Dear Subscriber,
China versus Sweden in two Olympic table tennis finals in Paris - who would have thought?
Table tennis is a sacred sport in China, drawing millions of spectators and making anything less than gold unacceptable. The pressure on Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and Wang Chuqin is immense.
This Olympics saw Sweden challenge that dominance fiercely. Truls Möregårdh stunned the world by defeating world #1 Wang Chuqin in the round of 32. After impressive performances in the quarters and semis, Möregårdh faced Fan Zhendong in the final, ultimately losing 4-1. In the men’s team event, Sweden staged a dramatic comeback from 0-2 down to defeat Japan 3-2 in the semis, but fell 0-3 to China in the final, with each match going to 3-2.
Is this surprising? For those unfamiliar with Swedish table tennis, it might be. But Sweden has a long and solid history in the sport, with legends like six-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist Jan-Ove Waldner, who remains a prominent figure in China. Here is a fun fact: As Waldner retired in 2012, he became the first living foreigner to feature on a Chinese postage stamp. Quite an honour.
The current Swedish team's success has ignited a new wave of table tennis enthusiasm in Sweden, potentially heralding a new era of champions. China, beware - the Swedish dragon is stirring!
In March next year, the Swedish national team will return to Singapore for the WTT Singapore Smash 2025. SwedCham hopes to host a special event with our silver medalists. Stay tuned.
Please find below the latest news from our business community.
Your dedicated SwedCham team,
Lisa & Anna Photo: The Swedish Olympic silver medal team - Jörgen Persson (national team coach), Kristian Karlsson, Truls Möregårdh and Anton Källberg - joined by Thomas Buza (Secretary-General of Sweden's Table Tennis Federation), Petra Sörling (President of the International Table Tennis Federation & IOC member), and Hans von Uthmann (President of the Swedish Olympic Committee) at the Sweden Arena in Paris. |
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| Double recognition for SwedCham’s GIC |
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In July, SwedCham had the honor of receiving two prestigious Singapore awards for its initiative The Green Innovation Centre (GIC).
People Association's Community Spirit (PACS) Merit Award
The PACS Awards recognise the efforts of the People's Association's partner organisations in supporting PA and its GRLs/GROs/CDCs in bonding the community and building social capital. The award was presented to SwedCham's President Sofie Bager by Edwin Tong SC, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Second Minister for Law, and Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association. SwedCham was also represented during the ceremony by our Secretary, Boon Choon Lim, President of ASEAN, Korea & Pacific for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence.
South West Caring Partner Award 2024
The Award was presented to Jenny Egermark, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden in Singapore, on 13 July by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Gan Kim Yong during the South West District Meeting & Partners Appreciation 2024 Event, hosted by Senior Minister of State and South West CDC Mayor Low Yen Ling to celebrate collaboration from the community and corporate partners who worked closely with the CDC towards building a caring and inclusive South West community. SwedCham was also represented during this event by Jerrica Chooi, Country Holding Officer of ABB Singapore (GIC Sponsor) and a SwedCham Board Member.
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The Awards recognise the efforts of 13 Swedish MNCs and over 50 partners, including The Cosy Garden community, South West Community Development Council, Bukit Batok's Grassroots Organizations, local SMEs, and various local schools, coming together to create The Green Innovation Centre in Bukit Batok, a green hub where people of all ages can meet and learn about sustainable urban living. Based on a collaborative bottom-up process, the project aims to support the local community in exploring a sustainable urban lifestyle with knowledge, solutions and services around the 5Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose & Recycle) and green living (gardening and connecting with nature).
SwedCham is deeply humbled by these recognitions for the GIC by Singapore and thrilled to see how a small idea from SwedCham's sustainability committee, at the time led by Magnus Gustavsson, has grown into a movement involving over 50 partners.
We extend our heartfelt THANK YOU to the Swedish MNC sponsors and all the local partners that made it happen. A special shout-out to the Cosy Garden - the garden community at Block 106, Bukit Batok Central - for their bold co-leadership on this project from day one.
Beyond promoting sustainability, this initiative has enriched our chamber community tremendously with new knowledge, business connections, innovative working methods, an expanded network, and lasting friendships.
