment round from VC Element Ventures, and another €10.5 in early 2022, when its UK limited company was incorporated. The UK is one of Billhop’s strategic markets and will be key going forward, said Michael McFadgen, partner at Element Ventures to UK Tech News. The company is looking to continue to place a lot of focus on partnering with banks and other card-based lenders here as well as bringing on more SMEs.

 60   £10m

Alva Labs tripled its headcount in 2021 to 60 people. In early 2022, Alva Labs raised £10m to bring its solutions to the UK.

Founded in 2017, Stockholm-based Alva Labs streamlines the hiring process for both recruiters and applicants by providing data-driven candidate assessments that by using machinelearning and AI, predict a candidate’s job success and suitability. The company tripled its headcount in 2021 to 60 employees and grew its international customer base by 250%. In early 2022, the company raised £10m to bring its solutions to the UK. Now, Alva Labs is looking to build a world-class UK based team and to modernise the UK recruitment sector with its solutions.

Olga Beck-Friis and Kira Unger, Co-founders of PocketLaw. Malcolm Burenstam Linder, CEO and Co-founder of Alva Labs.

HACK YOUR CLOSET

 

£1.6m

In 2021, Hack Your Closet raised £1.6m to enable an international expansion.

Billhop is co-founded by Sebastian Andreescu (CEO), Erik Malm (CTO) and Ingemar Sjögren.

2022

The company won the sustaintech pitching session at Impact 2022, and is now taking on the UK.

DYNAMIC CODE

Founded in 2016, Hack Your Closet is a Stockholm-based startup looking to disrupt the fashion industry, with its clothing subscription services. Instead of constantly buying new clothes, customers receive a number of items per month, which are returned and washed, and later passed on to another subscriber. In 2021, the company raised SEK 20m to enable an international expansion with the plan to take on two new markets per year. With two so called ‘Dark Closets’, in Stockholm and Strasbourg, Hack Your Closet won the SCC’s sus-taintech pitching session at Impact 2022, and is now ready for an expansion to the UK.

Hackyourcloset Co-founders Lisa Gautier and Mikaela Larsell Ayesa with team.

FENIX FUNERAL   £8.8m

5,000

In 2021, Dynamic Code signed an agreement, reaching a network of 5,000 pharmacies across the UK.

In June 2021, healthtech startup Dynamic Code signed its first agreements in the UK with digital care providers Zava and The GP Service. The Linköping-based company offers solutions for a more efficient healthcare process that gives customers access to testing, test results and treatment in a matter of days. Through The GP Service, the company will sell and distribute self-sampling tests through its network of more than 5,000 pharmacies.

2020

Fenix Funeral has raised a total of £8.8m over two recent investment rounds. The business established in the UK in 2020 and is continuing its expansion to multiple locations.

Founded in 2014, online funeral services provider Fenix Funeral has demonstrated a strong growth from the start. In 2020, earnings grew by 100%, from SEK 26m to 57m, and after a SEK 30m investment round, the company expanded to the UK. Following another investment round bringing in SEK 69m, Fenix Funeral is today operating across multiple locations across the UK through a network of advisors, including London, Birmingham and Manchester. “This year, our main goal is to really take on the UK market,” said Charlotte Runius, Founder and CEO, and 2020 AccessUK alumni, in a statement to Swedish business daily Dagens industri.

Dynamic Code offers self-sampling kits to make healthcare processes more efficient. Charlotte Runius, CEO at Fenix Funerals.

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FEATURE

THE EMBASSY OF SWEDEN OPENS NEW OFFICE FOR SCIENCE AND INNOVATION IN LONDON:

Making use of the similarities and strengths shared between Sweden and the UK Sweden and the UK is a world leading duo within the area of life sciences. With pioneering innovation, found in businesses such as Swedish-British AstraZeneca and Swedish Elekta, it is clear that the partnership has led to ground breaking research of great value – not only for our two countries, but for patients all around the world. This year, a new Office for Science and Innovation was launched at the Embassy of Sweden in London, to ensure that Sweden and the UK continue to walk side by side. The Link spoke to Marika Amartey, Innovation and Science Counsellor at the Embassy, who heads the new office, about what it means for the Swedish-British business community. BY: SAGA PALMÉR

“Sweden and the UK are both leading nations within innovation and research, and we have a history of a very strong collaboration. It has been going on for decades, which is a great strength when it comes to building further on our bilateral relationship,” says Marika.

which means that we should work proactively to make our bonds stay strong. Simultaneously, Sweden is a well reputed country in the UK, known for its net zero commitments and innovation scene. I think the new Office will play a great role here.”

On 27 May, the Swedish Minister for Education, Anna Ekström and the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Innovation at the Department of Health and Social Care, Lord Kamall, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to show their mutual commitment to an ongoing UK-Swedish co-operation in the life sciences, in the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden. The agreement is one of several building blocks in an already close relationship and aims to both formalise and develop collaboration in life sciences even further.

Bringing the Swedish I-game to the UK The Office is working with various institutions, and on multiple levels. Areas such as climate compensation and the green recovery plan,digital infrastructure, life sciences, and aerospace, are all fields where Swedish institutions and businesses are particularly strong, hence, could play a key role in the collaboration.

Old Friendship, New Office Established on 1 January 2022 by the Swedish Government, the Office is Sweden’s seventh international office of its kind, aiming to develop and strengthen collaboration between Sweden and the UK, particularly on issues regarding life sciences, export, investment, research and innovation. “Traditionally, Sweden and the UK have a strong collaboration, especially when it comes to research. And during the last decade, we have also seen a great exchange take place within the tech- and innovation industries, which is probably a result of our common history in research. That’s a strong reason why they started thinking about placing an innovation and research office in the UK.” Marika says that the UK is an important partner for Sweden, and even more so, an invaluable platform for Swedish businesses looking to expand. “Sweden needs the UK in many aspects – it’s a much bigger market, much bigger country, with sometimes bigger muscles. The UK is an important partner to us,

“By identifying similarities and strengths between the countries, we make sure that we focus on sectors where Swedish competencies and skills will be best at use. We work with four different Swedish ministries: the Ministry of Enterprise, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Infrastructure, and it is within these four sectors that we will put our main focus, Marika says and continues: ”Simultaneously, we will work closely with the UK’s world leading universities and research institutes, organisations and governmental authorities, as well as on regional and local levels.” Breaking new ground for innovation The signing of the MoU was the unofficial kickoff for the office. The next steps will be to explore key areas for future projects. Marika believes in a bottom-up approach to collaboration initiatives, which made her travel around the UK to visit different regions. “I started looking into different regional innovation ecosystems by going to Cambridge, which has a world leading innovation ecosystem. It’s truly fascinating to see how close they work together with venture capital firms, accelerators, incubators, hospitals and Cambridge University, and how they are all

Marika Amartey together with the other Swedish Innovation and Science Counsellors around the world. Photo: Embassy of Sweden.

coordinated. Now I would like to learn more from other university regions like Oxford, Edinburgh, Manchester and London, and to get a better understanding of the regional innovation ecosystems,” Marika says. ”I think that great innovation happens on local and regional levels, and that the bottom-up perspectives are the most important ones. If initiatives are demand driven, it is a lot easier to bring to a national level.” Exploring the surroundings With the MoU signed, Marika would like to start working with different sectors as soon as possible. After summer she plans to develop the office in different ways, and visit Dundee, St Andrews, Edinburgh and Glasgow to investigate collaboration opportunities within climate and net zero research and innovation. Marika is currently heading a bilateral steering group, about to kick off the implementation phase for the MoU on life sciences, and she looks forward to filling the new agreement with content. The aerospace industry is an area where she will work to gain a deeper understanding, as well as continue exploring the development of the UK research and innovation funding landscape.

