​Stockholm and Copenhagen dominate global listed companies’ location of regional headquarters in the Nordic region

Today the report “Global companies with offices in the Nordic region” is presented. The report shows the location of large multinational companies’ global and regional head offices in the Nordic region.

Among Forbes global 2000 listed companies that have established regional headquarters (RHQs) in the Nordic countries, the report shows that two-thirds of them choose either Stockholm or Copenhagen to locate their RHQs.

Stockholm (Stockholm-Mälardalen region) dominates with 51 percent of these offices followed by the Danish-Swedish region Greater Copenhagen (the Öresund region) with 24 percent share, of which Copenhagen accounts for 16 percent, Greater Malmö 4 percent and Helsingborg 2 percent.

The report, which has been compiled by Stockholm Business Region in cooperation with the Øresund Institute, is based on the analysis of Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's 2,000 largest listed global companies.

- We are delighted that so many global companies choose to establish their regional headquarters in Stockholm. But even if Stockholm is attractive from both a Nordic and a global perspective, we must not be complacent because the competition is tough says Olle Zetterberg, CEO of Stockholm Business Region.

- The trend towards global companies that see the Northern Europe as a region makes geographical location of the Greater Copenhagen (the Öresund region) increasingly strategic, not least considering the upcoming construction of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel that will result in about the same travel time to Hamburg as to Gothenburg says Johan Wessman, CEO of the Øresund Institute.

Among the global companies that have established themselves in the Nordic countries, the report shows that:

• Stockholm region dominates with 51 percent of the regional head offices in the Nordic region, including 50 percent in Stockholm. Danish-Swedish Greater Copenhagen region's share is 24 percent, of which Copenhagen accounts for 16 percent, Greater Malmö for 4 percent and Helsingborg for 2 percent.
• Regarding regional headquarters Stockholm dominates in all industry sectors, but to different degree. Copenhagen has a strong position in business with a focus on consumer products and health care.
• The Nordic capitals, to an increasing degree, compete with cities like Hamburg, Berlin and Amsterdam, as more companies tend to establish Northern European headquarters, rather than Nordic.
• The Nordic countries have a challenge to attract more Chinese companies to establish regional headquarters. Only 2 percent of the growing number of Chinese companies on the Forbes 2000 list have established a regional headquarters in the Nordic region compared with 24 percent of companies have established themselves in Europe as a whole.
• Stockholm, as the only Nordic city, takes place as number 10 on the list of cities with the most global headquarters (corporate offices). The list is topped by Tokyo, London and Hong Kong. Helsinki is number 29, Copenhagen 59 and Oslo 60.

For more information:
Olle Zetterberg, CEO Stockholm Business Region +46 70 472 80 10
Johan Wessman, CEO Øresundsinstituttet, +46 702 52 32 41