Newsletter

Dear Members,
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce Annual Member Survey keeps coming back to our mailbox and we would like to thank all members who, so far, took this opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts about the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Network organization. The answers will be analyzed and used to improve the work of the Chamber and to serve and meet the expectations of the members even better than before! If you have not yet found the time to fill in the Survey you are welcome to do so until November 1, 2011.

With only a few months left of 2011 we still have some very interesting and fun events coming up. Thursday October 27 we are very pleased to be able to welcome more than 50 members and JCC members to a company presentation at Patron member PwC! We are looking forward to meet Mr. Arno Pouw, CFO and Prof. Dr. Jan Willem Velthuijsen, Partner PwC Netherlands to hear about their view on the current economy situation. Maybe, when reading this, you would be interested to organize a company presentation or similar at your company in co-operation with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce? Please feel free to contact us and we are very pleased to discuss the possibilities with you.

Kerstin Gerlagh
General Manager

Up-Coming Events until the end of 2011

Coming up next, Swedish Business in Brabant on November 10, 2011 in co-operation with BOM and Handelsbanken. We are looking forward to meet and get better aquinted with the Swedish Business network in this region together with H.E. Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. Håkan Emsgård.

JCC is visiting the Show by Boom Chicago in Amsterdam together on Saturday Night November 12, 2011!

On November 23, 2011 we have a Branding Seminar & Network Dinner in co-operation with Rotterdam School of Management. We are looking forward to learn more about the importance of Branding and to get inspired by Mr. Stefano Puntoni Marketing Management dept. Assistant Professor and Mrs. Josette de Goede MSc, MCM, Director of Executive Education & Development RSM.

Last but not least Lucia is coming closer!! Time for candles and saffron buns! For all Swedes this is one of the highlights of the year and for our Dutch members the opportunity to share some real Swedish traditions with your business colleagues and best customers! A fantastic traditional Swedish Smörgåsbord with all the Christmas specialties sent by special transport from Sweden exclusively for this event will be served.

Welcome to invite your guests to Hotels van Oranje in Noordwijk to experience a piece of Sweden!

For more information about above events and for registration click here!

Latest Chamber News

On October 5, 2011 The Ambassador of Sweden H.E. Mr. Håkan Emsgård requested the pleasure of the company of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Patrons and Board Members at a Dinner at his residence in the Hague.
Keynote Speaker: Mr. W.A. Bruinshoofd, Head of International Macroeconomic Research, Rabobank

On September 16, 2011, JCC arranged an after work in the De Pijp Area,Amsterdam. Around 20 people, both old and new JCC members as well as guests, made it to a successful event with lots of fun. The tour started at Binnen Buiten with welcome drinks and continued to Kingfisher where wine and bitterballen was served. The tour ended at Het Paartje where a lot of JCC members and guests were seen mingling until late night.

On October 11, 2011 JCC members with friends were gathering at Coco’s Outback Pub to watch the football game between Sweden vs. Holland. There were about 30 JCC Members and Swedish fans supporting and cheering for the Swedish team as they rallied into an impressive win over Holland.

Member News:
SAS offers EXTRA morning flight to Stockholm!
1-day meeting in Stockholm?
Thanks to the extra SAS morning flight at 07.00, it's now easier than ever to travel to/from Stockholm on the same day. Don't forget to book our last flight of the day at 20.40!
Enjoy your meeting!
To read more click here

News from Visit Sweden:
Experience real winter in Sweden!
Get inspired by Visit Sweden about the possibilities to experience a real winter!
Click here to download the latest Newsletter by Visit Sweden!

News from the Swedish Church:
Welcome to the Swedish Christmas Fairs!
12 November, 2011 in Paaskerk, Augustinuspark 1, Amstelveen
18, 19, 20 November Swedish Church, Parklaan 5 Rotterdam
For more information: www.zweedsekerk.nl

News from the Swedish Embassy:
Swedish ambassador to monitor unique European cooperation
A Swedish and a Dutch company are joining forces in the field of camera surveillance.
In the afternoon of October 25, at the Residence of the Swedish ambassador in The Hague, a cooperation agreement was concluded between Dutch company Griffid and Swedish company Embsec. The Dutch company supplies software for security cameras used by the Swedish company. The match came about at the INFOPOL trade fair in Belgium. The network meeting during this fair for police, surveillance and security services equipment was organised by Enterprise Europe Network, in which Syntens actively participates.

