Member magazine for the Swedish Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong and China issue 3 • 2017
6 Mats Harborn A level playing field is in China’s own interests 16 Curt Bergström A new way to learn to speak Chinese
Today’s desires: Luxury brands and going abroad Many middle-aged people in China have prospered due to China’s rapid economic development and they are now reaping the fruits to go abroad and buy luxury brands. No.032 017 Publisher CONTENTS The Swedish Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong and China For advertising inquiries, please contact 4 Editorial 06 respective chamber’s office The opinions expressed in articles in Dragon News are those of the authors and do not necessarily 6 Opinion: Mats Harborn reflect the views of the publisher. 8 Focus story: Editorial management, design and printing Bamboo Business Communications Ltd Today’s desires: Luxury brands and Tel: +852 2838 4553 going abroad www.bambooinasia.com [email protected] 16 Executive talk: Curt Bergström Art director: Johnny Chan Designer: Victor Dai 16 English editor: Chris Taylor 18 Feature: Martin Vercouter
Cover: iStock 20 Young Professional interview: INQUIRIES Jesper Lindquist Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Room 2503, 25/F, BEA Harbour View Centre 56, Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong 24 This is Sweden: Moose hunt Tel: +852 2525 0349 Email: [email protected] 26 Chamber activities in Hong Kong Web: www.swedcham.com.hk General Manager: Eva Karlberg 18 Event Manager: Daniel Hartman 28 Chamber activities in Beijing Finance Manager: Anna Mackel 30 Chamber activities in Shanghai INQUIRIES Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China Room 313, Radisson Blu Hotel 32 Team Sweden: 6A, East Beisanhuan Road, Chaoyang District Ten years of Sino-Swedish CSR Beijing 100028, People’s Republic of China Tel: +86 10 5922 3388, ext 313 cooperation Email: [email protected] Web: www.swedishchamber.com.cn 33 Chamber news General Manager: Martin Vercouter 20 Office Manager: Erika Staffas Lindberg Communication Manager: Jaycee Yang 34 New members
Shanghai contact The Executive Center, Level 5, No 159 Madang 36 The chamber and I: Road, North Block, Huangpu District, Shanghai Favourite Chinese or Swedish food People’s Republic of China Office Manager Shanghai: Marianne Westerback 38 Directors and committee members Tel: +86 21 6135 7229 Mobile: +86 1368 179 7675 Email: [email protected]
ADVERTISERS Thank you!
APC page 35, Asia Perspective page 13, Bamboo page 23, Ericsson page 25 APC Logistics Four Seasons page 31, Handelsbanken page 40, Hellström page 37 for your immense generosity shipping and distributing Dragon News in China, Hong Kong, Asia and Sweden. Iggesund Paperboard page 27, IKEA page 15, Kinnarps page 39 Mannheimer Swartling page 21, Radisson Blu page 37, SEB page 5 Iggesund Paperboard Sino-Sweden Production Technology Center page 2, Swedbank page 29 for being the proud sponsor for the paperboard cover sheet of Dragon News magazine. Cover printed on Invercote® Creato 220gsm.
The Swedish Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong and China
DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 3 EDITORIAL
Kristian Odebjer Lars-Åke Severin Chairman Chairman Swedish Chamber of Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Commerce in China
From sewing machines to luxury bags
Dear Reader, a large group of people, mainly living in the has been made in some markets (notably countryside, who are still waiting for the next pharmaceuticals), overall the pace has been Quick, can you name the “Four Big Things” wave of development to lift them into solid much too slow. In some industries, like desired by households in Mao-era China? In middle-class territory. In order for this wave to automotive and food products, China has this issue of Dragon News you will be served arrive, China cannot afford to slow the pace moved backwards, introducing rules that have an expose of Chinese consumer culture of economic reform. had the effect of significantly limiting market spanning seven decades, moving China, access for foreign companies. literally, from the sewing machine to the Louis As we ask ourselves what is next for It is our belief that a lop-sided playing Vuitton handbag. Chinese consumers, we may draw a parallel field will hurt not only foreign businesses, Chinese “midlife” consumers represent to the increasingly mature and sophisticated but also and even more so Chinese businesses a socio-economic group within which overall Chinese economy. With maturity and households. Fair competition leads many have benefited immensely from comes responsibility to respect rules and to innovation, which in turn generates China’s economic growth. They have grown commitments made. Unfortunately, China efficiencies and increased wealth. China has prosperous from a combination of private has been slow to implement its commitments no real choice but to move in the direction entrepreneurship and by investing in the towards economic reform and a level playing of further and deeper economic reforms in property market. They take it for granted that field for all market participants, domestic as coming years; or it simply will not be able to in every avenue of life they will be given a well as foreign (see also article by Mats Harborn build the type of sustainable and prosperous choice to pick whichever product or service on page 6). society its citizens desire. that fits their individual preferences. As pointed out in the 2017/18 Position In addition to being largely well off, this Paper released in September by the European Our chambers have a responsibility, group is also tech-savvy. Take for example Union Chamber of Commerce in China, the as representatives of the international business the area of digital payments. Mainland government has so far failed to fulfil its own community, to take a clear stand in favour of Chinese consumers who have replaced bills promises to grant the market a more decisive continued economic reform in China. Not and coins with Alipay and WeChat en masse role in the economy. Clear and authoritative only would such a development be beneficial are arguably more sophisticated in their statements to this effect were made at the to our members; it would also expand and purchasing behaviour than many European Third Plenum of the 18th Party Congress in improve the offering of products and services countries (let alone Hongkongers, who remain 2013, and have been repeated this year in available to Chinese consumers. And if there attached to cash and cheques). an important State Council pronouncement is anything Chinese consumers are craving, it In this issue, we tell the story of how (“State Council Document No 5”), as well is the widest possible choice. interests and attitudes of Chinese people have as in major speeches given by President Xi And to answer the question we started developed with increased wealth. Here, we Jinping. with: The four symbols of material success need to remember that the “mid-lifers” we In its Position Paper, the European in China in the 1950s until the 1970s were shine the spotlight on only represent roughly Chamber notes that while progress towards a sewing machine, a bicycle, a radio and a half of China’s population. Behind them is greater market access and a level playing field watch.
