On January 22nd, the British-Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Edrington Sweden welcomed members to a special whisky-tasting event celebrating the 200th anniversary of The Macallan that took place in 2024. During the evening, Jonas Gram, Brand Ambassador of The Macallan, spoke about the history of the unique whisky-making process, allowing guests to discover the distinct flavours created using sherry oak casks—a hallmark of their single malt whiskies.

Throughout the evening, we had the privilege of trying six iconic Macallan whiskies, including two limited editions. We also learned about their renowned 1926 edition, the most valuable bottle of whiskey in the world. Their oldest bottled edition is 84 years old, another example of astonishing rarity and value.

We extend our sincerest gratitude to Edrington Sweden for hosting this memorable evening and allowing us to continue learning about the exceptional world of The Macallan whisky. A special thank you as well to all attending members for making the event such a delightful occasion.

On 16 January, we had the pleasure of listening to Tom Standage, Deputy Editor of The Economist, and Editor of the World Ahead and Scott Livingstone, International Advisor, NatWest talk about the world ahead.

Tom Standage gave his predictions for the World Ahead 2025 where he explored major global themes, focusing on political shifts, economic challenges and uncertainties. Moreover, he discussed Donald Trump’s influence on international diplomacy, alliances, and trade policies, including tariffs that disrupt global markets. China’s clean-tech initiatives and emission reporting were highlighted as key factors in addressing climate change. Tom also addressed economic trends such as declining inflation and interest rates, alongside the challenges governments face in balancing growth and trade. He also spoke about the slow adoption of AI, despite significant investments, the aging of world leaders and disruptions in travel due to conflicts and overtourism. His message throughout the presentation was how 2025 will be a year shaped by high expectations and unexpected developments.

Scott Livingstone followed suit by applying his extensive knowledge in geopolitics and raised his top 6 difficult questions for 2025. He raised questions regarding the regime in Iran; a normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel; the security challenges facing Europe; China’s economic pressures and a possible uptick in Jihadi terrorism.

We would like to thank our speakers for their valuable insights and for fostering a meaningful discussion as we consider the world ahead. We would also like to thank everyone who attended and our collaboration partners NatWest and Nordisk Renting, who made this event possible.

On 27 November, we had the pleasure of welcoming our Patron Members to the Platinum Jubilee Patrons’ Dinner, in the presence of H.E. Samantha Job, British Ambassador to Sweden, hosted by SEB at Villa Täcka Udden.

The event featured Peter Wallenberg Jr, Chair of KAW Foundation, as our host and speaker. We would like to extend many thanks to Peter for sharing valuable insights to our Patrons.

The evening also featured a raffle to where four lucky winners were driven home in a Polestar car.

We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to our Patron members. Your wealth of knowledge and unwavering support serves as the cornerstone of our network, enriching the collaborative spirit that defines our community.

Last but certainly not least, we express our gratitude to SEB and the Wallenberg family for their warm hospitality and generosity in hosting this memorable event.

Follow the link to learn more about the BSCC Patron Membership.

On November 14, the BSCC had the pleasure of welcoming members to the third event on Legal AI, Artificial Intelligence in Practice. Together with Johanna Bergman, Director of Strategic Development at AI Sweden, Magnus Nydén, Executive Director at AstraZeneca, Parthasarathy A, Head of Automation & AI Products at Ericsson, Alexander Hübel, CRO/CPO/CSO Turbotic, Nasser Ali Khasawneh, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland’s office in the U.A.E. and the Global Head of AI, Sara Malmgren, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland and Torbjörn Lindmark, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland we discussed how AI can be implemented in practice, its potential solution, as well as the risks and challenges you need to be aware of.  

The event featured an introductory keynote presentation by Nasser Ali Khasawneh which focused on the building blocks of AI, its usages and AI regulations. AI will heavily influence the way most people perform their jobs as some studies predict that two thirds of all professions will be at least partly automated in the future. The opportunities for value creation are massive and regulators are already attempting to mitigate the potential risks with legislation such as the EU AI act. Nasser assured that even though AI can help offload a lot of work at many companies, they will always need the oversight and guidance of humans.  