Member activities:

October 7, 2011 Spectacular Opening Ice Centre De Scheg in Deventer!

The Sport and Experience Centrum in Deventer inspired by the Swedish and Scandinavian nature and climate offers a complete winter park with a ice skating rink, ArticMoveCamp, play pool, Northern Lights and outdoor bbq. The official opening was conducted by Mr. Heidema, Mayor of Deventer together with H.E. Ambassador of Sweden Mr. Håkan Emsgård and the day after the doors were opened for the public by, among others, ex-skater Erben Wennermars. For more information about De Scheg and how to participate in Skating trips to Sweden: www.descheg.nl

October 14, 2011 Swedish Collection launches book ‘FiftyFifty’

A unique book on special Volvos ánd special trees

Co-authors Hans R. Blokzijl, owner of Bomencentrum Nederland (‘Dutch Tree Center)’and ‘the Green Pavilion’ in Baarn and Carlo Brantsen, chief editor of the Dutch autoglossy CARROS Magazine created with FiftyFifty a unique book in which 50 special Volvo models and 50 rare tree species are described. As they explain: “the one emits CO2, which is absorbed by the other to produce oxygen amongst others”. The brilliant photography is for a large part the work of top photographer Ingmar Timmer.

The book was launched on the 14th October during a lively presentation at the Green Pavilion, attended by over 100 guests, including many prominents in the Swedish and Dutch business community.

To read more: click here

How to order FiftyFifty:

FiftyFifty is published by Swedish Collection, Baarn, The Netherlands.
You are welcome to order the book via the website of Swedish Collection: www.swedishcollection.nl

5% extra discount for Swe-Cham Members!
With a purchase of a minimum of 5 books you can create a ‘personalised book’ with information on your own company or organisation. Swedish Collection offers discounts on the purchase of larger quantities.
On top of that, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce has agreed with the publishers a special discount of 5% for members of the Chamber. To obtain this special discount add the code SCOC in the code box on the order form.

Member Tip:
Mr. Hans Duijn, member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and former Board Member sends us a tip of a hotel well worth visiting in Norrköping situated about 2 hours drive south of Stockholm.

The Lamp Hotel
The Lamp Hotel in Norrköping, owned by Ronny & Lotta Waldauis a fresh, new boutique hotel with a pleasant mix of chic and raw design. The structure is a total makeover of seven originally 17th century buildings. The result is awesome. Well balanced colours in silver and gray in the central areas, a beautiful choice of rooms in ‘gold’, ‘silver’and ‘black’. A nice centrally located restaurant and bar and a unique inhouse dely (specialty: wagyu beef) for fast lunches or snacks.
It seems that there is also a ‘ Dutch connection’ to the hotel. The idea for the name was born because of the oversized lamps in the central area, which are of Dutch origin. Read more

Photo: Ronny and Lotta Waldau and Marjan Duijn (left) in The Lamp

Sweden second most respected country

The 2011 study on country reputations from The Reputation Institute ranks Sweden in second place. We lost the first place from last year to Canada, with a very small margin.

Canada has earned the highest reputation ranking in Reputation Institute’s 2011 Country RepTrak, an annual study measuring the public perceptions of 50 countries around the world. Sweden came in second place, followed by Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand.

The study measures the overall Trust, Esteem, Admiration and Good Feelings the public holds towards these countries, as well as their perceptions across 16 different attributes, including a good quality of life, a safe place to live and a strong attention to their environment. Source and to read more:www.isa.se

News from Sweden.se
Nobel Prize Winner Tranströmer: Poetry, Music and Nature
Tomas Tranströmer has become the first Swede since 1974 to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Now 80 years old, he is widely regarded as one of the most important poets of the modern age, having long been among the favorites for the prize. Click here to read more