4 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017
SEB 3403 Annons Together Dragon News_210x286_vekt.indd 1 2014-10-23 09:36 opinion
China’s protection of domestic industries, as allowed by the WTO Mats Harborn, who was born in 1961, accession protocol, now ought to be turned into level-playing has been in China for more than field competition, says Mats Harborn, president of the European 25 years, both as a student and employee. He is fluent in Mandarin Union Chamber of Commerce in China. and reads and writes Chinese as well. Harborn has a wide ranging TEXT: Mats Harborn, [email protected] knowledge of Chinese culture and society beyond his business and rich expertise in cross-cultural management. He is married with Ulrika and they have three children: A level playing field Lovisa, Gustav and Astrid. Harborn started working in China in 1985, when he opened Scania’s office in Beijing. He stayed until is in China’s own interests 1989, and three years later he was back as the chief representative of Handelsbanken in Beijing. From 1997 to 2000, he was the head of the Swedish ate and my own choice have led Trade Council in China and then, me to work and live in Beijing after a few years’ interlude in Sweden, for over 25 years. What has kept China must trust its own industry he was back in 2004, responsible F me here is a combination of for Scania’s operations in China. many things, but of course the sense of being and its ability to survive in a Today, he is the executive director of part of a historic change stands out the most, Scania China Strategic Office and including to contribute to the establishment competitive environment. It is like a was, in May 2017, elected president and development of a number of companies of the European Union Chamber of in China. Throughout the years I have also parent letting go of its adult child.” Commerce in China, where he had been an active lecturer on China matters and been vice president since 2013. He have been able to bring an independent view was also the chairman of the Swedish on where China comes from and where it Chamber of Commerce in China is going. That this has been inspirational to a decisive role in resource allocation, and 2) quality vehicles such as Scania and Volvo. on foreign investment in its market. between 2005 and 2013. many people has been gratifying in itself. development must now be people-centred. Armed with that positive achievement The Position Paper outlines many practical Export and market development is a For both of these to happen, true level- I am convinced that European companies The EU measures that can be taken to establish China very long-term process, that to be successful, playing fields need to be established with can contribute much more to China at this as a more attractive destination for investment. requires consistency, perseverance and a lot the same set of rules applying equally to all. critical point in time, in which the economy remains It also presents examples of non-reciprocal its own industry and its ability to survive in of passion. You need to believe that you will That itself requires the creation of sound and is shifting toward a development model based treatment, such as the areas of strategic a competitive environment. It is like a parent succeed sooner or later and you need to get implementable rules acceptable to all. on organic growth, sustainable development, wide open to technologies and legal services, where Chinese letting go of its adult child. your team and partners to believe in that too. This has fundamental implications for the quality before quantity and respect for the law. investors currently enjoy far greater access to With the press launch of the Position role of the government. From having been I had already seen how the European Chinese FDI, the European market than Europeans do in Paper, I said: “The State Council documents In a market like China, which is both player, rule-setter and referee on the field, Union Chamber of Commerce in China was whereas China China. The fact that this is generating political No 5 and No 39 provide a solid framework moving from an old development model the government needs to back off as a player. working from my deep involvement in its tensions within the EU increases the need for for China to open its markets to the outside into something new and more market based, Automotive Working Group and I had been still maintains the EU and China to successfully complete world and attract more foreign investment, working with regulation and industrial policy In my work for Scania, we begun to involved in writing sections of its annual their negotiations for a Comprehensive and throughout this year the authorities have becomes core business strategy. Apart from lobby for the revision of the masses and Position Paper. Therefore, I decided to run for many restrictions Agreement on Investment, preferably within been very clear about what needs to be done. grasping the daily business opportunities, we weight standards for heavy commercial vice president in 2013. This year in May I was the next 12 months. The European Chamber is fully prepared to need to set aside sufficient resources to engage vehicles in China already back in 2011. We elected president. on foreign help turn their commitments into tangible with the authorities and other influential succeeded, and in 2016 the new standard Since then I have, among other things, At the same time the chamber argues outcomes. We hope that the Chinese authorities stakeholders to ensure that the regulators GB1589-2016 came into force. With it, all led the launch of the European Chamber’s investment in its that moving forward with rapid and will begin the process of implementing market- write policy that is conducive to open and transports in China now have to follow strict Business Confidence Survey and in September comprehensive implementation of market- driven reforms and establishing a level playing fair competition. That can only be achieved if limits for axle weights, total length, maximum the launch of the Position Paper. Both of these market.” driven, economic reforms is very much in field for all businesses once the 19th Party they also are convinced that this will benefit width and height. Why did the authorities are major publications that are used during China’s own interest. Actually, China has Congress has concluded.” the development of China. listen to us? The major reason was that it helps the year as the foundation for the chamber’s come to a point in its own development phase It is my strong belief and wish that The key watershed moment in reduce the negative effects on society that advocacy work. two major backdrops: firstly that European in which its industry is becoming globally European industry will engage even more in modern China came with the blueprint derive from road transport, but also because it foreign direct investment (FDI) to China has competitive. The previous protection of the practical dialogue with Chinese regulators for comprehensive reform adopted by the helps stimulate competition on a level playing In the newly released Position Paper, the shrunk two years in a row and secondly that domestic industries, as allowed by the WTO to put in place a regulatory framework that Chinese Communist Party Congress 3rd field, which leads to innovation, better service chamber calls on the Chinese leadership to the market access regime in China and in the accession protocol, now ought to be turned will be conducive to fair and free competition plenary session in November of 2013. In that and higher efficiency. As a side effect, this follow through on the public commitments European Union (EU) are non-reciprocal. into level-playing field competition, so that on a level playing field to the benefit of all document China introduced two fundamental leads to the upgrading of trucks and trailers all it has made to economic globalisation and The EU remains wide open to Chinese FDI, these companies, through competition, can companies that are responsible for their own principles for reform: 1) Markets shall play over China, which benefits suppliers of high openness throughout 2017. It does so against whereas China still maintains many restrictions be made truly successful. China must trust P/L without undue external support. b
6 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 7 focus STORY The four seasons of life (3): Midlife Even though China has dropped its one- child policy, its birth rate is too low and needs to rise, if the nation does not want to be rom the 1950s to the 1970s, Dictionary, middle age is between 45 and couple of decades. Especially those who took the confronted with a shrinking labour force and there were especially four 65, the period between early adulthood and chance to start an own business after the former a rapidly ageing population. Hong Kong is Today’s desires: symbols of wealth, or material old age. People in China that are now 45 paramount leader Deng Xiaoping declared in also struggling with low fertility rates. For this F success, in China. They were were born during the Cultural Revolution 1978 that “to get rich is glorious” were in a pole year’s four issues of Dragon News, the Swedish called the Four Big Things, which referred to a and those who are 60 or above were born position when the country opened up in the Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong sewing machine, a bicycle, a watch (often from just before the Great Leap Forward took the 1980s and let foreign companies in that were and China have chosen, as the magazine’s Luxury brands theme, the four seasons of life: childhood, the Shanghai Watch Company) and a radio country a giant step backwards. eager to find local partners. youth, midlife and old age. (usually Red Star or Red Lantern brand). Many of those who were teenagers during Today, rather than desiring a sewing We will analyse demographic facts and But China went through both the Great the Cultural Revolution belong to what has machine or a bicycle, many of today’s middle- social trends, and will interview member and going abroad Leap Forward between 1958 and 1962 – been dubbed “the lost generation”. China’s aged generation has experienced a real great companies and people representative of when everything was collectivised and tens of government at that time ordered that every leap forward in its consumption of basic these different generations. millions of Chinese were believed to have died urban household should send at least one of necessities and ownership of housing and Many middle-aged people in China have prospered of starvation – and the Cultural Revolution their teenage children, preferably students, cars. They are buying luxury brands on their due to China’s rapid economic development and they between 1966 and 1976 – a period of political to the countryside to work on farms to learn travels abroad, they live in flats that cost Sweden’s figures show that the number of guest and social chaos – before the reforms and from farmers and workers. Many had to them millions of yuan and they are driving nights from visiting Chinese were 25 per cent are now reaping the fruits to go abroad and buy luxury opening-up policy started to lead to better stay there for almost a decade and they were comfortable imported cars. higher in 2016 compared to the previous year brands. But for “the lost generation” of the Cultural lives for most Chinese. deprived of an education and 59 per cent higher than 2014. Revolution era things have not worked out so well since Most of today’s middle-aged people and the right to live with Even if Sweden is not “There is a wide range of travellers of in China have witnessed this enormous their families. among the most visited different ages visiting Sweden. On average, they were deprived of the chance of an education. transformation, even if many of them were only But for many other - countries abroad for the retired people tend to travel in groups while children or teenagers during the hard times. middle-aged people life 45 65 Chinese, the Swedish younger people tend to travel individually. In Text: Jan Hökerberg, [email protected] According to the Oxford English has prospered over the past The definition of middle-aged government agency Statistics the summer season, many families travel with people according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Most desired objects in China from the 1950s to today
1950 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2015 sewing machine bicycle radio watch refrigerator recorder washing machine colour TV electric fan motorbike mobile phone car smartphone own home luxury brands travel abroad
First, it was the Four Big Things – the sewing machine, bicycle, radio and watch. Then came other desired things such as a colour TV and a motorbike, then came the smartphone and possibilities to own a car and a home. Today, Chinese middle-aged people are more sophisticated.