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IMPACT

KEY TAKE-AWAYS FROM SCC’S SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT IMPACT:

Collaboration is key to create real impactful change We need more collaboration, speed and fundamentally change our business models to reach our net zero targets by 2050. These were some of the key take-aways as some of the most senior business leaders and game changers in their industries gathered at the SCC’s sustainability summit Impact, to discuss the greatest challenge of our lifetime. In the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden and joined by more than 300 delegates, the 30+ speakers raised the crucial questions needed to reduce our environmental footprint. BY: JONAS EKLUND

Swedish Minister for Education Anna Ekström kicked off the summit by emphasising the significance of the relationship between Sweden and the UK. The Minister called for an ambitious agenda with Sweden and the UK in the forefront of the green and digital transition, and that this transition in fact can be an engine for growth. “Carefully deliberated and executed, it can strengthen the economy, ensure competitiveness, and provide new business opportunities and new green jobs.” Growth is key to invest in the green transition Johan Lundgren, CEO of EasyJet, said that growth is key and that airlines need to remain profitable and continue attract passengers, if they are to invest in a sustainable future. He stressed that so called “flight shaming” and suppressing demand is not the solution. Anko van der Werff, CEO of SAS, said that while we are waiting for zero-emission aircrafts, sustainable aviation fuel needs to remain a short-term focus for the industry. Being part of the solution “Climate change is here, it is for real. The good news is that we can be a part of the solution,” said Skanska CEO Anders Danielsson in a fireside chat with Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chair of Network Rail. They agreed that the key to success is collaboration across the whole supply chain, and that public procurement is key as governments and state-owned enterprises are the largest buyers of goods and services – something that was echoed by speakers throughout the day. Business in the driving seat Jan-Olof Jacke, Director General of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, believes that business can contribute through driving the pace of change. “I think business is definitely in the driving seat. But we need to remove obstacles, create the right conditions for this to actually happen,” he said. Allison Kirkby, President and CEO of Telia Company, agreed but said that we are not moving fast enough to find the new solutions that will get us beyond net zero. She calls for both transparency and

accountability: “We have to set out the goals that are measured in the same way as the financial goals on a quarterly and annual basis so that we’re held to account on it.” Fiona Harvey, Environment Correspondent at The Guardian was on the same page and said that we need to understand that this isn’t just a matter of individual responsibility. “During the lockdowns, the UK’s emissions fell by about a third. But that was when we were all in our houses not doing anything the whole time. And two thirds of our emissions were still intact. That shows us that we need systemic change, and that individuals can’t change this by themselves.” Scaling up successful efforts Apart from acting fast enough, scaling up successful efforts is of utmost importance to make real impact. Martin Lindqvist, President & CEO of SSAB and Darren Wilson, CEO of LKAB Minerals, discussed the possibilities and challenges of their joint quest shared with Vattenfall, to mass-produce fossil-free steel. Darren said that while it all is technically possible, it will all depend on the political and societal will to what it means in terms of the huge changes in infrastructure. “People don’t just realise the sheer scale of the change in terms of electricity generation, production of green hydrogen and the complete transformation of our part of the value chain.” The pilot is today producing 100 tonnes of fossil-free steel and will move to 1.3 million tonnes in 2026, with a target of more than 5 million tonnes in 2030. “The steel industry globally emits 79% of all the carbon dioxide. We can’t really afford not to do this,” said Martin. Invisible sources of emissions Massive data centres hosting essentially all digital companies are a sometimes invisible source of carbon dioxide emissions. Games giant King, serving some 250 million monthly players of Candy Crush Saga and other mobile games, is taking action to minimise the impact of its games, by making them faster to load

and less energy consuming. The vast part of the company’s CO2 emissions, 92%, come from the value chain of social media platforms and app stores used to market and download the games. “Behind the scenes, there’s a tremendous amount of computation power and energy to call those servers,” said Todd Green General Manager of Candy Crush Saga. “The good news is that as we move into the next generation of computation and data storage known as cloud computing, giving a lot more flexibility in applying technical solutions like machine learning to increase the efficiency of cooling, and even the energy input is starting to change now.” Transforming the take-make-waste system Circularity is not only about recycling, but also reusing and repurposing to eliminate waste and pollution and regenerate nature. This was the consensus of a panel discussing the transformation of our take-make-waste system. “Being able to repair rather than replacing a product is actually a real driver for consumer loyalty. You have to see it as a journey across a lifetime over consumer experience, rather than the point of purchase, said Sarah Schaefer, Vice President Sustainability, Electrolux in a discussion with Robert Petersson, CEO at Kinnarps, and Vianney Valès, CEO at Wastefront. Retail moving into circular business models Fashion retailers, the likes of COS and GANT, face similar challenges as they are transforming their whole value chains and building circular models around responsible products with an extended lifespan, where products are reused and repurposed before they are finally recycled. According to Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, the UK retail industry produces 200 million tonnes of carbon equivalent. Francesca Lilley, Head of Sustainability and Brand Strategy at COS said that it is the retailers’ responsibility to help consumers make informed decisions by being transparent with the way they are running the business. Patrik Söderström, CEO of GANT, said that while consumers today are enlightened, it is

More than 30 speakers took to the stage at Impact on 27 May to discuss how we together can help minimise our environmental footprint. Photos: Renz Andres and Radek Draginowski.

not an easy task to make conscious purchase decisions. “We see consumers turning their backs on companies not living up to expectations, but it is difficult for consumers to understand the difference between kind of the same product – what is sustainable, and what is not.” “We really need collaboration across industry and different competencies to be able to facilitate that more circular way of running business,” said Francesca. Sustainable models of transport The discussions segwayed into mobility as Voi, Polestar, Einride and Transport for London attacked the issue of sustainable modes of transport. Today, 55% of the urban population lives in cities, which is only expected to grow in density causing mobility and transportation issues, not to mention the lack of space. “60% of all the trips in cities are below 10 kilometres and they are mainly taken by cars and taxis,” said Christina Moe Gjerde, General Manager Nordics at e-scooter company Voi Technology. “Take my ride to get here this morning as an example. I was stuck in traffic for 29 minutes in a taxi, which could have taken me six minutes on a bike.” “We need different forms of transportation. What they need to have in common is that

they all contribute to the zero emission targets,” said Nils Mösko, Chief Strategy Officer at electric car brand Polestar. Christina agreed: “We don’t envision a future where we don’t have cars, we just need to replace the trips that we can replace with more efficient modes of transport.” Cost of the green transition The cost of the green transition falls somewhere between $5-7 trillion a year until 2050, said Chuka Umunna, Managing Director and Head of EMEA ESG at JP Morgan, as part of a discussion on green finance. “But the problem is, we are nowhere near hitting that figure at the moment.” With its over 150 branches across the UK, Handelsbanken has built a decentralised organisation with a large amount of autonomy and accountability for its branch teams. “We think that this has real applicability in the net zero transition working with our customers,” said Richard Winder, Head of Sustainability at Handelsbanken UK. “We have really strong relationships built up over many years by teams in their own hometowns, so they care about acting responsibly. They have the decision making authority and accountability to take that forward.”

Swedish investment firm EQT is a purpose driven investment organisation, with the purpose to future-proof companies and make a positive impact. Sophie Walker, the firm’s Head of Sustainability for Private Capital, said that one of the joys of working in private equity is to get closely involved with the individual businesses and how they are transforming the markets. “An example is the first investment in EQT’s impact driven long-hold strategy where we are effectively scaling a biocide-free solution to pest control, which could be markettransformational.” Chuka stressed that financing the transition can impossibly be the sole responsibility of the financial markets and called for cooperation between the private and public sectors. “The public sector has got a really big role to play here too. It can’t be left to financial and capital markets to sort it all out.”

 Watch and listen in on the discussions on Youtube.

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

Impact 27 May On 27 May, the SCC brought together more than 300 guests and 30+ speakers including business leaders, politicians and stakeholders for a full day conference at the Londoner Hotel. Thought leaders from both Sweden and the UK were present to discuss the quest for a more sustainable future and the way to a green recovery, where leaders from various industries gave their insights.

See more photos online

Anna Borg (Vattenfall) speaking about fuelling innovation in the energy sector.

Leif Johansson (AstraZeneca) and Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE (the Carbon Trust) in the panel discussing knowledge transfer as a tool to achieve net zero.

Guests networking at the conference coffee break.

Anna Mann (Skanska) contributing to the discussions on stage.

Richard Winder (Handelsbanken UK), Chuka Umunna (JP Morgan) and Sophie Walker (EQT) were discussing green finance.

Anna Ekström, Swedish Minister for Education, spoke about the continued Swedish-British partnership.

Jan Olsson (SCC), Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden, H.E. Mikaela Kumlin Granit (Swedish Ambassador to the United Kingdom) and Peter Sandberg (SCC).

