Dear Subscriber,
As we approach the end of the year following a busy holiday season, Team Sweden reflects on a significant milestone: The first state visit of the Swedish monarch to Singapore. Over the course of three days, King Carl XVI Gustaf was joined by Sweden's largest-ever business delegation to visit the country. In addition to meetings with dignitaries and tours of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks, the King also took the time to connect with the Swedish community here. During this memorable moment, the King delivered a personal speech, expressing his gratitude to the community for serving as representatives of Sweden in various roles across Singapore.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our members for an incredible 12 months. SwedCham has grown in both membership and impact, thanks to your engagement, innovative ideas, and steadfast commitment to making our business community the place to be. Wishing all of you a blessed festive season and a great start to 2025: The Year of the Snake.
Please find below the latest news from our business community.
Your dedicated SwedCham team,
Lisa & Anna All photos from the state visit: Nicholas Yeo / Embassy of Sweden in Singapore |
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The first state visit between Singapore and Sweden marked a significant milestone in the relationship between our two nations. Over the course of three action-packed days, this historic event underscored a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and cultural exchange, further strengthening the ties between Singapore and Sweden. His Majesty’s program featured visits to iconic locations such as Changi Airport, PSA, Marina Bay Sands, Marina Barrage, Gardens by the Bay, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and the Botanic Gardens, where he was presented with an orchid hybrid named in his honour.
A state banquet was hosted by Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on 19 November at the Jubilee Ballroom of Raffles Hotel, followed by a state reception the next day, hosted by His Majesty the King at Clifford Pier. The Swedish community in Singapore also had the unique opportunity to meet the King in person at the Ambassador’s residence.
The Swedish Government delegation accompanying His Majesty included Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson, State Secretary Håkan Jevrell from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and State Secretary Miriam Söderström from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.
In addition, around 50 Swedish companies, government agencies, and higher education institutions participated in the business delegation organized by Business Sweden. On 20 November, business leaders joined His Majesty and Singaporean counterparts for the Singapore-Sweden Royal Business Summit. This one-day event focused on fostering collaboration in digitalisation, green transition, and innovation, and included the announcement of the Stockholm Global Innovation Alliance node, aimed at strengthening innovation ties between our two countries. Key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the summit, marking a further step in enhancing bilateral cooperation, included: - Energy: The Ministry of Climate and Enterprise of Sweden Regeringskansliet, Klimat- och näringslivsdepartementet and the Energy Market Authority (EMA) of Singapore exploring HVDC transmission and alternative fuels like green ammonia and hydrogen to enhance energy efficiency and resilience
- Transport: Trafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) Singapore advancing sustainable, safe, and connected mobility solutions, including vehicle electrification and smart traffic systems
- Aviation: Swedavia AB and Changi Airport Group collaborating on sustainable airport development, supported by the Independent Business Group and SJ Group to accelerate the green transition in aviation and airport operations
- Air Traffic Management: ST Engineering and Saab expanding efforts in air traffic management innovation
- Defence: Saab and the DSTA strengthening their partnership, with a focus on underwater technology for maritime security
- Healthcare & Life Sciences: 1) Bilateral MoU in Healthcare Innovation Collaboration, signed by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of Sweden Regeringskansliet, Socialdepartementet and the Ministry of Health (Singapore); 2) Global Health Innovation Network - a Sweden-Singapore framework to identify, implement, and scale health innovations in screening, diagnosis, and monitoring. This collaboration marks the first concrete initiative under the government-to-government MoU in healthcare innovation and was launched by the founding partners - National University Health System, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, AstraZeneca, Ericsson and Business Sweden.
The state visit in the news: |
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| What’s a royal visit without a royal convoy? |
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To mark Sweden’s first official state visit by His Majesty the King of Sweden, the Embassy of Sweden aimed to deliver a truly unforgettable Singaporean welcome. Several Swedish brands and businesses across various industries joined the Royal Convoy initiative, proudly displaying their logos on the iconic Singapore taxis. Partners included H&M, SAAB, Atlas Copco, GAC, Lynxeye, Pixi, ABB, Monitor ERP and Mentor Media.
In collaboration with creative agency Forsman & Bodenfors Singapore, ComfortDelGro’s iconic blue and yellow taxis were mobilised to create a stunning synchronised display of the Swedish national flag. The campaign film showcases a fleet of ComfortDelGro drivers performing a series of precisely choreographed formations, with their striking taxis coming together to form the Swedish flag in a salute to the King of Sweden.