8 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 9 focus STORY
An increasing number of Chinese are travelling abroad, such as this group of tourists visiting To get rich is glorious.” the Kremlin in Moscow. Deng Xiaoping, former paramount leader
children,” says Lynn Li, country manager at Visit Sweden in Beijing (see separate article). Finnair’s area sales manager Stan Kwong can also see a trend of increasing numbers of Chinese travelling to the Nordic countries, both from mainland China and Hong Kong. “Ten years ago, a majority of our travellers were European. However, in recent years there has been a shift so that today the majority are Chinese who fly to Europe,” says Kwong (see separate article).
Over the past few decades, China’s consumer economy has been powered by the ascent of hundreds of millions of people from poverty to an emerging middle class. Research from McKinsey & Co suggests that by 2022 more than 75 per cent of China’s urban consumers will earn 60,000 to 229,000 yuan a year. In purchasing-power-parity terms, that range is between the average income of Brazil and Italy. Just 4 per cent of urban Chinese households were within it in 2000. China’s consumer economy is projected to expand by about half, to US$6.5 trillion, by 2020 – even if annual real GDP growth cools to 5.5 per cent, below the official target. The incremental growth of US$2.3 trillion alone over the next five years would be comparable to adding a consumer market 1.3 times larger than that of today’s Germany or UK, according to a report from the Boston Consulting Group and AliResearch, the research arm of Alibaba, China’s largest e-commerce company. 59% The number of increased guest nights of Chinese travellers to Sweden between 2014 and 2016.
10 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 11 focus STORY
“The Chinese consumer market, moreover, is in more than US$24,000. Furthermore, consumers 35 the midst of a transformation that offers tremendous 1.3 or younger will account for 65 per cent of growth. new opportunities. Three great forces are ushering in E-commerce will become a far more important retail this transformation: the rise of upper-middle-class times channel, driving 42 per cent of total consumption and affluent households as the drivers of consumption The projected growth of growth, 90 per cent of that growth coming from growth; a new generation of freer-spending, China’s consumer economy mobile e-commerce. sophisticated consumers; and the increasingly between 2015 and 2020 About a decade ago, powerful role of e-commerce,” it says in the report. would be comparable to the Chinese started These three forces of change will profoundly adding a consumer market to become big consumers of luxury brands in a reshape China’s economy and consumer market. 1.3 times larger than that of number of different categories such as bags, watches Through 2020, 81 per cent of consumption growth today’s Germany or UK. and wine. Many of these consumers are people will come from households whose annual income is in the middle of their lives who have managed to
More and more Chinese visit Sweden
Most of the Chinese visitors to Sweden are tourists and most of them still travel in groups, although individual travellers are increasing.
Visit Sweden, the official Swedish organisation for marketing the Sweden brand internationally, has seen a steady increase over the years in the number of Chinese visitors to Sweden. We are striving to “The number of guest nights in 2016 generated by Chinese visitors were 323,178, which represents a 25 per cent growth discover more unique compared to 2015 and 59 per cent more than in 2014,” says Lynn Li, country manager at Visit Sweden in Beijing, quoting activities and experiences figures from the government agency Statistics Sweden. Most of the Chinese visitors were tourists. From January in Sweden to offer to the to October 2016, the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing and the Consulate General of Sweden in Shanghai approved 71,173 Chinese visitors.” visa applications, including 11,443 business visas and 55,844 Lynn Li, Visit Sweden group and individual tourist visas. The remaining part were family/friend visas. “There is a wide range of travellers in different ages visiting Sweden. On average, more retired people travel in groups Visit Sweden works closely with Chinese media as well while more younger people travel individually. In the summer as with influential online travel platforms such as TripAdvisor, season, many families travel with children,” Li says. Mafengwo and Ctrip. “The majority still travel in groups to Sweden and “We are also very active on Chinese social media other areas in Scandinavia, concerning the limited platforms and we produce quality content that bring knowledge of destination, accessibility, visa, forward Swedish destinations as well as its lifestyle and language and other criteria. However, the number of culture to inspire the Chinese audience,” Li says. individual travellers is growing faster, particularly the “We also collaborate with influential Swedish younger generation,” she adds. brands to further enhance the national image. In 2015, Visit Sweden started to promote “soft This summer, together with Volvo Cars and a adventures” in Sweden towards Chinese audience and, Chinese writer/table-setting artist, with the support according to Li, there have already been some very of Swedish embassy and the consulate, positive results. Such activities include, for example, we produced three episodes of a mini- a seafood safari at Sweden’s west coast, cycling documentary that features Swedish tours, and so on. design and lifestyle. The films have been In 2016, the island of Ven in Sweden’s distributed online and each episode has southernmost province Skåne (Scania) received more than 5 million views,” says Li. received over a thousand Chinese Chinese can apply for visa at the travellers which was an almost 200 embassy and the consulate and Sweden has per cent increase compared to the in recent years also increased the number of previous year. visa application centres in China. Today, there “We are striving to discover more are 10 such centres located in Xi’an, Chongqing, unique activities and experiences in Sweden Hangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan, Changsha, Jinan, to offer to the Chinese visitors,” says Li. Chengdu, Kunming and Nanjing.
12 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 focus STORY
Chinese in majority on Finnair flights
Finnair sees a big growth of Chinese travellers in the leisure segment.
Middle-aged people and young adults are the most common Today, Finnair operates 10 weekly flights to Hong Kong, age groups among the Chinese travellers on Finnair planes, daily flights to Beijing and Shanghai, four flights per week to according to Finnair’s area sales manager Stan Kwong, who Chongqing and Guangzhou and three times per week to Xi’an. is responsible for the Hong Kong, South China, Taiwan and In 2018, Finnair will also fly three times per week to Nanjing. Philippines markets. He has witnessed a trend shift over the Finnair has responded to the increased number of Chinese past three-four years, with an increasing number of Chinese travellers by having Chinese-speaking crew members on all travelling to the Nordic countries. flights to China as well as Chinese-speakers among the staff at “Ten years ago, a majority of our travellers were European. Helsinki airport. However, in recent years there has been a shift so today the “We were also the first airline majority are Chinese who fly to Europe,” says Kwong. that enabled the Alipay payment “Corporate travel has always been an important segment function on our flights and at the for us. In 2015, we were the first airline in Europe to fly the new Helsinki airport and lounges,” Airbus 350 which was much appreciated by corporate clients. says Kwong. However, the biggest growth comes from the leisure segment. Celebrated Chinese chef More and more people are getting used to make bookings Steven Liu has also played a online,” he says. major role by creating the menu When Finnair started a direct flight between Beijing and for business class passengers. Helsinki in 1988, the airline was the first Western European The famed judge on MasterChef carrier to operate non-stop flights between Europe and China uses typical Finnish China. In 2002, Finnair started direct flights between Hong ingredients cooked in Kong and Helsinki. a Chinese style.