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

Royal Gala Dinner 27 may Following the Impact conference, the SCC organised a Royal Gala Dinner in presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden. The dinner was arranged in celebration of the friendship and trade between Sweden and the United Kingdom, gathering around 300 guests at the Rosewood Hotel in London.

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Her Majesty the Queen of Sweden arriving at the Royal Gala Dinner.

Jan Olsson (SCC), Johan Lundgren (EasyJet), Sarah Schaefer (Electrolux) and Darren Wilson (LKAB Minerals).

His Majesty the King of Sweden speaking about the close ties between Sweden and the UK.

The Rt Hon Alok Sharma (MP) spoke about the current climate challenge facing the world.

H.E. Mikaela Kumlin Granit (Swedish Ambassador to the United Kingdom), His Majesty the King of Sweden and Jan Olsson (SCC).

Anko van der Werff (SAS) and Rajesh Agrawal (Deputy Mayor of London for Business).

Patrik Söderström (GANT), Jan-Olof Jacke (Confederation of Swedish Enterprise).

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WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Breaking the unhealthy work-cycle Talking to someone about how you feel could be the first step in breaking an unhealthy work-cycle. However, many people are unwilling to admit their limitations to themselves, even more so to another person. The Link spoke to Monica Mason, Psychodynamic Counsellor and Psychotherapist at SCC member firm West London Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Counselling, about the importance of breaking bad habits and how to discover them before it’s too late. BY: MATHILDA KENNETT

With over 20 years’ experience working as a psychotherapist, Monica has gained expert knowledge in a large range of issues including anxiety, depression, stress, and work-related issues. She is currently running her own indepth therapy clinic, located in a group practice in South Kensington in western London. Lockdown’s impact on work-life balance The WHO estimates that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a 28% increase in cases of major depressive disorder in 2020 alone, and a 26% increase in cases of anxiety disorders worldwide. In the UK, many spent a large portion of the year in lockdown, and were forced to work from home, something that continued in parts of 2021. “The working-from-home situation had a significant impact on the overall wellbeing. For many, the border between work and private life became more unclear than ever, often leading to an increasing workload, and work hours stretching into the evening.“ Additionally, the financial hit that society suffered during lockdown created a new type of uncertainty, and a growing number of people worried about losing their jobs. “Many did not only have to worry about the pandemic and their physical health, but also about the new uncertainty on the job market. Especially those working from home, who often found that the circumstances made it difficult to prove to their employers that they were doing a good job, and consequently ended up working even harder”. Recognising early signs of burnout Monica emphasises the importance of reflecting on your current work situation, to recognise symptoms, and to act against them early on. “Early signs of burnout can be expressed in different forms, such as insomnia, lower tolerance for other people, feeling frustrated and repeatedly questioning what the point is,

altered appetite, and even physical pain, such as migraine and back ache.” She says that many people ignore their symptoms due to lack of time to deal with them, which can be a costly mistake. “People often tend to neglect the issue, thinking they don’t have time to take care of it right now. But the truth is that if you don’t cater to your mental needs, eventually you’ll crash.”

“The key to a healthy mindset is having a realistic self-image.” When asked why people tend to not prioritise their mental health even though it is such a widely known issue today, Monica says she believes it is rooted in fear. “I think it ties into the fear of not living up to expectations. You feel like you need to perform on the same level as you’ve always done, otherwise you won’t get that promotion or you will let people down,” she says and continues: “But if you don’t acknowledge the signs and it goes as far as to burnout or exhaustion, that promotion won’t mean anything anymore, and there will be a long way back to performing on the same level as before.” Getting out of an unhealthy work routine According to Monica, the first step to break an unhealthy work-cycle is to recognise and accept that you are in an unsustainable situation. “Tell someone. Saying it out loud makes it more real and is an important step in accepting the situation, which will then result in it being much easier to act on.” The next step is to get practical; “Talk to your manager and see if there is anything that can be done about the workload – remember that it is okay to ask. Thereafter, reflect and admit

Monica Mason, Psychodynamic Counsellor and Psychotherapist. Photo: West London Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Counselling.

your limitations, and set up new, healthy, boundaries accordingly.” Be realistic – the key to a healthy mindset “Many have this image of themselves as some sort of super-human, creating expectations that are hard to live up to. I think the key to a healthy mindset is having a realistic self-image – to see yourself as you actually are, limitations and all. Only then, you can create a work-life that you are actually satisfied with.” Patterns like these can be hard to discover, and even harder to break, which is why it can be beneficial to seek support from a professional therapist. According to Monica, this is something many people find challenging, but a step you might need to take in order to get better. “Many seem to think that to keep pushing and ignoring how you feel is the definition of being strong. I’d say it’s the complete opposite – opening up and asking for help – that is true strength.”

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FROM SWEDEN TO THE UK

Veg of Lund brings green food innovation from Sweden to the UK Few industries have grown as fast in the last decade as the foodtech sector. Being somewhat of an antidote for several of societies biggest issues today, from obesity to carbon emissions, plant-based food continues to gain importance as a player on the food market. Swedish foodtech company Veg of Lund is bringing green food innovation from Sweden to the UK, using a crop very close to heart for both the Swedes and Brits: the potato. Veg of Lund CEO Emma Källqvist and UK Sales Director Graham Stonadge told us why they think the plant-based heydays have only just begun. products, that are based on an emulsion of potato and rapeseed oil. The products are produced through research made at Lund University – innovation is really one of our core values as a business,” says Emma.

Veg of Lund CEO Emma Källqvist at the International Food & Drink Event in London.

“The opportunities are massive. The growth in the plant-based food sector is exploding at the moment, I would say that it’s hard to find another industry where we see a growth similar to this one. And it’s not just in the UK, but a growth on a global scale, making it a very interesting industry to be working within,” Emma says. Operating in this relatively new field, both Emma and Graham think it’s an advantage to be a Swedish business, as they are regarded with credibility when it comes to producing healthy products. “From a UK consumer perspective, a product that has a Swedish heritage or a Swedish basis, is perceived to be more natural, healthier, and has a good sort of ‘quality of life’-feel to it. That is just inherent with the UK perception of Scandinavia, and Sweden in particular,“ says Graham. Entering the green scene Founded in 2016, Veg of Lund has its roots in the southern Swedish region of Skåne, producing plant-based food using local, unexploited products. Both the products and the business itself, are results of research made at the well-renowned university of the region, the University of Lund. “We are inventing and selling non-dairy options to traditional food

Veg of Lund’s first product was a smoothie, and now the business is launching a second, milk-like product, called DUG. The origin of the product comes from Eva Tornberg, professor in Food Technology at University of Lund, who found potato protein to be an excellent emulsifier with no taint, making it an appropriate base for plant-based food options.

“We were thinking about where to go next, and found that the UK just ticked all the boxes.” Bringing innovation to the UK Having set up in Sweden, Emma and the team wanted to explore new markets. She says they found the decision on where to head next quite easy. “We were thinking about where to go next, and found that the UK just ticked all the boxes: it is international yet close to Sweden, it is English speaking which makes it easier for us language-wise and it has a large population.“ According to Emma, the UK is not only a good place to pilot a product due to its large and international population, but also thanks to the population being open-minded and curious to try new things. “For our industry particularly,

I find that in the UK, people are very open to try new things and products, making it a great market to pilot our product outside of Sweden. The UK is definitely ready to try new plant-based products, it is already sort of trendy, but also something that will be needed as the UK is increasing its efforts to reach net zero.” Having feet on the ground Before launching the products in the UK, Emma says Veg of Lund wanted to set up a physical presence in the country, in order to get a better understanding of the market. “For us, it was a natural step – we needed feet on the ground and people that are based in the UK that know how to run the business and how the market works here. I mean, you can certainly find other ways to do it, like finding a good partner or an agent, but for us, it was clear that we wanted to have a presence here.” Read the full story on fromswedentotuk.co.uk

Learn more about Veg of Lund’s journey to the UK, along with insights, business cases, and opportunities for Swedish business within clean growth, fintech, life sciences and other UK key sectors.

www.fromswedentouk.co.uk The campaign “From Sweden to the UK, then the world” is a collaboration between the British Embassy Stockholm and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK.