Our panel expertly moderated by Johanna then continued the discussion on how AI has already begun to form new ways of operating for the experts’ respective companies. Parthasarathy emphasized the importance of proper training and an understanding of the tool. He mentioned that Ericsson have introduced an “AI driver’s license” across the company – which has helped them improve in the adoption of AI. Alexander talked about AI from the perspective of a startup, what his company brings to clients and stated that the topic of AI in many cases is a battle of innovation versus regulation – and that Europe because regulations is falling a bit behind the rest of the world. Magnus talked about AI from a pharmaceutical perspective and how AI regulations are not a major hindrance for an already so regulated sector as the one AstraZeneca is functioning in. Sara Malmgren and Torbjörn Lindmark both talked about the importance of tech and legal working together and how many legal problems can be solved by technical solutions. They also emphasised that for successful use of AI, it is essential to have a structured process from the beginning.  

We want to express our gratitude to all the speakers for sharing their expertise and insights on these issues. We would also like to extend our thanks to the team at Eversheds Sutherland for hosting a lovely evening. And, as always, thank you to all our attendees for your interesting questions and contributions to thoughtful discussions.

On 11 November, we had the pleasure of listening to Patrick Pearsall and Joann Spadiagm discuss the implications of the U.S. election during a lunch event in collaboration with NatWest and Nordisk Renting.

Joann, strategist from NatWest, set the tone of the lunch while discussion the financial perspective of the outcome of the US election. She mentioned tax cuts, tariffs, inflation and she predicted a damping impact on the global economy.

Patrick, partner at A&O Shearman, followed by discussing the geopolitical perspective of the election. He talked about the shift in the US public opinion which has contributed to Trump being able to capture all key swing states as well as the popular vote. With a supportive cabinet, a probable congressional majority, and no need to seek re-election, Trump may have more room to shape policy in his second term.

For the UK, Sweden, and other nations, the economic impact is likely to centre on trade and tariffs. Patrick notes that Trump’s administration aims to achieve trade surpluses with allied nations and may impose tariffs on key exports from countries like the Nordics. For example, Denmark’s pharmaceuticals, Norway’s refined petroleum, and Sweden’s cars, vaccines, and sawn wood could face new tariffs. He also stated that Trump’s approach to Chinese goods, already highly tariffed, could drive inflation further, affecting the U.S. and global economy. This may prompt cheap Chinese goods to seek alternative markets, something countries outside the US may need to prepare for. Patrick also recommends caution for companies with supply chains tied to China.

Trump’s approach to foreign policy could also be transformative. Patrick notes that while Trump has indicated he may not directly intervene if China were to act against Taiwan, he has suggested imposing tariffs as high as 200%, effectively setting a “price” on Taiwan for China to consider. Patrick also anticipates that Trump will likely move toward ending the conflict in Ukraine but possibly in ways that might not benefit Europe. He predicts a potential deal that could involve ceding Donbass and Crimea to Russia and guaranteeing Ukraine will not join NATO, leaving open questions about Ukraine’s stability and the broader regional impact after a deal with Putin.

We would like to thank our speakers for their valuable insights, and for fostering a meaningful discussion as we consider the future implications of a new Trump administration. We would also like to thank everyone who attended and our collaboration partners, NatWest and Nordisk Renting, who made this event possible.

On 24 October, we had the pleasure of hosting an insightful event on Strengthening Your Corporate Brand in Uncertain Times together with Groth & Co. We had the pleasure of hearing from three excellent speakers: Carl Wendt and Anton Persson from Groth & Co, along with our UK guest, Nathan Chambers from Forresters-IP. The event focused on intellectual property rights and brand protection, addressing key issues such as trademark risks, counterfeits, and brand degeneration. With the rise of challenges like geopolitics, pandemics, social media and technology, brand protection is becoming increasingly critical. During the event, our speakers shared fascinating insights into how specific events such as Brexit, COVID-19, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has impacted various brands and disrupted the trademark market.  

By understanding these case studies, brands can better anticipate and mitigate risks related to trademark integrity and adapt their brand protection strategies. Effective strategies to defend valuable brands include registering and maintaining trademarks, preventing degeneration, educating stakeholders, monitoring the market and taking action against counterfeits and unfair competitors. A warm thank you to everyone who attended, our excellent speakers and to Groth & Co for hosting us.

Yesterday, on 1 October, we had the pleasure of inviting our members to a panel discussion on Business Challenges and Sustainable Opportunities hosted by DLA Piper. The seminar focused on the significant changes, challenges and opportunities of the world of business and sustainability emerging from evolving ESG regulations. We had the privilege of listening to three experts in the field, Malin Speace – CEO and founder of Ethos , Claes Bergström – Director Public Affairs & Sustainability at Stena AB and Catharina Belfrage Sahlstrand – Chief Sustainability & Climate Officer at Handelsbanken. The panel was expertly moderated by Marianne Ramel – Partner at DLA Piper.