We were the first airline that enabled the Alipay payment function on our flights and at the Helsinki airport and lounges.” Stan Kwong, Finnair
collect enough wealth to realise their dreams. that luxury products are a signal of superficiality, whereas Today, Chinese buyers make up almost one-third of in China the equivalent is only 1 per cent. For the Chinese, global luxury sales, providing invaluable demand to brands materialism is really an indicator of hope for the future. in every segment. 1% They are not just status projectors, plain and simple, they “In the past, luxury goods were seen as a symbol of One per cent of are tools of advancement and the willingness to invest in wealth and status for Chinese consumers,” said Dr Tina Chinese households these types of products is strong, even among the youth.” Zhou of the Shanghai-based Fortune Character Institute, a own a third of the He gives the example of Starbucks operating hundreds luxury research consultancy, to the New York Times. “Now country’s wealth. of stores in China, even in tier-four cities, and points out that they buy luxury goods for their own enjoyment.” this is in a country that drinks tea, not coffee. However, it’s Affluent Chinese consumers see buying luxury products popular because people like to show off that they can afford and services not as an occasional treat, but an integral part of their lives. coffee that is priced higher than in most other outlets around the world. Tom Doctoroff, Asia-Pacific CEO of advertising agency JWT, explores the mind-set of the Chinese consumer in his book What Still, it would be wrong to say that most middle-aged people Chinese Want and shows how they use material goods – particularly in China are wealthy. China has one of the highest levels of income luxury ones – to construct an image of themselves. inequality. According to a report from Peking University, the richest 1 To show others they are moving forward, Doctoroff says in the per cent of Chinese households own a third of the country’s wealth. South China Morning Post, luxury brands are fundamental in China for The poorest 25 per cent of Chinese households own just 1 per cent advancement. “I read an article that said 65 per cent of Westerners think of the country’s total wealth, the study found. b
14 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 executive talk
Jokingly we call VIP Mandarin the 2005, Curt Bergström wanted biggest breakthrough in the a new challenge in life after In a successful career at Intel 3000-year history of teaching Mandarin.” Corporation and after having given his two daughters a unique multi- cultural upbringing and also having fulfilled his dream of flying a helicopter. So he moved with learning new things has always been a similar to what Apple later did to the mobile to China to study Chinese. Besides his native guiding star for me.” industry when it introduced the iPhone.” Swedish language, Bergström also speaks His studies at the Royal Institute of After a stint at Intel’s telecom business in English, German, French and Portuguese, so Technology (KTH) in Stockholm led him Phoenix, Arizona, Bergström was re-assigned he imagined that learning Mandarin wouldn’t to internships in the US and Brazil where to Intel’s European headquarters in Munich, be too hard. he learned to speak Portuguese. After he where in the late 1980s he was asked to lead “If you study German at the Goethe- had graduated with a Master of Science in the launch of Intel Inside in Europe. After Institut, or French at Alliance Française, mechanical engineering in 1977, he started his running Intel’s marketing activities in Europe after six months you’ll be able to have normal career as an engineer at Scania in Södertälje, for a couple of years, he retired in 1997. conversations with people in the streets, but Sweden. In 1980, he joined Esselte Studium “I was lucky to get Intel stock options with my Chinese it didn’t happen. I first as area manager responsible for selling very early and with the company’s dramatic wasted half a year at a well reputed Beijing educational equipment to technical universities financial success and some lucky investments language school. Despite studying very in the Middle East and Portuguese-speaking in high-tech stocks, I was able to retire at the hard, I failed to learn to speak Mandarin,” Africa. The Iran-Iraq war killed Esselte age of 47,” says Bergström. Bergström admits. Studium’s sales to its key export market, Iraq, “My older daughters grew up in Germany Together with his teachers, he started to so in 1982 Bergström moved to Chicago to and could only speak German and Swedish. methodologically analyse the difficulties he pursue an MBA at Northwestern University. After leaving Intel, we moved back to the US was experiencing in order to find something so that they could attend American schools A new way to learn that could bring him spoken Mandarin in The Information Age was in its early and we settled in the San Francisco Bay a much more time-efficient and stimulating years and Bergström was fascinated by IBM’s area. For my part, I had always dreamt of way. Chinese lacks the alphabetic bridge new personal computer. “I couldn’t afford flying a helicopter and I joined a professional between the written language and the to buy one, so instead I bought it in bits helicopter pilot training programme. When I spoken language and he came to the and pieces and managed to assemble one by had my commercial pilot’s license, the school conclusion that the standard teaching myself,” he says. asked me if I would like to handle their to speak Chinese method, borrowed from how alphabetic His interest in personal computers attracted international marketing activities in return languages are taught, was a very inefficient the attention of recruiters from Silicon Valley for being able to fly as much as I wanted. This way of teaching spoken Mandarin. and after graduating from Northwestern, he was a most wonderful time,” he recalls. After a successful career, Curt Bergström was able to retire at the age of 47. “My private interest in brain research led was offered a job at Intel Corporation in Santa In 2000, Bergström moved to southern me to the area of linguistic memory science Clara as a marketing engineer. France to give his daughters the chance to When he needed a new challenge in life he went to China, where he for a called memory stability and I was fascinated “These were the days when DRAM learn French while studying for their IB decade has been running Sino Matters, a company that offers a completely with a process called spaced repetition, which chips were still the lifeblood of Intel and the exams. After graduating, the girls started offered an almost magical way of moving hard- microprocessor revolution, that was about work at universities in Sweden, where different method to learn spoken Chinese. to-pronounce Mandarin sentence sounds from to give Intel its big breakthrough, had just they now, aged 32 and 30, enjoy good short-term to long-term memory,” he says. begun,” Bergström recalls. “It was a very professional careers.
TEXT: Jan Hökerberg, [email protected] As a consequence of his findings and intense and competitive environment and I encouraged from testing his ideas on himself feel lucky to have experienced it first hand. In 2005, Bergström took the decision to and his foreign friends, Bergstrom also wanted Every time we launched a new microprocessor move to China to study Chinese. Five years to help others to learn to speak Mandarin, generation it would rock the PC market, later, he married a Chinese woman with whom so in 2006 he founded Sino Matters Ltd and he has his third daughter, now five years old. named his new method VIP Mandarin. Ten After more then a decade in China, years later, Sino Matters now has 20 employees Bergström feels fully settled in and is happy and offices in Beijing and Shanghai. to see his company develop. Sino Matters’ “Jokingly we call VIP Mandarin the I wasted customers are both senior executives from biggest breakthrough in the 3000-year history foreign companies and younger executives of teaching Mandarin,” he says. half a year who want to “future-proof” their careers with Mandarin. Most recently, Sino Matters Bergström was born in 1952 and grew at a well reputed was asked by Daimler China to help train up in Stockholm. For men of his generation, Beijing language Daimler’s full top management team to military service was mandatory in Sweden, so speak Mandarin. Bergström spent a year at the Swedish Army’s school. Despite “Our method offers a time-efficient path Parachute Ranger School, where he “learned to spoken Mandarin for people who cannot to build bombs and blow up bridges.” He studying very afford the normal time investment required. quips: “Skills that I found best to leave off We sell results, not teaching hours. If a client my CV.” hard, I failed.” is not happy with what we delivered, we don’t He says that he has always liked send a bill,” says Bergström. b challenges: “Combining what I already have
16 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 17 feature The entrepreneur
Science has always been his strength, and so are his language skills – he speaks French (his native language), Dutch, English, Swedish and is learning Chinese. Swedes have to An “I didn’t see my future in the laboratory,” admits Vercouter, who had started becoming more interested in entrepreneurship after start thinking of arriving in Sweden. Therefore, he decided to take another Master’s degree in entrepreneurship and innovation management at the Royal China as an innovative and Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. entrepreneur This led him to Beijing and Shanghai, where he, in 2013, wrote his technological country.” Master’s thesis on the financing of social entrepreneurship in China.
