Young Patrons Programme 2024

23 January

Seminar 1 - Individual Responsibility & Professional Development

At the seminar, Tom Johnstone CBE, Chair of the Board at Husqvarna Group, Wärtsilä, Combient, and Collegial, alongside Ewa Kuszelewski, Partner at Michaël Berglund Executive Search AB, shared insights on professional advancement, personal growth, and the essence of effective leadership.

We extend our gratitude to our speakers for generously sharing their expertise, and to the team at Michaël Berglund Executive Search AB for hosting us.

A special acknowledgment is also due to the Young Patrons’ whose engaging discussions contributed to the success of the evening. We look forward to reconvening in April for further discussions.

A man in a suit giving a presentation to a group of people in a conference room with a projection screen displaying a PowerPoint slide.
A group of people sitting around a large wooden table in a room with tall windows and grey curtains, engaged in conversation and laughter, with a chandelier overhead.
A woman standing in front of a projection screen during a presentation, with a slide titled 'What is headhunting? Who we are, What we do, Why we do it' visible behind her.

22 April

Seminar 2 - Digitalisation and Transformational Technology

Our Young Patrons gathered for the second part of our 2024 Young Patrons’ Programme, which focused on Digitalisation and Transformational Technology.

Together with Christina Qvarfordt, Head of Knowledge & Learning Europe at Linklaters, Dr. Ian Richardson, Director for Executive Education at Stockholm Business School, Torgny Gunnarsson, Deputy CEO of Combient, and Adam Österman, Relationship Manager and AI Lead at Combient, we discussed the strategic importance of AI and how our future business leaders should embrace, explore and get ahead in the vast opportunities these new technologies offer to their line of businesses.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our speakers for sharing their insights and to the team at Linklaters Sweden for hosting us. Thank you also to our Young Patrons for engaging discussions and a lovely evening.

A woman with blonde hair and glasses is speaking in front of a presentation screen, holding papers in one hand and gesturing with the other.
A man in a dark suit and tie stands in front of a room of seated people as he gives a presentation. A slide with the title 'Digitalisation and Transformational Technology' and multiple company logos is projected on a screen behind him. The room has w
A man giving a presentation on artificial intelligence to an audience in a conference room.
Man giving a presentation in a conference room with a projected slide on a screen.
Two men are presenting at a conference about Combient GenAI initiatives while an audience listens. One man is standing next to a laptop at a podium, and the other stands in front of a slide presentation projected on the wall.
A conference room with people seated at long tables, engaging in discussions, with drinks and plates of food, during a formal meeting or event.
Buffet table with bottles of soda, beer, and wine, along with glasses, stacked plates, and a chocolate cake topped with raspberries.
A woman gives a presentation on digitalization and transformational technology at a conference, with a slide projected behind her. A second woman stands nearby, and an audience of professionals sits at tables watching.

4 September

Seminar 3 - Global Business & Sustainability

We had the pleasure of hosting our third Young Patron Programme seminar of the year, focusing on Global Business and Sustainability.

This time, we were warmly welcomed by our member organisation, Ethos, at their headquarters, where we engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on sustainable business practices. Malin Lindfors Speace, CEO and founder of Ethos, shared valuable insights into the foundations of sustainability and the upcoming European regulation on sustainability reporting, CSRD.

Following this, Annika Ramsköld, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability at our patron member Vattenfall, outlined the significant strides Vattenfall has made towards greater sustainability in recent decades. She also emphasised the critical role of partnerships, collaboration, and ‘walking the talk’ in future-proofing businesses and creating a better world, addressing issues related to the environment, social concerns, and governance.

A woman giving a presentation or speech in a room filled with seated attendees, who are listening attentively, with some taking notes or looking thoughtful.
A woman giving a presentation in a meeting room with a large projection screen. Several attendees are seated around a table, listening. The room has modern decor with a chandelier and artwork on the wall.
A woman in a white sleeveless dress with gray circles giving a presentation on sustainability in Vattenfall, standing next to a projected slide on a wall.
A group of five people sitting on sofas and chairs in a living room, engaged in conversation. There are snacks and drinks on the table, and a large flat-screen TV behind them. The room has framed artwork and plants.