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

link up drinks with tiger of sweden 5 May On 5 May, the SCC welcomed its members to Link Up Drinks hosted by Tiger of Sweden at its store in Marylebone. This event brought together the SCC community for an evening of networking with the Swedish-British ecosystem and offered an opportunity to meet the Chamber’s newest members.

Both new and old members joined for an evening of after work networking.

Mason Vincent (War on Cancer) and Emma Blackmore (War on Cancer) were two of the new members introducing themselves during the evening.

Andreas Afeldt (The Coin Cabinet), Mikkel Dahl (Novicell UK), Dennis Twumasi (Novicell UK) and Fran Forder (Diversio).

young professionals Masterclass 10 may On 10 May, the SCC’s Young Professionals welcomed the community to the LinkedIn London offices for a masterclass in personal branding on LinkedIn. The class was held by Markus Frånlund, Global Client Excutive at LinkedIn, who gave his tips and insights into standing out on the platform.

Members of the Young Professionals community were invited to LinkedIn’s offices in central London, to learn more about how to build their professional brand.

The guests were invited to share their own thoughts and questions during the session.

Markus Frånlund (LinkedIn) shared his key insights about building a successful LinkedIn profile.

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

115th annual general meeting 9 june On 9 June, the SCC held its 115th Annual General Meeting at Home House in central London. During the meeting, the events of 2021 were summarised and new members and patrons were welcomed to the community. The meeting also entailed the election of new members to the Board of Directors, and welcomed five young talents to the SCC Scholarship Programme 2022/23.

The Board of Director’s Chief Executive Peter Sandberg, Chairman Jan Olsson, Honorary President H.E. Mikaela Kumlin Granit and Johan Aurén (Accountum).

The SCC welcomed a new cohort of scholars, who will spend one year at the Chamber as part of the SCC Scholarship Programme 2022/23.

Katherine Ainley (Ericsson UK & Ireland), Alex Marsh (Klarna UK) and Peter Sandberg (SCC).

access UK 14-16 June On 14-16 June, the SCC organised AccessUK on behalf of Startup Sweden, part of the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, and in collaboration with Embassy of Sweden and the Department for International Trade. During this accelerator programme, Swedish tech businesses looking to build a precense and connection with London and the UK were given the opportunity to learn, connect with and meet successful entrepreneurs.

Alongside a three-day bootcamp, the programme offers individually tailored coaching and personalised meetings with experts, partners and prospective clients.

Edith Szendrodi (Microsoft) and Dhaval Gore (London & Partners).

Peter Sandberg (SCC), Cecilia Nikpay (Affärsvärlden), Andy Jones (Deliberate PR), Stephanie Zakrisson (Sveriges Radio), Katrine Marçal (Dagens Nyheter).

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feature

Understanding the UK media landscape There is no marketing channel more credibe than earned media, but securing media mentions for your business is hard work and requires building long-term relationships with top tier journalists. And if you are new to working in UK Public Relations, there are a number of pitfalls that can be avoided by understanding the do’s and dont’s in the country’s media landscape. Nicholas Baines, Co-founder at SCC member firm Nara Communications, lets us in on the differences between the UK and Sweden, and how to run successful PR in the UK. BY: MATHILDA KENNETT

What is Public Relations? I would describe PR as the way a brand tells its story to the world, outside of the communications channels it can control (like social media, advertising etc.). Although the definition of Public Relations has changed dramatically over the last few years. What is the difference between paid media and earned media? There’s no marketing channel more credible than earned media. Anyone can pay a publication to say nice things and to repeat bland, corporate messaging. But securing earned media means you have managed to convince top tier journalists why your company is special and why their readers need to know about you. How would you describe the relationship between communication agencies and the press in each country? The global trend is that PR people outnumber journalists, and this applies a natural strain on the relationship between the two professions. Some describe the relationship as a partnership, others as antagonistic. This tension can be found all around the world, though it might be more keenly felt in the UK than in Sweden. In Sweden the relationship between PRs and journalists is more collaborative, or for example, Swedes often read drafts of articles before they’re published. British, and American journalists, very rarely allow for that.

Are there differences in the way the public views media and the press in the two countries? We British have a love-hate relationship with our media. The UK has created some of the most established, important outlets in the world, like The Economist, The Financial Times, and The Guardian. But we are also responsible for tabloid culture, and for exporting the Mail Online’s ‘sidebar of shame’ internationally. Although that range of attitudes and approaches also exists in Sweden, I think it’s less polarised. What are the key differences and similarities you need to know between approaching the press in Sweden and in the UK? This is the central rule: a good story is a good story. It’s not about great media contacts (though that helps) nor about writing well (though that helps too). Often business owners are too close to their companies, and are sitting on a treasure trove of good stories that need to be told. It’s about finding out what these good stories are and running with them, and this applies to both Sweden and the UK. Another difference is that Swedish entrepreneurs I work with often know someone at Breakit or DI they can just call up with a story. Swedish journalists expect this kind of access, whereas British media have a much more formal relationship and use PR people as conduits.

Nicholas’ Top TIPS WHEN APPROACHING UK MEDIA  Be succinct. Keep communications with journalists short – they’re busy people!

 Think about what a journalist actually wants. Don’t expect them to do you favours.

 Be targeted. Don’t spam thousands of journalists in the hope that eventually one will bite. If it’s a bad story they won’t.

 Nothing is off the record unless explicitly agreed.

 What would a reader want to read on the page?  Don’t use corporate jargon and marketing messaging. Speak clearly.

 Consider getting professional help with your PR, as it’s time-consuming and difficult to bring in-house.  Try to get to know a friendly PR person or agency who you can call at short notice if needed.

Nicholas Baines, Co-founder of Nara Communications. Photo: Nara Communications.

Would you say it’s more important to focus on approaching niche media outlets or national media? Niche outlets, or ‘trade media’, should be viewed as low-hanging fruit. Cracking national, mainstream media is much harder – and therefore impactful. Every business in the world wants to get into national media – which means that when you do finally get featured, it’s worth the wait! If you want to target an international audience of members of the Csuite, investors, and decision-makers, national media is the place to be.

ABOUT NARA COMMUNICATIONS Nara Communications is a PR agency telling the stories behind technology startups and scaleups. The agency has clients all over the world – from London to San Francisco, Cape Town to Uppsala – and across a variety of sectors. Nara Communications also has an accidental leaning towards (and love of!) the Nordics, and help plenty of businesses expand from Sweden into the UK, and then beyond. Working with household name publications like Bloomberg, The Guardian, TechCrunch and The Wall Street Journal, the agency secures its clients the kinds of media coverage that transforms their startup journeys overnight.

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 IN OTHER NEWS Got news for us? Email jonas.eklund@scc.org.uk.

IN OTHER NEWS

Carlbom shipping acquired by Pentagon Fright Services PLC SCC member Carlbom Shipping, a leading specialist ships agent, has been acquired by Pentagon Freight Services, the world’s leading privately owned logistics provider to the energy industry. Since 1897, Carlbom Shipping has an enviable reputation for providing unique services to each of it clients in the tanker, bulk cargo, offshore and renewables sectors. By joining forces with Pentagon Freight Services, both companies will be able to further strengthen and expand their services and commitment to their customers. The two businesses also share the same principles and values, and by complementing each other, will further develop their first-class logistics solutions.

Sweden attracts more foreign investment study reveals Sweden continues strengthening its position as a destination for foreign investment and ranks #14 in a global investment index, a new report from Business Sweden reveals. In 2021, foreign investment amounted to SEK 231bn – a 34% increase from previous year, and the highest level since 2008.

NENT Group changes name to Viaplay Group SCC member Nordic Entertainment Group has formally changed its name to Viaplay Group following its AGM on 18 May. The change reflects the company’s strategic focus on the Viaplay streaming service, and its ongoing international expansion and continued Nordic growth. Viaplay will launch in the UK in 2022, including live sports, and by the end of 2023 it will have market presence in at least 21 countries.

New policy simplifies for businesses to apply new product safety markings The UK government has announced plans to introduce policy measures to further support businesses transitioning to UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking. UKCA is a mandatory mark on certain products, for example mobile phones, to indicate that they conform to Great Britain legislation. Businesses have until 1 January 2023 to start using UKCA marking which replaces the CE and reverse epsilon markings now that the UK has left the European Union. The changes presented will make it simpler for businesses to apply new product conformity markings for most products placed on the market in England, Scotland and Wales.