While working on his double Master’s, he got an internship at the business incubator Impact Hub and after completing his studies he at the co-founded a company, Starta Farsta, aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs from the Stockholm suburb of Farsta. “Working with the company was a fantastic time, but after a while we all felt like we needed other challenges in life” says c h a m b e r ’ s Vercouter, who then applied for and got a scholarship from the Anders Wall Foundation to work 10 months at the Swedish chamber’s office in Shanghai. This scholarship is aimed at boosting the careers of young people in Sweden with proven entrepreneurial talent and
Text: Jan Hökerberg some experience. [email protected] helm In December, it was announced that the chamber’s general manager, Karin Roos, would leave China and the chamber was looking for a replacement. Vercouter applied, was interviewed by the chairman Lars-Åke Severin and was eventually appointed after SwedCham China’s new general manager, having convinced the chamber’s board of directors that he had a Martin Vercouter, is a young entrepreneur strong vision for the job. “I presented a 13-page business plan that included three main who has a strong scientific background and goals that complement each other,” says Vercouter. “The chamber must is fluent in four languages. offer more value for their members so that we know that we deliver what they want. We also need to work on our communications and our brand image and we have to structure our organisation to get more efficient usage of our resources,” he says. “Besides,” he adds, “it’s important that the chamber promotes Swedish businesses in China.”
was more or less a coincidence that brought Martin Vercouter to Vercouter started his new job in April and spends his time both Martin Vercouter together with his SwedCham China colleagues, from left, Jaycee Yang, Erika Staffas Lindberg and Marianne Westerback. Sweden when he was 20 years old. After growing up in the Belgian city in Beijing, where the chamber has its head office, and in Shanghai, of Namur in the Wallonia region, he studied chemistry at the city’s where a majority of the 260 member companies are located. It university. Then he met a Swedish girl and decided to take a chance and “I believe that my strength as a young general manager is that move with her to Stockholm after finishing his Bachelor’s degree. I can bring in some new energy and an entrepreneurial spirit. You Martin Vercouter in brief “Even if we went separate ways after a while, Sweden felt absolutely right for me,” don’t achieve change just because you think you ought to change, says Vercouter, who is 28 years today, fluent in Swedish, and was earlier this year but if you’re not doing anything, then the world outside will Born: 1988 in Namur, Belgium. appointed new general manager of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China. continue forward, which in reality means you’re going backwards,” Education: Bachelor of Science in chemistry at Université In Sweden, Vercouter continued his studies and took a Master of Science in says Vercouter. de Namur, Belgium, 2009; Master of Science in molecular molecular biophysics at Stockholm University. There are several big challenges ahead. The localisation of biophysics at Stockholm University 2012; and a Master’s degree management in Swedish-owned companies in China has meant that in entrepreneurship and innovation management at the Royal fewer Swedes are going to China today compared with a few years ago, Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden, 2013. which has affected the number of member companies. Career: Co-founder and managing director at Starta “Many Swedes also still think of China mainly as a country for Farsta, Stockholm. Assignments such as chairman of production and sourcing, while China today is striving towards more Naturvetenskapliga Föreningen (a science association) at My strength as a young high-tech and innovation. Swedes have to start thinking of China as an Stockholm University and member of the KTH Student Union’s general manager is that I innovative and technological country,” Vercouter says. entrepreneurship group. In Sweden, he was also a board So far, Vercouter has initiated a new website for the chamber, director of Högskolerestauranger, a restaurant chain at some 40 can bring in some new energy and a platform for membership and event handling, a new graphic Swedish universities and colleges. In 2016, he was awarded the profile and logotype for the chamber and expanded the activities Anders Wall Foundation Scholarship for working at the Swedish an entrepreneurial spirit.” on social media. The chamber has also hired an office manager in chamber in Shanghai. In April, 2017, he was appointed general Beijing and will strengthen its brand by producing more reports manager of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China. and position papers.b
18 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 19 young professional interview
Dienastie was founded in 2011 by Swedish designer Jesper Lindquist and started out as a sunglasses brand. Selling the glasses internationally, Dienastie could now more be described as a movement focusing on inspiring people to pursue their true goals in life.
TEXT: Emma Berisha, [email protected]
Pursue your dreams through sunglasses
20 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 young professional interview
esper Lindquist first came to China back in 2003 to work for a company in Shanghai. During J that time, he fell in love with both the city and the country. But after abruptly having to leave he wanted to do anything to be able to move back to China. So, when he got back to Sweden, he decided to study business and economics at Uppsala University. “I thought that the only way back to China was getting a degree. Looking back now, I’m not so sure about that. Some of the best people I’ve met are self-taught,” he says. After finishing his studies, he bought a one-way ticket to Beijing in 2006.
However, the past 11 years has not When Lindquist sees been an easy road to success. “To start a or does something company and brand in a country where that inspires him, he turns it into a sketch, you’re familiar with the culture, laws and first on paper then rules would have been so much easier,” on a computer. Lindquist says. He has always had a passion for fashion and design so in 2007 he started a company creating bags, but after a few bumps on the road he realised he had to change direction Everyone was taking selfies and come up with something new, which happened to be sunglasses. so I wanted to come up with The brand Dienastie started out as a reflection of the selfie trend in Asia. a product that could market itself “Everyone was taking selfies so I wanted through those pictures.” to come up with a product that could market itself through those pictures,” says Lindquist.
Every model of sunglasses starts with everyone I hire is loyal and has the company’s also want to inspire people by creating a something that he sees or does that inspires best interests in mind.” platform for creative heads, showcasing a him. This turns into a painting on paper, Lindquist and his business partners are lifestyle where you pursue your dreams. They Introducing which eventually becomes a sketch on a involved in every step that are made to ensure are photographers, graffiti artists, DJs, art computer. Then he chooses material and that every product and picture has the right illustrators, musicians, architects, skaters and colours before finally a new trendy pair of design and quality. Since Dienastie is mainly more. On Dienastie’s website there are videos BAMBOO sunglasses is created. being marketed through social media he of people doing daring things like skydiving Today, he has two business partners and also spends many hours doing photo shoots, and racing cars. Lindquist’s vision is to show several employees, but still needs to do a lot creating interesting pictures that will stand people that it is okay to live their life in the CONTENT PARTNER of work himself. He spends much of his time out in people’s flow on Instagram, WeChat way that they want and challenge themselves. travelling to various factories to check his and Weibo. “My goal for the future is to expand and The global content and article placement service for product. He really wants to hire more people, “Creating a brand and platform like reach more people with our sunglasses but companies and organisations, editors and publishers. but loyalty is essential. Dienastie is not only about having a good also with our platform, daring people to be a “Right now I’m making sure that product, it is also about being good at part of our Dienastie,” says Lindquist. b Get published easily and at a much lower cost marketing,” he says. than through traditional PR agencies. Access a global network of professional editors However, marketing your company Jesper Lindquist in brief and publishers of online and print publications. In the is not as easy today as it was before, since you always need to be one step ahead and www.bamboo-contentpartner.com constant always have something new and interesting Age: 36. to show people. Occupation: Entrepreneur and flow on social “In the constant flow on social media founder of Dienastie. you have to stand out. Dienastie is all about Hometown: Malmö, Sweden. media you have that, creating a story with every picture,” Lives: Commuting between Beijing Lindquist says. and Shanghai. to stand out.” Designing sunglasses is not the only Tips: “Cliché or not – always work goal for Lindquist and his company. They hard and never give up.”
22 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 chamber activities hong kong Photo: Aron Åkesson
“Better paperboard can add another gear to your packaging.”
Phil Baggley Technical Service Manager, Iggesund Paperboard
Innovation can be as simple as a better paperboard. Made from virgin fibre, to the highest specifications, it can add completely new properties to your packaging. Which, in turn, may make your products into winners on the market. Why not stop and try Invercote?
CARE BY IGGESUND Our care for our customers and their businesses goes far beyond offering two of the world’s leading paperboard brands, Invercote and Incada.
Crayfish Party in Hong Kong
n On 15 September SwedCham HK hosted its annual Crayfish Party at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club where we have had this event for seven consecutive years. This year 180 guests gathered to celebrate this much- appreciated tradition, consuming equally many kilos of crayfish. The party continued until way past midnight, with people never seeming to want to leave the dance floor. Thank you to our sponsors SAS, SEB and Daniel Wellington who made the night possible, and of course big shout out to all the guests who made it a night to remember. See you all next year again! Get in touch with Iggesund Paperboard Asia at phone: +852 2516 0250, fax: (852) 2516 0251 or visit iggesund.com 26 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 chamber activities beijing
Swedish banking in China
We feel at home in the Chinese market and want you to feel the same. It’s a large and fastgrowing market. As a result, more and more Scandinavian companies need banking solutions, such as cash management, financing in local and foreign currencies, trade finance and treasury solutions in China.
