Danske Invest Day 2011- an astronomical success!

There was a tangible sense of anticipation when, at 5 pm sharp, the countdown ended and both the programme on the ground and the live broadcast over the Internet were launched to ringing applause from a packed auditorium.

Danske Invest’s main event in Sweden lifted off in Stockholm on the evening of 5 December, with more than 600 people making their way to the Hotel Rival to take part in Danske Invest Day 2011.

A mix of serious and more light-hearted discussion of the economy
The evening brought a healthy mix of serious and more light-hearted discussion of the economy, both in Sweden and abroad. Economics journalist Mia Odabas acted as moderator, together with her sidekick for the evening, celebrity antiques expert Peder Lamm, and took guests on a guided tour of the domestic and global economies – a tour that would even take them into outer space.

A lot of psycology drives the Swedish economy
It was Bo Lundgren, director general of the Swedish National Debt Office, who started things off once Danske Invest CEO André Vatsgar had bid everyone welcome. Lundgren argued that there is a lot of psychology driving the Swedish economy, but that it is fundamentally sound. He predicted that growth will be limited next year, but that the country will still have low levels of debt.

Professor Harry Flam from Stockholm University continued by giving the audience a “lecture” on debt and its impact on all of the world’s economies.

Panel debate
The bar was then raised even higher with an interesting panel debate, in which Danske Invest fund manager Ulric Grönvall and Danske Bank equity strategist Henrik Moberg took part.

“It was fantastic to be part of such a successful event,” says Moberg. “Quite a few people came up to me spontaneously during the break to thank us for such an enjoyable evening, which was great to hear.”

Swedens first austronaut shared his experience 
Topping this year’s stellar line-up of speakers was Christer Fuglesang, who regaled the audience with tales of his time in space as Sweden’s very first astronaut, before the programme concluded with a multidisciplinary look at Russia from three very different angles – economics, art and research – courtesy of Christer Fuglesang, Peder Lamm and Måns Beckman, manager of the Danske Invest Russia fund.

André Vatsgar rounded off the evening by thanking the audience and guest speakers for their time and interest. Many guests chose to stay on to put questions to the various speakers. “It was a most enjoyable and rewarding evening,” says Vatsgar, “and will doubtless not be the last.”

Written by Anna Annermalm