3 October

Seminar 4 - Strategies in Uncertain Times

On 3 October, we held the final seminar of our annual Young Patrons Programme, Strategies in Uncertain Times hosted by Eversheds Sutherland. Michael Bahar, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland and Captain in the US Navy JAG Corps Reserves, delivered an inspiring talk. Bahar, who also served as the negotiation lawyer in US-Taliban peace talks, shared gripping stories from his military career, offering valuable insights into strategy and planning. He stressed the importance of focusing on what you can control, i.e “controlling your three feet”, and highlighted that while plans often fall apart, the process of planning prepares you for various scenarios. He also encouraged the Young Patrons to speak up and ensure respect in interactions, whether with colleagues or adversaries.

Following this, Ian Richardson, Director of Executive Education at Stockholms University, led a session on Strategy in Complex Markets and Uncertain Times. He discussed how organisational flexibility is key to thriving in uncertain times, using Amazon's pandemic response as a case study. In new and uncertain situations, such as a pandemic, businesses are prepared to different extents and respond in different ways. The way you structure your business makes it more or less resilient in uncertain times and the flexibility of your organisation becomes an essential piece in surviving. Our Young Patrons analysed Amazon’s ability to swiftly adapt to shifts in demand and exploit new opportunities which led to great discussions.

Thank you to all the Young Patrons for participating this year, and a special thank you to our speakers, Michael Bahar, Ian Richardson, as well as our host Eversheds Sutherland!

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Business meeting or conference with attendees in formal attire, watching a video presentation on a large screen in a modern conference room.
A man in a suit giving a presentation in front of a large screen displaying a list titled '12 Megatrends' with various icons and labels such as gender shift, knowledge culture, sustainability, connectivity, neo-ecology, globalization, urbanization, m
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27-28 November

YPP: Swedish British Summit 2024 in London

Members of the BSCC Young Patrons Programme had the privilege of attending the British Swedish Summit 2024 in London. This summit offered a thought-provoking and contemporary exploration of leadership, bringing together an inspiring assembly of business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians, and academics from both Sweden and the UK. Our gratitude goes to the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK, along with Fredrik Warneryd and team, for welcoming us.

Taking advantage of our time in London, we also explored some of the city’s leading corporations, delving into their work and respective industries. The day commenced at SEB, where we were warmly hosted by Anders Engstrand. SEB provided us with a fascinating glimpse into how they established themselves in the UK market, the importance of relationships as well as the trends and opportunities they see.

Our next stop was Houses of Parliament, where Dr. Ben Spencer MP hosted us. A comprehensive tour of the Houses of Parliament, including Westminster and St Stephen’s Hall, provided some insights on the intricate parliamentary processes in the UK. The tour was followed by a sit down with Dr. Spencer where we discussed the differences between the parliament processes in Sweden and the UK, what collaboration opportunities there are between the two, as well as the challenges we both face.

The day concluded with a visit to the Saab office where we were generously hosted by Andrew Walton and Malin Svahn. Engaging discussions unfolded around Saabs market position in today’s current geopolitical state, as well as what challenges and opportunities they see in the future.

Our sincerest thank you to all who hosted us, contributing to the success of this memorable trip. A very special appreciation goes to the Young Patrons for their great contributions throughout this year’s programme and not least during the London trip. It’s been a privilege to learn more about your industries and perspectives on the complex challenges of contemporary business.

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A man in a suit giving a presentation to a group of professionally dressed people seated around a conference table in a modern meeting room.
A business meeting in a conference room with five people seated at a table, a presenter speaking, a large screen displaying a presentation about the United Kingdom, and a window showing a historic building outside.
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