We’ll help you – bringing our 25 years of experience of business in China. If you have the opportunity, please visit us in Shanghai where we’ve been located since 2001.
Swedbank Shanghai Citigroup Tower 601, 33 Huayuanshiqiao Rd, Shanghai, China +86 21 386 126 00
Crayfish Party in Beijing n Eating crayfish has been a Swedish culinary tradition since the 16th century, but once upon a time it was only enjoyed by the upper class. These days everyone eats crayfish, and it has been a traditional highlight event of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China for many years. On 9 September, the Crayfish Dinner in Beijing attracted about 100 guests at the Royal Garden of Radisson Blu Hotel Beijing. With those fancy yellow and blue paper balls, crayfish balloons, photo Welcome back event frame decorations, a huge amount of crayfish, a tasty buffet food and selected songs, the Royal Garden once again echoed with songs. n Nineteen leading foreign chambers of commerce We would like to extend our thanks again to our Dragon Partners joined the Welcome Back networking event at R for their huge support to the chamber: Atlas Copco, Handelsbanken, Lounge, Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel on a Mannheimer Swartling, SAS, Syntronic and Volvo Cars. rainy Tuesday night. More than 400 participants Last but not the least, thanks to all the guests for coming and we attended the event and enjoyed a good networking look forward to seeing you next year! opportunity just after the summer break.
28 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 chamber activities shanghai
Crayfish Party in Shanghai
n On Friday, 8 September, the Swedish chamber hosted its annual Crayfish Party. Like last year, the party was held at beautiful Käfer next to the Huangpu River. The evening was a success, with wonderful weather, many guests, lots of crayfish and snaps songs. It was a joy to see both familiar and new faces mingle and network during the evening. We would also like to give a special thanks to our corporate guests Swedbank, SEB and Diab, and of course our Dragon Partners: Atlas Copco, Handelsbanken, Mannheimer Swartling, SAS, Syntronic and Volvo Cars.
Nordic After Work with a view
n On Wednesday, 23 August, the Nordic chambers arranged the first event after the summer holidays. It was a beautiful starlit evening at Kathleen’s Waitan and around 80 people witnessed the view together. The energy was tangible and everyone seemed to be looking forward to this autumn and what it has to offer. We would like to thank all participants for a very pleasant evening.
30 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 Team Sweden is a network of government authorities, agencies and companies that all work to promote Swedish exports abroad. In this section of Dragon News, we present information about Team Sweden’s activities. chamber news
A STUDY ON CORPORATE SOCIAL Welcome, Erika! RESPONSIBILITY DEVELOPMENT AND TRENDS IN CHINA n Erika Staffas Lindberg is the new office manager at SwedCham Sofia Ten years of Sino-Swedish Norén China. Recently, she has been working at the Embassy of Sweden and has been the head of communications at the CSR cooperation Swedish Young Professionals. Erika has Bachelor’s degrees from Lund University in political science and economics as well as in Chinese language and literature. She has a CSR Centre website Chinese: www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/cn English: www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/en Swedish: www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/sv background in marketing and communications
CSR Centre quarterly newsletter (in English) www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/newsletter and has been working for four years as editor thTo become a subscriber, please send an e-mail with ‘subscribe’ in the subject field to his year marks the 10 csrc [email protected] of the corporate social CSR website of the Government Offices of Sweden and head of communications at MotKina.se, English: www.government.se/sb/d/574/a/232664 responsibility (CSR) cooperationSwedish: www.ud/csr between Sweden and Sino-Swedish CSR website (in English and Chinese) a community for Swedes with an interest in China. Since the first wwagreementw.csr.gov.cn was signed in 2007 it For more information about the CSR Centre, please contact us. China and in the Chinese language. Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) T has been renewed twice.of the EmbaThessy of Sweden CSR centre at the Embassy No. 3, Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Sanlitun Chaoyang District of Sweden was set up in 2010 and isBeiji responsibleng 100600 for implementing the Erika Staffas Lindberg Welcome, Sofia! P.R. China Tel: +86 (0)10 6532 9790 Fax: +86 (0)10 6532 9792 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)csrcentre.beijing@g ovfrom.se the Swedish side. n Sofia Norén is our new Anders Wall The mission of the CSR centre in Beijing is to increase knowledge Scholarship recipient and she joined our CSR中心网站 and implementation of responsible and sustainable business中文： www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/cn in 英文： www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/en team on 1 September. Sofia, born and China and to promote Swedish business in China. One瑞典语： important www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/sv CSR中心季度电子报（英语） www.swedenabroad.com/csrbeijing/newsletter Source: Mona Loose/imagebank.sweden.se raised in Borås, Sweden, has studied task is to create opportunities for cooperation订阅电子报，请发邮件到 through [email protected] exchange ，并在标题栏注明 and“订阅”。 瑞典政府CSR网站（英语） SECURING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH BY www.government.se/sb/d/574/a/232664 economics and social anthropology at PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS Welcome, Rebecca! cooperation and to be a platform for Swedish companies中瑞企业社会责任合作网站 and other（中英双语） www.csr.gov.cn 倡导负责任的商业 确保可持续增长 Uppsala University and at the School stakeholders interested in sustainable business. 意见或建议以及获取更多有关CSR中心信息，请联系。 Rebecca 瑞典驻华大使馆CSR中心 Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Business, Economics and Law at the 中国北京市朝阳区三里屯东直门外大街3号 of the Embassy of Sweden Netteryd We work closely with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and邮编: 100600 瑞典驻华大使馆企业社会责任(CSR)中心 Thank you, Eric! 电话: +86 (0)10 6532 9790 传真: +86 (0)10 6532 9792 University of Gothenburg. Swedish companies as well as international organisations. [email protected] the Her main interest is within the rapid past 10 years, we can see a great development of CSR awareness in n SwedCham Hong Kong is happy to digitisation process underway in the China and a large number of different activities have taken place, often in close cooperation with Swedish welcome Rebecca Netteryd as the new world and the possibilities it entails. In companies. Examples are seminars, conferences and the publishing of studies and reports. Also, during this communications and Young Professionals 2015, she founded the consulting firm time more than 1,000 people have taken part in the CSR training arranged by the embassy and the Ministry coordinator at the chamber. Rebecca Handelsforskarna i Borås AB together of Commerce. The joint Sino-Swedish CSR website has more than three million visitors annually.b recently graduated from Stockholm School with associate professor Malin Sundström. of Economics with a Bachelor’s degree in retail The clients consist of companies and management and has received the Carl Sifvén Scholarship organisations that are facing new that enables her to stay one year at SwedCham Hong Kong. Rebecca is looking challenges and opportunities due to forward to the opportunity to meet new people, work in an international atmosphere changes in customer behaviour as a and to face new challenges that will give her the opportunity to develop and grow. result of digitisation. Sofia has also worked Cautiously optimistic Eric Åhlberg has recently left Hong Kong and moved back to Stockholm to with, among others Mat.se, Vasakronan, pursue his studies. The Swedish chamber would like to say thank you to Eric for your Cervera and Unionen. business outlook dedicated work at the chamber and we wish you the best of luck. Embassy of Sweden, Business Sweden and SwedCham China release the latest New scholars at Business Confidence Survey. Uppsala University
ore than 100 Swedish companies took part in the latest survey n This year, two new students have been by Team Sweden in China, which aims to map out the business awarded the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in landscape in the country. The results are overall cautiously Hong Kong’s scholarship for Master programme M optimistic, with seven out of 10 companies expecting higher studies at Uppsala University 2017-2019. Peili revenues in 2017 compared to 2016 and less than 10 per cent expecting a drop. Guo can be seen in the picture together with Regarding the current business climate, 42 per cent of the respondents are programme principal Anders Malmberg and either satisfied or very satisfied, and eight out of 10 expect the conditions to be the Uppsala alumni and long-time Hong Kong equally or more positive during the three years to come. resident Niklas Olsson. Peili is going to study Differentiation through innovation, cost competitiveness from efficiency computational science. Missing in the picture is and an increasing focus on digitalisation and e-commerce are the Swedish the other scholar, Chi Lam Chan, who is going companies’ main strategic priorities in the near future. to study information systems. SwedCham Hong Despite this overall optimism, the lack of a level playing field with Kong congratulates them and wishes them domestic competition and a perceived shortage of skilled labour top the list of good luck with their studies. challenges faced by the responding companies. From left, Niklas Olsson, Peili Guo and The complete report can be found at www.swedcham.cn/publications b Anders Malmberg.