Malin highlighted how different regions are approaching sustainability: the EU is pushing sustainability through regulatory frameworks like the CSRD, while the US focuses more on incentives to encourage companies to seize sustainable opportunities. The UK is in a middle ground, balancing both approaches. Key themes included the importance of transparency in corporate practices, understanding the value chain and addressing biodiversity and labour issues as part of a company’s sustainable strategy. The main obstacles that a lot of companies struggle with right now are lack of general knowledge about sustainability work, not knowing where to start and the difficulty of mapping your value chain.

Catharina emphasised the importance of embedding sustainability into the business model, particularly in the financial sector, where indirect (Scope 3) emissions dominate. Handelsbanken’s strategy includes green lending and aligning sustainable finance with low-risk investments. She advised companies to engage stakeholders, move quickly, and adapt to obstacles along the way. A major challenge for financial institutions is making sustainable finance accessible to smaller businesses, while the next big focuses include biodiversity loss and the role of AI in sustainability.

Claes discussed how companies now must do more than simply produce goods – they must also contribute to making the world a better place. He stressed that aligning financial and sustainability goals is essential for all companies across industries. Collaboration with stakeholders and energy providers is critical for success in the green transition in his fields. However, he warned against moving too quickly without considering market realities. Claes noted that for sustainability to thrive, profitability must also increase, emphasising that regulations and political ambitions need to support business competitiveness.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this event and a special thank you to the speakers for an intriguing discussion and to DLA Piper for hosting us.

On Monday, 23 September, we had the pleasure of hosting our highly anticipated Industry Focus event, which was generously sponsored by Handelsbanken. The event featured an insightful talk from Michael Green, the President and CEO of Handelsbanken, who shared his vision for the future of the bank. With approximately 40 members from the BSCC community in attendance, the event provided an excellent opportunity for networking and learning more about the bank’s operations and strategic direction.

Michael Green captivated the audience by taking them through the rich history of Handelsbanken, explaining how the bank has evolved over the years and highlighting the core principles that have driven its success. He delved into the key factors that he believes are essential for achieving the bank’s long-term business goals and discussed how Handelsbanken plans to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing financial landscape. His presentation was both informative and thought-provoking, offering valuable insights into the financial sector and the company’s forward-looking strategies.

The lunch event was rounded off with an engaging Q&A session, where attendees had the opportunity to ask Michael Green a range of questions on topics such as the challenges and opportunities in banking, digital transformation, sustainability, and more. The conversation was lively and offered an enriching exchange of ideas, allowing participants to gain deeper knowledge of Handelsbanken’s approach to business and its commitment to innovation.

We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to all the attendees for their participation and to Handelsbanken for their generous support in hosting this event. We truly appreciate the valuable insights shared and look forward to future collaborations.

THE BSCC PLATINUM JUBILEE

On Monday 2 September, we had the distinct pleasure of welcoming 200 of our most esteemed members, patrons and guests to Grand Hotel in Stockholm for the Chamber’s 70th Platinum Jubilee event. We were deeply honoured by the presence of our guest of honour, His Royal Highness Prince Daniel.

The event commenced with a warm welcome from our Secretary General, Christina Liljeström, followed by a keynote address by Mr. Tom Standage, who provided insightful predictions on future trends and the challenges awaiting us in 2025.

Our first panel delved into the crucial topics of Sustainable Trade and the Green Transition, featuring a distinguished lineup of speakers: Lord Alok Sharma, Anna Borg, and Tom Erixon. The discussion was expertly moderated by Tom Standage. The second panel focused on Science and Innovation, with valuable contributions from Peter Sarlin and Allaine Cerwonka, moderated by Aurore Belfrage. The final panel addressed Defence and Security, featuring insights from Armida van Rij, Joakim Paasikivi, and Magnus Schöldtz, under the moderation of Christian Hedelin.

Following these engaging and thought-provoking sessions, the luncheon in Spegelsalen offered a platform for three distinguished speakers.

Minister Johan Forssell highlighted the significance of trade and the robust relationship between Britain and Sweden, while Jacob Wallenberg reflected on the Chamber’s rich history and the future of trade. Finally, Chris Barton CMG engaged in a fireside chat with Magdalena Gerger, exploring the essentials of trade and what makes the British-Swedish relationship so exceptional.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our speakers and moderators for their invaluable contributions.

We are also deeply grateful to our collaboration partners and table sponsors for making this memorable day possible and offer our sincerest gratitude to everyone who attended the Jubilee and celebrated this milestone with us.