Meet Anna Mackel: New Finance and Operations Manager at the SCC Earlier this year, the Chamber welcomed Anna Mackel to its secretariat, assuming the role as the SCC’s new Finance and Operations Manager. The Link caught up with Anna to get to know more about her background and thoughts about the new role. Anna, tell us a little bit about yourself. I am Swedish, from Lidingö, Stockholm, but I have lived outside of Sweden since 1996, most recently in Hong Kong for 11 years and previous to that in London. My husband is from Canada, and we have two teenage daughters attending boarding school here in the UK. I have worked for the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and in Telecoms and Banking. What is the biggest difference between living and working in London compared to Hong Kong? I think it is similar, working in the international business community. But I must say, I prefer the commute in Hong Kong.

What made you apply for the role as Finance and Operations manager? I saw this job advertised whilst working in Hong Kong and since we have been planning to move back to the UK, I thought it would be a great opportunity and to be able to stay within the Chamber network. What are your favourite things about the UK? I like the outdoors and the weather currently and to be able to walk and cycle everywhere, as well as all the amazing restaurants and cultural events in London.

What is the one thing you miss the most with Sweden? I miss family the most, but the advantage of being in London compared to Hong Kong is that you can easily travel to Sweden to see them. Anna Mackel. Photo: SCC.

What do you look forward to the most with your new role? I look forward to continuing being in the Chamber of Commerce world and working for the UK Chamber and it’s extensive network with exiting events and contacts, as well as the variety in my role.

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 IN OTHER NEWS Got news for us? Email jonas.eklund@scc.org.uk.

IN OTHER NEWS

Electrolux announces management changes SCC patron Electrolux is making several changes in its leadership team, appointing Anna OhlssonLeijon as new Chief Commercial Officer and making her head of the new Commercial & Consumer Journey Organisation. The new organisation will focus on commercial growth and consumer journey development and lead business execution across four business areas. Chris Braam, Head of Sales Business Area Europe, will take over Anna OhlssonLeijon’s current role as Head of Business Area Europe, effective as per 1 July 2022.

The UK could host Eurovision 2023 Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, following Russia’s invasion, it is concluded that Eurovision 2023 cannot safely be hosted by the winning country. As the UK came in second place, with Sam Ryder’s Space Man, they have been offered to host the music competition instead by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Although, it is far from a done deal as Brussels could be planning a competing bid which would be a symbolic gesture of solidarity from the “capital of the EU”.

London is ranked second best tech start-up hub in the world London has been ranked the second best tech startup hub in the world, runner-up to Silicon Valley which is in first place. According to the 2022 Global Ecosystem Report, the capital’s ecosystem holds a value of $314bn, which is treble Berlin’s value of $94 billion and Paris’ $89bn. Also, several UK cities, including Bristol, Birmingham and Belfast were among top emerging ecosystems.

 Sweden and UK strengthen cooperation in life sciences On 27 May, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Sweden and the UK to promote cooperation across healthcare, research, and innovation systems. The MoU was signed in connection to a meeting between Swedish Minister for Education Anna Ekström, the UK’s Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, George Freeman, and Minister for Technology, Innovation and Life Sciences, Lord Kamall. The aim of the MoU is to support the development of a common dynamic and attractive life sciences ecosystem that encourages development and innovation for modern and equitable care in both countries and globally.

Morgan Johansson secures continued support as Minister of Justice

War on Cancer team up with Mindler

Swedish Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Morgan Johansson faced a confidence vote in the Swedish parliament on 7 June, winning continuous support by one vote only. The vote was initiated by the Sweden Democrats following a number of events, including an increase in crime rates in Swedish suburbs. Prior to the vote, Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson had announced that the whole Government would resign if Johansson were to lose the vote, arguing that the unsettlement seen in the parliament could have serious consequences for the NATO-membership negotiations.

SCC members War on Cancer and Mindler are joining forces to help those who are directly or indirectly affected by cancer. Antigone Lanitis, Counselling Psychologist at Mindler, is sharing her best advice with the War on Cancer community, covering how to deal with change during cancer. Additionally, members of War on Cancer are offered a 50% discount on their first Mindler session. War on Cancer is a tech company and community aiming to radically improve the wellbeing of those suffering from cancer. Mindler is a digital healthcare provider offering therapy via video calls.

Essity and UNICEF in Mexico extend successful hygiene partnership SCC patron Essity and UNICEF in Mexico are joining forces to educate and drive awareness regarding the importance of good hand hygiene and break taboos around menstruation. Their project “Hygiene is our right”, was first conducted in 2019 and it still ongoing today, with the aim to highlight the rights of children and young adults in relation to health, education, and gender equality.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

communities, from fund managers to banks, institutional investors and advisory firms, making it a great platform to connect with the Nordic PE ecosystem.

Upcoming events The SCC is one of the most active foreign Chambers in the UK, offering a mix of virtual and in-person roundtables, forums and summits. Learn more and see more events at scc.org.uk/events.

Ecosystem Exchange: Creative Industries & Games

21-22 September | TBC, London The SCC is inviting the most innovative creative tech and games businesses from Sweden to join two half-day sessions. 15 companies will get the opportunity to take part of masterclasses, get key insights in the British market, the different clusters and connect with investors, publishers and British small-medium sized game studios interested in the potential in Sweden and/or collaborating and partnering with Swedish companies, preparing them for their expansion to the UK.

Swedish-British Reception & Dinner

22 August | Fotografiska, Stockholm We are pleased to announce the celebratory and annual Swedish-British Dinner, taking place in Stockholm on 22 August. The dinner is a yearly gathering, bringing together members and friends of the Swedish-British business community, from both sides of the North Sea.

Swedish-British Summit 2022: Outer Thinking

1 December | Nobu Hotel London At the Swedish-British Summit 2022 we look at our joint future ahead, the challenges, and how we can learn from each other. “Outer Thinking” is about 21st century leadership, bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and academics from both Sweden and the United Kingdom, to address the greater trends facing us, from tech to climate change, the future workforce or global trade. Stay tuned for more details on the 2022 edition of the Swedish-British Summit.

Young Professionals: Business Insights with Scandinavian Airlines

Tech Forum 2022

21 September | TBC, London Leading in technology today means taking a visionary lead. Technological development is the architecture of the future, and requires a human-centric approach to fuel creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and dreams. Join us for the Tech Forum 2022: Boosting creativity, and get inspired by leading innovators and creatives in their fields, hear how they propel their teams to succeed in a competitive landscape, and download their ideas on the latest innovation trends and the next big thing in tech from their perspectives.

28 September | Sweden House, London Welcome to an evening with Scandinavian Airlines, SAS. In a post-pandemic world, many are eager to start travelling again, to explore new parts of the world, and immerse themselves into different cultures. In the middle of all excitement, the most important question remains – how do we travel without harming the environment?

Nordic Private Equity Forum 2022

20 October | White & Case, London Join us at the Nordic Private Equity Forum which brings together stakeholders from the Nordic and UK-based asset management

Annual Christmas Luncheon 2022

2 December | The Landmark, London The Swedish Chamber’s Christmas Luncheon has a long history dating back over a century. Today, it is the pinnacle of the business calendar, bringing together business people from across the Swedish-British community and is the largest luncheon of its kind outside of Sweden. The Luncheon will feature a traditional Lucia procession, a grand charity raffle, first-class entertainment, great company, and unique networking opportunities. To make it even better, the Luncheon is followed by an after-party that will keep the festivities going.

21 September | London | Save the date Leading in technology today means taking a visionary lead. Technological development is the architecture of the future, and requires a human-centric approach to fuel creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and dreams. Join us for the Tech Forum 2022: Boosting creativity, and get inspired by leading innovators and creatives in their fields, hear how they propel their teams to succeed in a competitive landscape, and download their ideas on the latest innovation trends and the next big thing in tech from their perspectives.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE

HÉLÈNE BARNEKOW Partner, Ascension Master of Ceremonies

THEO BLACKWELL Chief Digital Officer, Mayor of London’s Office

IDA HANSSON BRUSEWITZ Editor Di Digital, Dagens industri

ALFRED MALMROS Co-Founder, Anyone

KONRAD OLSSON CEO, Editor-in-chief and Founder, Scandinavian Mind

FREDRIK RUNDQVIST CEO, Sharkmob

 Learn more and sign up at scc.org.uk

SPONSORED BY

STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PARTNER 2022

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115th AGM

The SCC strengthens its Board with seven new members at its 115th Annual General Meeting On 9 June, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK held its 115th Annual General Meeting (AGM), welcoming seven new members to its Board of Directors.

THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES WERE ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

BIRGITTA ALBÅGE GOUGH-COOPER Director, Head of Operations at Lazard

JOHAN AURÉN Founder and Managing Director of Accountum

MARIA NORRMAN Global Chief of Staff and President EF Pro Cycling at EF Education First

ALEX MARSH Head of Klarna UK

MALIN SVAHN Director UK Innovation HUB at Saab Technologies UK

SUZANNA TEMPLE-MORRIS VP, Head of Legal at King

DARREN WILSON CEO of LKAB Minerals

VIVEKA HIRDMAN-RYRBERG Head of Corporate Communication & Sustainability at Investor AB

The AGM saw Peter Burman (EF Education First), Mark Florman (Time Partners), Magnus Lewis-Olsson (Saab Technologies), Adam Mitton (King), and Niclas Neglén (Klarna) retire as Members of the Board.

A growing and content community despite unpredictable times: See the highlights from the past year in the SCC’s Annual Report 2021.

“For us at the Swedish Chamber, it is important to represent and be the voice of the whole Swedish-British business community, from startups and SMEs to large corporates across industries and sectors. The elected Board Members are all high-profile business professionals adding more diversity to the already strong profile of the Board, and strengthening our position as the ultimate platform for the Swedish-British business community.” Jan Olsson, Chairman of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

At the AGM, Viveka HirdmanRyrberg was elected Vice Chair of the Board.

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115th AGM

Next generation of young talents welcomed to the SCC Scholarship Programme A new cohort of young talents were welcomed to the SCC Scholarship Programme at the Chamber’s AGM. The scholars are offered the unique opportunity to join the Chamber for a full year in London – the world’s leading financial centre, and Europe’s business capital. The SCC Scholarship Programme has served as a launchpad for many successful alumni careers over several decades. Today, many of its alumni are business leaders at large multi-

national corporates, senior marketing directors, or founders and entrepreneurs. “With the Programme we are creating a win-win situation, for both the business community and these young talents. From CEOs to CFOs, marketing directors and partners at investment firms – the alumni of the programme are everywhere in business today,” says Peter Sandberg, Chief Executive at the SCC. At the official scholarship ceremony for the 2022/23 programme taking place at the AGM

on 9 June, five scholarships were provided to talented and creative young professionals, offering them twelve months’ experience at the Chamber’s secretariat in London. The scholarships have been made possible through partnerships and generous donations from the Elof Hansson Foundation, the Gull & Stellan Ljungberg Foundation, the Scholarship Fund for Swedish Youth Abroad, Sparbanksstiftelsen Finn, and the Sten A. Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture.

MEET THE NEW SCHOLARS

HANNAH CARLSSON Business Services Sten A. Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture I have recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law. My studies reinforced my interest in business, commerce and entrepreneurship and a working year at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK is a terrific opportunity to engage in such a context. I am grateful for this opportunity and confident it will be an educational experience both professionally and personally. I very much look forward to joining the Business Services team and contributing to the important work of the SCC.

ANDREAS TYSK Events and Programmes Sparbanksstiftelsen Finn Scholarship The past three years I have been devoted towards receiving a bachelor degree in Business & Economics at Lund University. In the pursuit of maximising my educational foundation, I have involved myself in different extracurricular activities where I have gained practical skills and built many important relationships. Coming into SCC, I am eager to gain deeper insight in business relations between Sweden and the UK while simultaneously learn more about entrepreneurship and professionalism. Looking forward, I am truly excited to join the Events & Programmes department and continue improving business relations between Sweden and the UK.

LINNEA STRÖM Business Services Elof Hansson Scholarship

AXEL PAULSSON Events and Programmes Scholarship Fund for Swedish Youth Abroad I have recently graduated from Lund University with a BsC in International Business. During the programme, a large emphasis was put on understanding the obstacles attached to entering new foreign markets and international expansions. To utilise everything I have learned at university in a new, more global environment, is an opportunity I consider invaluable. I also made sure to maximise my time at university by becoming involved in the student union. My engagement led me to plan and oversee a multitude of different events hosted with the union’s partner companies. I am truly excited to join the Events and Programmes team in London, and I hope that my previous experiences will help me to contribute with exciting ideas and perspectives.

ANNABEL DAISLEY Marketing and Communications Gull & Stellan Ljungberg Foundation Scholarship I have recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and PR from Karlstad University in Sweden. During my studies, I have grown a more in-depth interest in the ways communication affects people and by creating the right message it can reach beyond what initially was thought. For me, living in London and working with something I am passionate about has been a life-long dream and is finally coming true. I look forward to gaining professional working experiences as well as connecting with new and inspiring people.

SCHOLARSHIP DONORS 2022/23

I recently graduated from the School of Business Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg where I completed my Bachelor in Management. I grew up in a household with a huge interest in entrepreneurship and I am particularly interested in startups and scale ups internationalising into new markets. The first time I heard about the SCC was from a family friend who spent a year at the Chamber and told me it was the most valuable experience of his life. It is with great anticipation and gratitude that I look forward to work at the SCC in London, a big city with endless opportunities, together with a group of very talented people.

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IN OTHER NEWS

 IN OTHER NEWS Got news for us? Email jonas.eklund@scc.org.uk.

SSAB and Alfa Laval to produce first fossil-free heat exchanger SCC patrons SSAB and Alfa Laval join forces to produce the worlds first heat exchanger made of fossil-free steel. The steel production company and heat transfer business both have ambitious goals to decrease their carbon footprints, and the new collaboration is an important step towards exploring new, climate neutral ways to generate heat. “We´re proud to welcome Alfa Laval as a partner and look forward to jointly exploring ways forward to mitigate climate change,” says Martin Lindqvist, President and CEO of SSAB. The first unit will be made with hydrogen-reduced steel and is planned to be ready in 2023.

Atomico invests $11m in PocketLaw SCC member PocketLaw has closed an $11m Series A with SCC member Atomico. The capital injection brings the company’s total amount raised to €14m. It is Atomico’s fourth investment in Sweden, after Klarna, Truecaller and Mapillary. PocketLaw is a provider of an all-in-one business legal solution founded by Olga Beck-Friis and Kira Unger in 2018.

Boris Johnson wins confidence vote On Monday 6 June, Boris Johnson won a confidence vote within the Conservative party, with 211 Tory MPs showing continuous support, compared to 148 voting against. The confidence of the British PM was questioned following a series of events taking place at Downing Street 10 during lockdown, resulting in a number of MPs, including Johnson himself, being fined for breaking restrictions. Having gained the support of a majority of his fellow Tory MPs, Boris Johnson is now immune from another Conservative leadership challenge for the upcoming year.

The SCC Highlights Swedish-British relations in City AM The Swedish-British relationship is one of friendship and trade and has gone from strength to strength over the last few decades, SCC Chief Executive Peter Sandberg wrote earlier this week in City AM. The SwedishBritish “love-in”, and mutual passion for tech, innovation and sustainability is demonstrated by businesses like Skanska, IKEA, Spotify, Klarna and EQT Group, paving the way for a deepened collaboration and exchange.

Securitas staff release charity single to help fight poverty and homelessness SCC Patron Securitas’ members of staff have come together to produce a charity single to help fight poverty and homelessness. Securitas commissioned a songwriter who created the tune, called “Ascending- Song for the Homeless”.The group, constituted by a pianist, two drummers, two rappers and several vocalists, are all members of staff, and spent weeks preparing for the final recording. With the help of the song, Securitas is hoping to raise £12,000 in donations, which will be used to provide food and shelter to individuals and families in need.