32 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 33 new members
HONG KONG ORDINARY MEMBERS >>> CHINA COMPANY MEMBERS >>> Personal BIMobject Corporation Suite 4, 12/F, Cyberport 2 Cyperport Road Yogiboost Franchise AB We offer personal logistics; Hong Kong Adelgatan 9, SE-211 22 Malmö Tel: +852 3618 5805 Sweden simplicity, precision and reliability Web: www.bimobject.com Tel: +46 733 30 35 39 for our customers, and that Web: www.yogiboost.se means personal attention and About us BIMobject is a game changer for the construction About us service, because business industry. Manufacturers use BIMobject to promote We are a Swedish family business that owns and operates relationships are about people. and deliver their products directly into BIM processes, the popular frozen yoghurt chain Yogiboost. enabling their products to be selected and generate a real improvement in sales. The marketing and pre- Chamber representative www.apclogistics.com sales services associated with the cloud are channelled Ludvik Engler Georgsson, CEO and integrated, through specialised software, into Email: [email protected] Mobile: +46 733 30 35 39 CAD/BIM applications to create a business-to-business communication across the globe.
Chamber representative Simon Cai, Executive Business Director Asia
Beckers Room1808, T2-B Wangjing SOHO No 1 Futongdongdajie Blueair Asia Limited Chaoyang District 7F Grand Millenium Plaza 1 Beijing 100102, PR China 181 Queen´s Road Central Tel: +86 150 1133 1901 Central, Hong Kong Web: https://beckers.se Tel: +852 3511 6561 Web: www.blueair.com About us About us Beckers offers down-to-earth and solution-oriented users Established in 2016, Blueair Asia operates its regional an extensive range of reliable solutions and a simple and headquarters in Hong Kong. Located in proximity to our inspiring journey from idea to end results. Through the 10 markets in East and South-East Asia, we provide instant painting, Beckers provides users with a sense of creativity support to our local markets to reinforce their business growth, and satisfaction with good results. as well as strengthen Blueair’s brand image in the region. Chamber representatives Blueair air purifiers are currently distributed in Japan, Li Ling, Chief Editor 1 South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Email: [email protected] Mobile: +86 150 1133 1901 Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Australia. With the Du Yawei, Director Supply Chain belief that clean air belongs to everyone, Blueair Asia Email: [email protected] Mobile: +86 134 6672 1131 also acts as a business development unit to explore new market opportunities to bring clean air solutions to other Asian countries. CHINA ASSOCIATE MEMBER >>> Chamber representative Jonas Holst, Director Jan Bengtsson Apt 27E, Ambassy Court, Tower 2 Huaihai Middle Road, Shanghai 200031 HONG KONG INDIVIDUAL MEMBER >>> Email: [email protected] Mobile: +86 187 1780 4406 Gustav Lindgren Email: [email protected] Tel: +852 9669 3179
34 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 The chamber and I
What is your favourite food?
Living in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Kevin Yeung Hong Kong means that there are endless Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), Hong Kong opportunities to discover restaurants with “Dim sum is my favourite Chinese dish because it means that we always gather with friends different types of exciting cuisine. and family. I also like eating ice cream and strawberries in the Swedish summer. I just like it We asked some of our members what type of because it was the first dessert I had when I went to Sweden.” food they love, and whether it is Chinese or Swedish. This was our question: What are your Jaycee Yang favourite Chinese and/or Swedish dishes? SwedCham China, Beijing “I really like Swedish food, especially Swedish meat balls, and stuffed eggs with shrimps that And here are the answers. you eat during Swedish festivities.”
Alexander de Freitas Renfeng Zhao MPS China, Shanghai Kreab, Beijing “I eat a lot of Chinese food and it’s difficult to “I remember once when I visited the Ice Hotel choose a favourite, but maybe mapo doufu, in Jukkasjärvi. There I ate an ice cream made of a real classic. Recently I’ve been enjoying the moose cheese on a plate made of ice. It was a Yunnan food at Slurp! (at Wulumuqi Road/Wuyuan fantastic experience!” Road), every dish I’ve tried there has been really good.” Ulf Ohrling Filippa Bätjer Mannheimer Swartling, Hong Kong Young Professionals, Shanghai “Chinese favourites: Fried pork dumplings; “I really like Sichuan food and one of my because they are yummy, especially if dipped in favourite dishes is the cold noodles – it can never soy sauce with plenty of chilli (I don’t really enjoy Doing business in Sweden? go wrong. Apart from Sichuan, Yunnan cuisine is the usual vinegar). also one of my favourites and I can recommend “As for a Swedish favourite; it is very hard to answer, but Middle 8 in Hong Kong Plaza on Huaihai Road. It’s quite super fresh langoustines home-cooked directly when my go-to hidden in the shopping mall but definitely worth a visit.” fisherman has landed them because it is then Swedish summer and you enjoy them in the company of old friends – or potato pancake (raggmunk in Swedish) with fried salted pork and Sofia Norén lingonberries because it is a world-class dish and the dish of my banking and finance company law and corporate finance distribution SwedCham China, Shanghai home province, Östergötland.” “Since I’m relatively new in China I am still exploring and agency law property lease law china desk environmental law corpo- the Chinese kitchen. However, I really enjoy Casper Oldén dumplings, especially the black truffle dumplings at Antique Scandinavia, Hong Kong rate reconstructuring eu and competition law maritime and transporta- [the Taiwanese restaurant chain] Din Tai Fung.” “Jīng jiàng ròu sī, or as we like to refer to them, “Chinese tacos”, is one of my favourite Chinese tion law real estate and construction law employment law mergers and Rebecca Netteryd dishes. They combine the familiar feeling of home, SwedCham, Hong Kong “Taco Fridays” is about as Swedish as it gets, acquisitions insurance intellectual property marketing and media law “My favourite Swedish dish is tacos and, as you with great Beijing cuisine. It’s sautéed shredded pork in sweet might know, the dish has its roots in Mexico. In bean sauce. It’s main ingredient is pork tenderloin, stir-fried with international law energy and investment law it and telecom litigation Sweden, we make our own mild version of it and it sweet soya paste to season the flavour. The dish is served with has become one of the most appreciated dishes shredded leek and doupi (dried tofu layer) to wrap. and arbitration private equity – both for children and adults. I think that there is no better way “Meatloaf (köttfärslimpa) is the real essence of Swedish to start the weekend than to have a so-called “Taco Friday” homely cooking. Typically served with potatoes, gravy, fried where you gather all your friends and enjoy the meal together. onions and lingonberry jam with a side of boiled broccoli. Eating “In China, I love dim sum meals. If I am in charge of this dish has become somewhat of a tradition whenever I go ordering, I will probably order dishes that consist my favourite back home to Sweden. It’s the go-to dish while stopping at ingredient, truffle, for example, dumplings with truffle – that’s Dinners along the E18 when driving from Arlanda Airport to my Lawyers you want on your side always a good choice.” home town in Karlskoga, Värmland.”
