Magnus Olsson, H&M and Björn Savén, IK Investment Partners elected new Council Members at the 104th Annual General Meeting of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

“The United Kingdom is a very important market to H&M so naturally Anglo-Swedish relationships are close at heart to us”, says Magnus Olsson, General Manager at H&M in the UK and Ireland. H&M is today one of the largest Swedish employers in the UK.

 “I am delighted to take up this new role as Council Member and look forward to working with its members to further develop the excellent services of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK”, says Björn Savén. IK Investment Partners was founded in London in 1989.

Björn Savén and Magnus Olsson’s names was brought forward by the Chamber’s Nomination Committee and endorsed by the AGM.

“To be able to include such distinguished businessmen in the Council is a privilege.  I sincerely look forward to working closer with both Björn Savén and Magnus Olsson, as part of the Council, over the coming year”, says Paul von der Heyde, Chairman, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK.

Björn Savén and Magnus Olsson fill the open positions in the Council following Karl-Johan Persson, H&M and Sir John Grant, KCMG, stepping down.

The AGM included the presentation of the Chamber’s Annual Review. “We conclude a successful year at this year’s AGM”, says Annika Wahlberg, Managing Director, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK. “Our aim is to provide members with opportunities to network, to exchange ideas and knowledge between businesses and the two countries, and to promote Anglo-Swedish business. During the past twelve months we have managed to put on 70 events, which is probably more than any other foreign Chamber in the UK and other Swedish Chamber’s abroad.”

The Secretariat has been working with its “Strategy for Growth”, initiated in 2010, focussing on the strategic recruitment of large Swedish industrial, financial and holding companies. “We are looking at strategic recruitment and decided to focus on the larger businesses initially, followed by a specific focus on entrepreneurs.” The strategy was successful over the previous twelve months, of all members recruited 30% were large-sized businesses (up from 22% the year before). Total number of members dropped slightly (-1,3%), mainly because of difficult retention following the recession, but recruitment compensated for most of it. “We can see a dip in resignations in 2011 and forecast continued growth over the coming years”, Annika Wahlberg concludes.

The Members' Luncheon following the AGM also included the presentation of this year's Investor Scholarship to Helena Lindahl by Dr Beatrice Engström-Bondy, Investor AB as well as a keynote speech by Mats Granryd, CEO & President, Tele2.

Contact
Peter Sandberg, Communications Manager
Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK
Sweden House
5 Upper Montagu Street
London W1H 2AG
United Kingdom
Tel 020 7224 8001
Fax 020 7224 8884
Email sandberg@scc.org.uk 
Web www.scc.org.uk