Watch the GIC launch video here. |
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| Midwinter Ball: Ticket sales begin Monday |
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Ticket sales for this year's Midwinter Ball at the iconic Sofitel Sentosa open on Monday.
Get ready for a night of elegance and celebration: Join us at SwedCham's annual ball, our most anticipated and extravagant event of the year. As single ticket sales kick off next week, we are excited to remind you that Sofitel Sentosa is offering a special 30% discount on rooms for a limited number of Midwinter guests - available on a first-come, first-served basis. Why not turn the party night into a luxurious weekend staycation, escaping the hustle and bustle of city life? To take advantage of this exclusive offer, please contact Anna Landgren at anna.landgren@swedcham.sg.
For all the details and to secure your tickets, look out for the Midwinter Ball email arriving in your inbox on Monday 19 August. |
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| Knowledge events coming up |
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On 20 August, Jesper Albrekt from SwedCham's Silver Sponsor K2 Corporate Mobility will provide an in-depth overview of the latest updates in Singapore's immigration policies. This event is essential for anyone seeking a clearer understanding of immigration matters, whether for professional or personal reasons.
Register for this online event here. |
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On 30 August, the latest sourcing trends in Asia will take center stage as Johan Annell from ARC Consulting will present findings from their latest survey, highlighting how businesses in Asia have adjusted their sourcing strategies in the supply chains to mitigate future risk in response to recent global geopolitical and economic challenges.
Register for this online event here. |
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| Alfa Laval hosting next SwedCham Connect |
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Our next SwedCham Connect is just around the corner, and we are excited to announce that it will be hosted by Swedish flagship Alfa Laval at their brand new offices at The Metropolis. Join us for a glass of wine (or two) at this informal quarterly After Work event, which is always highly appreciated by our members. We anticipate a full house for this one, so don’t miss out.
Exclusively for SwedCham Members. Register for this event here. |
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Swiss Chamber of Commerce
The SwissCham Modern Work HR Award celebrates companies in Singapore that are at the forefront of this transformation, recognising excellence and innovation in HR practices. Could that company be yours?
The landscape of work is evolving rapidly, and organisations that lead the way in Human Resources are shaping the future. Imagine the impact of a SwedCham member being recognised as a leader in this arena. Not only would it underscore the commitment of Swedish businesses to innovation and excellence in HR, but it would also place your company at the forefront of discussions on modern work practices. Your success could also pave the way for new benchmarks in HR practices across Singapore.
Apply before 13 September at no cost via this link and let your company’s achievements shine on the national stage!
European Chamber of Commerce
1) EuroCham is excited to announce that applications are open for The EuroCham Sustainability Awards 2024. All European and local companies are encouraged to join us in these Awards and share their sustainable efforts, making an impact from an environmental, social, or governance perspective. We will recognise and acknowledge the best sustainability practices during the EuroCham Sustainability Awards 2024 gala dinner, scheduled for 5 November at Grand Hyatt. The categories are: Sustainovation Energy Efficiency; Sustainovation Value Chain; Sustainovation Technology; Sustainovation Transportation; Financing for Impact. There will be one award recipient per category. Key dates include: - Application Submission deadline: 9 September 2024
- Questionnaire Submission deadline: 16 September 2024.
More information about these awards can be found here.
2) Attention SwedCham SMEs: EuroCham will host an online session together with the European Business Association (EBO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), an organisation dedicated to supporting SMEs in their export endeavours through technical assistance and innovative tools. This session will provide an in-depth look at ITC’s services and resources, including tools that assess the preparedness of SMEs in exporting countries to meet the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) requirements.
Register for this event here. |
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Thursday 19 September: EU-SG Digital Partnership / Free Trade Agreement. More information will follow.
Saturday 9 November: SwedCham's Annual Midwinter Ball at Sofitel Sentosa.
Wednesday 27 November: A Market Outlook focusing on Indonesia. Guest speakers: H.E. Daniel Blockert, Sweden's Ambassador to Indonesia and Erik Odar, Sweden's Trade Commissioner to Indonesia. |
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Wednesday 26 June: Young Professionals hosted a Cross-Chamber AW at Mortar & Pestle.
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