36 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Swedish Chamber of FINANCE COMMITTEE Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Anders Bergkvist, Treasurer [Stora Enso] Commerce in China Eva Karlberg [SwedCham] DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD Anna Mackel [SwedCham] DIRECTORS OF THE MAIN BOARD Kristian Odebjer, Chairman [Odebjer Lars-Åke Severin, Chairman [PSU] Fohlin] MARKETING COMMITTEE Joakim Hedhill, Vice Chairman Karine Hirn, Vice Chairman [East Capital] Patrik Lindvall, Chairman [Dairy Farm- [Handelsbanken] Patrik Lindvall, Vice Chairman [Dairy IKEA] Lucas Jonsson, Vice Chairman Farm-IKEA] Lisa Boldt-Christmas [Mannheimer Swartling] Anders Bergkvist, Treasurer [Stora Enso] Daniel Hartman [SwedCham] Peter Ling-Vannerus, Treasurer [SEB] Karin Brock, [Daniel Wellington] Anders Hellberg [Boris Design Studio] Curt Bergström [Sino Matters] Jimmy Bjennmyr [Handelsbanken] Katarina Ivarsson [Boris Design Studio] Anders Henningsson [Mastec] Katarina Ivarsson [Boris Design Studio] Eva Karlberg [SwedCham] Daniel Karlsson [Asia Perspective] Petra Schirren [Ericsson] Linda Karlsson [Happy Rabbit] Per Lindén [Scandic Foods Asia] Per Ågren [APC] Johan Olausson, [Bamboo] Felicia Lindoff [Beijing Beigen Beigen] Rebecca Netteryd [SwedCham] Anna Löfstedt [Volvo Cars] CREATIVE SWEDES Johan Persson [C’Monde] Niklas Ruud [Konecranes] Pontus Karlsson, Chairman [Happy Ingrid Reinli [Boris Design Studio & IMIX] Martin Vercouter, General Manager Rabbit] Sophie Sophaon [Kreab] [SwedCham China] Filip Bjernebo [South Lane] Mikael Westerback [Handelsbanken] David Ericsson [VOID Watches] MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Anders Hellberg [Boris Design Studio] Karin Brock, Chairman [Daniel BEIJING CHAPTER Alexis Holm [Squarestreet] Wellington] Joakim Hedhill, Chairman Katarina Ivarsson [Boris Design Studio] Anders Bragee [Handelsbanken] [Handelsbanken] Anna Karlsson [Boris Design Studio] Caroline Ergetie [House Hunters] Curt Bergström, Vice Chairman [Sino Johan Persson [C’monde) Daniel Hartman [SwedCham] Matters] Mikael Svenungsson [M2 Retail Solutions] Katarina Ivarsson,[Boris Design] Per Hoffman [Ericsson] Eva Karlberg [SwedCham] Sören Lundin [Delaval] EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Fredrik Nyberg [MIQ Logistics] Kevin Rogers [Elanders] Per Ågren, Chairman [APC] Ulf Sundberg [SEB] Claes Svedberg [AB Volvo] Jan Hökerberg [Bamboo] ZZ Zhang [Sandvik] Eva Karlberg [SwedCham] SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE Emma Berisha [Young Professionals] Kristian Odebjer [Odebjer Fohlin] Alexander Mastrovito, Chairman David Hallgren [Business Sweden] Ulf Ohrling [Mannheimer Swartling] [Scania] Maisoun Jabali [Embassy of Sweden] Johan Persson [C’monde Studios] Anders Bergkvist [Stora Enso] Martin Vercouter, General Manager Peter Thelin [Today Group] Lisa Boldt-Christmas [SwedCham China] Sherman Chong EVENTS COMMITTEE Cheryl Hall [Nilorn] SHANGHAI CHAPTER Jimmy Bjennmyr, Chairman Hanna Hallin [H&M] Lucas Jonsson, Chairman [Mannheimer [Handelsbanken] Daniel Hartman [SwedCham HK] Swartling] John Barclay [Primasia Corporate Jens Helmersson [QuizRR] Anna Löfstedt, Vice Chairman [Volvo Cars] Services] Karine Hirn [East Capital] Mette Leger [Grow HR] Karin Brock [Daniel Wellington] Stefan Holmqvist [Norman Global Lisette Lindahl [Consulate General of Cyril Fung [Cyril Fung & Associates] Logistics] Sweden] Daniel Hartman [SwedCham] Erik Moberg [Stadium] Claes Lindgren [IKEA] Ove Joraas Kristian Odebjer [Odebjer Fohlin] Daniel Melin [New Wave] Eva Karlberg [SwedCham] Magdalena Ranagården [Blue Water] Niina Äikas [SEB] Calle Krokstäde [DORO] Jeffrey Siu [Envac] Andrea Staxberg [Business Sweden] Jenny Myrberg Björn Wahlström [Current Consulting] Martin Vercouter, General Manager Rebecca Netteryd [SwedCham] [SwedCham China] Casper Olden [Antique Scandinavia] YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMITTEE Marianne Westerback, Office Manager Magdalena Ranagården [BlueWater] Daniel Hartman, Chairman [SwedCham China] Josefin Cheung Rebecca Netteryd Sofia Wigholm Jenny Zeng
38 DRAGONNEWS • NO.03/2017 Anders Bragée Shui Yim Chin Johan Andrén Florence Chan Jimmy Bjennmyr Anders Bragée Corporate Account Manager, Shui Yim Chin Senior Trade Finance Manager, Anders Bragée Shui Yim Chin Johan Andrén Florence Chan Jimmy Bjennmyr Anders Bragée Corporate Account Manager, Shui Yim Chin Senior Trade Finance Manager, Corporate Account Senior Trade Finance General Manager Senior Account Head of Corporate Johan Andrén General Manager Hong Kong branch, Florence Chan Senior Account Manager, Corporate Account Senior Trade Finance General Manager Senior Account Head of Corporate Johan Andrén General Manager Hong Kong branch, Florence Chan Senior Account Manager, Manager Manager Hong Kong branch Manager Banking Jimmy Bjennmyr Head of Corporate Banking. Manager Manager Hong Kong branch Manager Banking Jimmy Bjennmyr Head of Corporate Banking. Your Nordic Bank in Greater China Handelsbanken has been operating in Our offering includes full-service Handelsbanken has been operating in Our offering includes full-service Greater China for more than 35 years. corporate banking, from all types of Greater China for more than 35 years. corporate banking, from all types of Today we are the Nordic bank with fi nancing to a wide range of cash Today we are the Nordic bank with fi nancing to a wide range of cash the largest presence in the region. management services. the largest presence in the region. management services. As your banking partner we are here As an experienced member of the As your banking partner we are here As an experienced member of the to help your business succeed. When local clearing system, our payment to help your business succeed. When local clearing system, our payment banking with us you will benefi t from services are second to none. banking with us you will benefi t from services are second to none. local knowledge and experience as well local knowledge and experience as well as a high level of fl exibility and personal as a high level of fl exibility and personal service. service. Contact us to fi nd out more about how we can help your business. Contact us to fi nd out more about how we can help your business.
Shanghai - Mikael Westerback +86 21 5331 7888, Jimi Flodin +86 21 5331 7821 Shanghai - Mikael Westerback +86 21 5331 7888, Jimi Flodin +86 21 5331 7821 Hong Kong - Johan Andrén +852 2293 5388, Jimmy Bjennmyr +852 2293 5326 Hong Kong - Johan Andrén +852 2293 5388, Jimmy Bjennmyr +852 2293 5326 Taipei - Amy Chen +886 2 2563 7458 Taipei - Amy Chen +886 2 2563 7458 Beijing - Joakim Hedhill +86 10 6500 4310 Beijing - Joakim Hedhill +86 10 6500 4310
handelsbanken.com handelsbanken.com
Untitled-23 1 2017-09-12 09:48:39 Untitled-23 1 2017-09-12 09:48:39