The synchronised flag formation was released as a welcome film for the state visit. Watch it here. |
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| The Philippines in the focus |
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SwedCham is excited to kick off the new year with our next Market Outlook in January. On 15 January, we will be joined by Trade Commissioner Johan Lennefalk from Business Sweden's Philippines office, who will share the latest insights on one of the region's most dynamic economies, characterised by strong and sustained growth, with key opportunities across the consumer, digital, energy, infrastructure, and water sectors, as the government intensifies efforts to attract foreign investment.
Register for this event here. |
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| Re-ignite your network with W4W |
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Calling all women in the SwedCham business community: Join us on 23 January for the next Women4Women AW – an evening of networking, inspiration and goal-setting. Reconnect with like-minded women, share experiences, and get an exclusive first look at the stunning The Standard on Orange Grove Road.
Register for this event here. |
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| Save the date for SwedCham's next initiative |
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| New Counsellor of Innovation at the Embassy |
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Joanna Boquist is the new Innovation Counsellor at the Swedish Embassy in Singapore, a new position supported by Vinnova, Sweden's Innovation Agency. Her primary role is to strengthen collaboration between the innovation ecosystems of Singapore and Sweden, focusing on strategically important technologies to boost Sweden’s global innovation capacity and competitiveness. In her role, Joanna will work with MNCs, start-ups, academia, research institutes and the public sector. |
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| SWEA's annual Lucia concert |
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SWEA Singapore invites you to a magical evening celebrating the Swedish Lucia tradition on Friday 13 December at the Lutheran Church of our Redeemer (30 Duke’s Road, Singapore 268912). The event will start at 6 pm with glögg and lussebullar, followed by the concert at 7 pm sharp. Please note that doors will close promptly at 6:55 pm, so please arrive on time. What is Lucia?
Buy your tickets here (adults $20 and children $10 (2-17 years old)). |
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Photo: Emelie Asplund/imagebank.sweden.se |
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| Get recognised as a Company of Good! |
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To be future-ready, businesses today need to look after their employees, adopt sustainable practices, and be a force for good in society. Having a clear purpose enables them to do so - not only creating positive impact but also delivering business performance. Purpose-driven companies are better positioned to navigate challenges, innovate solutions, attract talent, and resonate with consumers who prioritise ethical practices. The NVPC is the steward of the City of Good vision for Singapore, where individuals, organisations, and leaders come together to give their best for others. Through their brands, programmes, and initiatives, they facilitate partnerships with non-profits, organisations, public sector bodies, and individuals to enliven the giving ecosystem within Singapore. The COG Recognition System is designed to be inclusive in recognising organisations for their varying progress towards Corporate Purpose and the five impact areas.
Applications close on 3 March 2025. For more details about the application process, reach out to NVPC at cogrecognition@nvpc.org.sg. |
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| Dinner with Björn Frantzén, anyone? |
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Frantzén Group's Brasserie Astoria in Singapore is hosting an exclusive 6 hands culinary event on 21 December at 6:30 pm, featuring Star Chef Björn Frantzén, Executive Head Chef Nilas Corneliussen from Villa Frantzén Bangkok, and Executive Head Chef Emil Ess from Brasserie Astoria Singapore. The 6-course menu ($180++ per guest) will highlight Nordic-inspired dishes with Asian influences, blending the best of both worlds for an unforgettable dining experience.
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Thursday 12 December: The last YP AW of 2024 will be held at Foxtail.
Thursday 23 January: SwedCham's Women4Women Forum kick-starts the new year with an AW.
Thursday 13 March: SwedCham AGM 2025 at The Standard. Key note by Taimur Baig, Chief Economist, DBS.
Tuesday 18 March: Lynxeye on purposeful branding of B2B businesses. More information will follow. |
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Thursday 28 November: YP x Spotify - a company visit to the world's leading music streaming platform.
Thursday 14 November: YP hosted an AW at Good Boy George, Robertson Quay.
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|  | | Women4Women After Work | | A New Year, A Fresh Start. | 
| Jan 23, 2025
(6:30 PM - 9:00 PM) (GMT+8) |
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| The Standard
12 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 258353 |
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