Electrolux wins two iF Design awards SCC Patron Electrolux was one of the winners in the prestigious iF Design Awards, receiving prizes for two of their products; the UltimateHome air purifier, and the AEG 8000 Series cordless stick vacuum cleaner. “Our design philosophy puts the consumer at the heart of everything we do and I’m proud of our design teams for creating easy-to-use, sustainable products that improve consumers’ lives in the home,” says Simon Bradford, Electrolux Chief Design Officer.

Sweden holds large opportunities for IPOs As reported by UK legal news outlet The Lawyer, Stockholm presents an ideal investment opportunity for firms with growth ambitions. It remains a nascent market for the international legal community with just six firms from The Lawyer UK 200 and US Top 50, having an outpost in the capital. Last year, Stockholm played host to Europe’s second largest IPO when car manufacturer Volvo was listed. The Lawyer forecasts more IPOs of this scale will go a huge way towards boosting confidence in Sweden’s corporate opportunities.

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IN OTHER NEWS

Repo rates on a 30-year high in Sweden and the UK In Sweden, inflation has risen to its highest level since the 1990s. The Executive Board of the Swedish central bank has decided to raise the repo rent from zero to 0,25% to prevent the inflation of becoming ingrained in price and wage-setting. As the inflation in the UK is set to hit 10% by the autumn, the Bank of England has also decided to raise the repo rate. The British repo rate has now risen to 1.25 - the highest level since 2008.

Funding secured for new Nobel Center in Stockholm In early May, the Nobel Foundation announced a donation of SEK1.2bn from Erling-Persson Foundation and the Knut Wallenberg Foundation to build the Nobel Center. The centre will be a hub for science, culture, and dialouge, and will be located by Slussen in central Stockholm. The Nobel Foundation has also unveiled plans for public activities hosted by the centre, which is set to inspire Stockholm residents, school children, and tourists to participate in creating a better world and solving challenges of the future.

The Swedish government presents household support fund Earlier this spring, The Swedish government proposed a new household support fund of SEK14bn to compensate Swedish households for record high petrol and diesel prices. The fuel tax is temporarily reduced, and car owners will receive a one-off SEK1,000 contribution, announced Mikael Damberg, Minister of Finance. “This is a powerful package of measures in both the short and long term,” said Damberg.

IKEA and H&M to open new store for creatives Atelier100, a unique collaboration between Swedish retail giants and SCC patrons IKEA and H&M, opened its doors in London’s Livat Hammersmith shopping centre on 1 June. Atelier100 is a new so-called “ideas factory” where artists, creatives and small-scale producers can develop products for sale. This is the first joint retail venture between the two and the aim of the collaboration is to find, mentor and promote local designers, who will be able to apply for grants to both develop and sell their products in the store.

Sweden and the UK in mutual security agreement The UK has agreed to a security deal with Sweden and Finland, following the discussion of the two countries’ intention to join Nato. The new agreement states that the UK would come to aid if Sweden or Finland were to be under attack, and was announced at a press conference after the UK PM Boris Johnson travelled to Harpsund to meet Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson. Boris Johnson also said that the new pact would become the foundation of an intensification of a future security and defence relationship.

AstraZeneca CEO receives British knighthood for his services Pascal Soriot, CEO of SCC patron AstraZeneca, has been awarded British knighthood for his services during the global pandemic. The award recognises AstraZeneca’s contribution to UK life sciences in response to COVID-19, and is part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022. During his time as CEO, Patric has led AstraZeneca into a world leading position within science and medicine, quadrupling the share price of the Swedish-British biopharmaceutical business on the London Stock Exchange. AstraZeneca’s vaccine played a key role in the battle against the pandemic, both by protecting risk groups and by preventing the virus from spreading.

Swedish-British trade is on the rise again Trade between Sweden and the UK has recovered to pre-Brexit levels, according to the National Board of Trade Sweden. The Board says that we are now seeing a change in a downward trend that has been ongoing since 2019, with new numbers implying a strong recovery. For example, during the first quarter of 2022, trade between Sweden and the UK raised to higher levels than it did during the same period in 2019. The National Board of Sweden thinks the new trend is partially a result of businesses starting to learn how to initiate trade deals also in the new, post-Brexit context.

Swedish government gains support for 2022 Spring Budget On 19 June, the Swedish government presented its 2022 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill and Spring Amending Budget for 2022. The budget will boost spending by SEK 35 bn and increase Sweden’s crisis preparedness, according to the announcement, and Mikael Damberg, Minister of Finance, emphasized the need to combat the consequences of the pandemic and war in Ukraine, such as rising inflation and increased costs for defence. Following a week of parliamentary unsettlement regarding the budget propositions, the Spring Budget finally won support by a slight majority, with 174 votes against 173.

PRIDE 2022

Come and join us to celebrate love at the Pride parade on the 2nd of July in London. For the first time the Swedish church in London has our own float in the parade. We have up to 50 spaces available and would appreciate your support and participation. As the spaces are limited it’s first come, first served. It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the values of the Swedish church - equal love for all. To book a space please contact Therese: fundraising@swedishchurch.com

W pr he ov n br ide you ing yo jo ra u w in u inb it s ow h a for - t- th an sh e d/ irt pa or a rad Sw nd e ed fee we ish l f w fla ree ill gs to .

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GUEST COLUMN

The death of the CV: Why we have to hire on potential rather than experience The first thing businesses do when looking to hire is to put together a list of experiences, core competencies and hard skills that they want in a new recruit. More often than not, multiple stakeholders will pitch into this process, assembling a wish list that will then be turned into a job ad. At this stage, soft skills are often mentioned. We want ambitious, flexible, idea-generating employees with the right attitude, right? But once posted, these attributes tend to be forgotten. CVs and cover letters are used to check off aspects like experience, past employment, and education. These are compared against the selection criteria, with applicants that tick the most boxes added to a short list. BY: LINNEA BYWALL, HEAD OF PEOPLE AND OPERATIONS AT ALVA LABS

a recruiter. Don’t believe me? Think back to your own graduation. Would you hire all your classmates? On paper, you were the same, but in reality you most likely differed a lot. Although most businesses today know this, the practice continues.

Linnea Bywall, Alva Labs.

Sounds familiar? I am not surprised. This is the traditional hiring process as we know it and it hasn’t changed in decades. But what if I was to tell you that you’re going about it all wrong? And probably wasting your company’s time and money? The truth is that CVs and cover letters tell you very little about whether a new hire will be successful in their new role. At most, it gives the recruiter an idea of what the applicant has done prior to the application, details that are often more dependent on the socioeconomic status of their parents than on their inherent ability. How their place of education and previous work experience will impact future success is really just an assumption by

Let’s leave for the moment the fact that even skillfully crafted job ads might be putting off 50% of applications (studies have shown that men are more likely to apply for jobs they think they could do, whereas women tend to only apply if they have already proven that they can). Complete suitability is almost a red flag; a new job should take you further, force you out of your comfort zone, test you a little. An experienced candidate, hired for a role based on skills they have already mastered, will not be challenged or stretched, and is more likely to move on faster, leaving the company stuck and in the need to hire again. And in today’s fast-moving world, hard skills that a candidate has at the time of recruitment could be obsolete within a couple of years. Not only will CV screening create less accurate hires, this practice also limits your candidate pool. If you demand five years of relevant experience, familiarity with your company’s way of working and preferred tools - how many available candidates will you find? Most likely very few. And without a really strong employer brand, the chances that those will choose to jump ship and join you are slim. The solution then, is to hire on potential rather than experience. If a candidate is to be evaluated on their ability to grow into a new role, it makes no sense to focus on what they have done. Instead we should be looking at what they could do, and

therefore we need to move away from our dependence on CVs and wish lists. With other tools, for example the ones provided by Alva Labs, it is a candidate’s potential for the role that is measured, and recruiters can predict their likelihood for success based on unbiased and objective data (rather than what schools they went to). By measuring a candidate’s suitability, their potential to adapt and develop, and how they might fit into the existing group dynamic, we can provide recruiters with a glimpse of what their future team may look like. Moving away from traditional ways of recruitment will feel frightening for those who are still relying on set hiring criteria and stakeholder wish lists, but businesses need to invest time and resources into finding candidates that are truly compatible with the job role, and who have the ability and the intention to grow and develop with the business. And to do this, we need to leave archaic hiring methods behind us and set our sights firmly on the future.

