On Wednesday 10 May H.E. Ms. Judith Gough, British Ambassador to Sweden and the BSCC welcomed members to the Chamber’s AGM. We were delighted to welcome Tobias Billström, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden as guest of honour and speaker. Tobias Billström addressed current priorities and underscored the importance of strong and close partnerships. Joined on stage by H.E. Ms. Judith Gough, both highlighted the historically rooted and close partnership between Sweden ...
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The Coronation Weekend The Coronation of The King and The Queen was conducted at Westminster Abbey on Saturday (6th May). The service incorporated longstanding traditions and pageantry with forward-looking adjustments in front of 2,300 guests. Over 100 heads of state were in attendance for Europe’s only royal family who continue to host coronations. Over 7,000 troops and 19 military bands were involved in the procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. ...
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Aberdeen’s Net Zero Port The Port of Aberdeen, established in 1136, is investing £55m to become the UK’s first net zero port by 2040. Specifically, the port is targeting net zero emissions from the port’s operations and from vessels visiting the port. The initiative will work to promote low carbon alternative fuels through trials of vegetable oil fuels for port-owned vehicles. The Port of Aberdeen’s CEO described the “pivotal role in the ...
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On 18 April, the BSCC had the pleasure of organising an industry focus event with Saab’s CEO Micael Johansson, at their offices in Stockholm. After discussing Saab’s commitment to protecting societies and openness, Mr. Johansson laid out his strategy of a more focussed product offering and talked about SAAB’s core areas – aeronautics, sensors, and submarines. The presentation then moved on to the importance of managing talent, and the challenge of retaining ...
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UK Economy Above Pre-Pandemic Levels Revised figures for January now reveal that UK GDP is 0.3% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. New data also suggests an increased likelihood that growth outpaced forecasts in the first three months of 2023. Last month, the fiscal watchdog warned that Q1 of 2023 would show a 0.4% contraction but this appears to have failed to materialise. Economists labelled this an “accomplishment” but the recovery ...
Read MoreGlen is President of the Husqvarna Division. Since joining Husqvarna in 2002, Glen has held various positions including Vice President Global Sales & Services, Husqvarna Division 2016–2018, VP & CFO Husqvarna Division 2014–2017 and VP & CFO EMEA, 2013– 2014. The autumn seems a long way off right now with a lot of immediate uncertainty around the general macro pressures, energy prices, cost of living crisis, as well as the terrible ...
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UK Retail The number of shoppers visiting stores at the weekend increased 9.7% in March compared to the previous year, according to the British Retail Consortium. However, this still remains 10.2% below pre-pandemic levels which has been attributed to the rise in online shopping and the “challenging economic environment”. The change in working patterns, with the rise in hybrid working, is partially responsible for a disproportionate increase in weekend shopping. Total UK ...
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On Wednesday 5 April, the BSCC had the pleasure of hosting a financial outlook with Handelsbanken at their office in Stockholm. The economic and real estate outlook was given by Johan Löf, Head of Forecasting and Senior Economist at Handelsbanken. Prior to joining Handelsbanken, Johan worked at both the Riksbank and the Ministry of Finance. The event focused on the current macroeconomic situation as well as the real estate markets of ...
Read MoreErik is an Adjunct Professor at the Stockholm School of Economics and an active member of the Chamber. He is an experienced lawyer and works at the Legal Services department of KPMG Sweden. The conditions for international trade and investment are facing considerable changes. The EU’s focus on strategic autonomy, Brexit, serious security concerns in Europe and rising tensions between the US and China are among the challenges that generate significant ...
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UK Commercial Property Dealmaking Rises In the first quarter of 2023, investors pumped £6bn into UK office, retail and industrial buildings following record lows in Q4 of 2022. However, dealmaking is still equal to around half of its 10 year average- partially as a result of central London property declining in value and the cost of debt rising. 2023 has already seen several large deals such as Deutsche Bank’s Winchester House ...
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