ABOUT LINNEA BYVALL Linnea Bywall is Head of People at Alva Labs, the digital recruitment company that helps recruiters qualify and compare job candidates using data and psychometric testing. Linnea studied psychology at Lamar University in Texas and Lund University in southern Sweden. A licensed psychologist, Linnea’s experience spans consultancy and organisational development, testing and recruitment. Her work at Alva Labs continues her mission to promote equality and diversity in the job market and workplace.

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New patrons and Members

NEW PATRONS The patronship of the Chamber consists of a core group of member businesses, all committed to the long-term support of the Swedish-British business community. The patrons are advocates for the members of the Chamber and in return, the patronship comes with a range of added benefits, exclusive access and invites, extended networking opportunities.

linklaters Linklaters is a leading global law firm, supporting and investing in the future of its clients wherever they do business. The firm combines legal expertise with a collaborative and innovative approach to help clients navigate constantly evolving markets and regulatory environments, pursuing opportunities and managing risk worldwide.

stirling square capital partners Stirling Square Capital Partners is a private equity firm which invests across Europe in mid-market companies with enterprise values between €50 million and €500 million. Founded in 2002, to help local and national champions transform their businesses into global industry leaders, Stirling Square have assembled a uniquely constructed, experienced and highly motivated team of international principal investors to deliver a truly pan-European strategy focused on the lower end of the mid-market.

white & case White & Case is an international law firm that serves companies, governments and financial institutions. Its long history as a global firm means the firm is uniquely placed to help its clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they are.

NEW members The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK is the ultimate business platform for Swedish and UK businesses, representing some 400 companies from across all sectors and industries, and from start-ups, SMEs, unicorns to large corporations. Membership comes with a suite of benefits for you, your colleagues and your business. If you would like to find out how you can maximise your membership, or to enquire about joining, please do get in touch at membership@scc.org.uk. But first, a warm welcome to our newest members.

Ascension Helping your business compete at a higher level. Leadership, brand and marketing consultancy that adds value from day one. We come from top manager positions in world class organizations and have made it happen again and again. Our no bullshit approach will help you get it right to grow your business.

Barclays Bank sweden Barclays Corporate and Investment Bank provides global corporate, government, and institutional clients with a full spectrum of strategic advisory, financing, and risk management solutions. Barclays Sweden offers the strength and access of this global franchise to Nordic clients and provides global clients with access to the Nordics. Our purpose is to deploy finance responsibly to support people and businesses, acting with empathy and integrity, championing innovation and sustainability.

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cos Inspired by contemporary culture, the London-based fashion brand is known for iconic wardrobe pieces, elevated essentials, and innovative designs that are made to last. Dedicated to quality and sustainability, COS takes a bespoke approach to design, creating unique collections that combine function with timeless style. Experimental design details and material innovation are frequently revisited to include the latest sartorial advances and ensure the considered use of fibers.

Minesto Minesto is a leading marine energy technology company with the mission to minimise the global carbon footprint of the energy industry by enabling plannable commercial power production from the ocean. Minesto’s award winning and patented product, Deep Green, is the only verified marine power plant that operates cost efficiently in areas with low-flow tidal streams and ocean currents.

Skillspark Skillspark unlocks remote/hybrid global talent pools to add to organisation’s distributed IT workforces at a competitive price. Talent gets access to top assignments worldwide at excellent rates. At the heart is our platform - Skillsense. Utilising machine learning, Skillsense is a nonintrusive and secure way to make fully complaint remote work accessible for all. Making skills placeless.

New patrons and Members

doctrin Doctrin is a leading Digital Health solution provide. Born in Sweden, we are now established across the wider Nordics, Czech Republic and UK. We help health and care organisations transform the care experience for their patients and staff, driving significant improvements in efficiency, patient experience and outcomes. Releasing time to care for healthcare organisations and their staff.

Rud pedersen group Founded in Sweden in 2003, Rud Pedersen is today one of Europe’s leading public affairs and strategic communications firms, with over 450 employees in the UK and 12 other countries. Rud Pedersen provides clear advice and practical support for organisations engaged in public discourse, to assist them in achieving their strategic objectives in a complex world.

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“We have a strong brand and a powerful company that has shown it can reinvent itself. Our 75-year history means SAS is truly capable of adapting.”

Anko van der Werff. Photo> Renz Andres.

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anko van der werff President & CEO at Scandinavian Airlines

Two decades in the airline industry has taken him above the clouds and across the globe. Today, as the new CEO of SCC patron SAS, Anko van der Werff has big plans for his next adventure – steering the business in direction net zero. The Link spoke to him about the new project in biofuel and the ambitious role SAS aims to play in turning the travel industry a bit greener. BY: SAGA PALMÉR

“As we gradually exit the pandemic, we want to rebuild a better SAS. SAS aims to be a global leader in sustainable aviation, and we are determined to minimise our carbon emissions.” Born and raised in the Netherlands, Anko van der Werff first got into the aviation industry through a traineeship at the Dutch airline KLM Royal Dutch Airline. The programme became the start of a career that would bring him all around the world. “A friend told me to check out the KLM traineeship programme. It was difficult to get in, but this is where it all started, and ever since, I have been fortunate to travel and develop myself and my career.” Since then, Anko has held leading positions at various airlines and lived in multiple countries, and says that he appreciates each new place in its own way. “I have worked within aviation globally since 2000, starting as Pricing Director at KLM. My latest position before SAS was as President & CEO of Latin American Avianca Holdings, following five years as Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Grupo Aeroméxico. I love to experience different cultures – from fast-paced and five-star focused Qatar, to wonderful Mexico with its open culture, food, and beautiful beaches.”

“SAS aims to be a global leader in sustainable aviation, and we are determined to minimise our carbon emissions.”

Anko now lives in Stockholm with his wife and three children, and a bit more than a year has passed since he was officially appointed new CEO of SAS. Despite the year being heavily affected by the pandemic, Anko remained certain that SAS would find ways to adapt and come out stronger on the other side. “Ever-changing travel restrictions and changes in customer behaviour made it difficult to make plans during that year, but we have a strong brand and a powerful company that has shown it can reinvent itself. Our 75-year history means SAS is truly capable of adapting.” He says that he saw this period as an opportunity for SAS to question old ways and turn into an airline more in line with the demands of the modern passenger, and the green needs of the future. “We realised that we want to rebuild a better SAS, as we gradually exit the pandemic. Reducing climateimpacting carbon emissions and striving to increase the supply and use of sustainable aviation fuels are important components of that ambition.” As part of its quest to create a more sustainable aviation fuel, SAS has teamed up with businesses such as Vattenfall. By combining fossil free electricity and recycled carbon dioxide, the collaboration could lead to a significant decrease in the carbon footprint created by aviation fuels, Anko explains. “In our latest collaboration, where we are joining forces with Vattenfall, Shell and LanzaTech, we will investigate the production of the world’s first synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using the LanzaJetTM ‘Alcohol to Jet’ technology on a large scale in Sweden. Instead of using virgin fossil material in the production process, the synthetic SAF will be produced from fossil free electricity and recycled carbon dioxide from district heating.”

For example, SAS can now offer corporate customers and regulars a so called “Travel Pass Biofuel”, giving them the option to include biofuel in their trips and reduce their climate impact.

“We want to rebuild a better SAS, as we exit the pandemic.” Anko has ambitious plans to make SAS world leading in the green transformation of the air travel industry. Apart from the new project in biofuel, he says that SAS is working hard on finding both long- and short-term solutions, and focusing on several different areas simultaneously. “For the future of aviation, SAS wants to lead the way toward a more sustainable industry. Therefore, we’re working hard to reduce our climate impact and emissions with one of Europe’s most modern fleets, more sustainable aviation fuel and numerous other initiatives on our way toward zero-emission aircraft.” Today, aviation is as important as ever, Anko says. And by finding new, sustainable and innovative ways to transport passengers, he is confident that airlines will continue to decrease borders between people, cultures and ideas for many years to come. “We need aviation to connect businesses, people and cultures in a time-efficient way. Aviation plays a vital role in our societies, providing a foundation for value creation, job security, innovation and development. Traveling also enriches our lives. It’s fantastic to discover new places, experience other cultures and be exposed to new ideas. We can change the world and the world can change us.”

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