SWEDELINK Newsletter Autumn 2019

SWEDELINK Newsletter Autumn 2019

Australian-Based Honorary Consuls attended royal reception in Stockholm

At the end of May 2025, four Australia-based Honorary Consuls visited Stockholm to participate in the Honorary Consul Conference, hosted by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

As part of the official program, the Consuls were honoured at a distinguished royal reception at the Royal Palace, hosted by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria. The event brought together Swedish Honorary Consuls from across Asia and Oceania, underscoring their vital role in advancing Sweden’s global engagement.

Representing Australia at the conference were:

  • James Letherbarrow (Sydney)
  • Benjamin Sandquist (Melbourne)
  • Kevin Stephens (Darwin)
  • Lisa Jahrsten (Perth)

However, they weren’t the only ones with ties to Australia in such high-level event. Also in attendance were Ambassador-Designate to Australia Klas Molin and Carina Engman, Head of Administration at the Embassy of Sweden in Canberra, further underscoring the strong diplomatic ties between the Sweden and Australia.

During the ceremony, HM The King and HRH Crown Princess awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star to ten Honorary Consuls, including all four Australia-based representatives in attendance.

Honorary Consuls are vital links for Sweden internationally. Their work spans trade promotion, cultural exchange, and support for Swedish citizens abroad.

In his address, King Carl Gustaf praised the Consuls’ dedication, emphasising their contribution to Sweden’s international reputation and in fostering meaningful business and cultural ties between Sweden and the Asia-Pacific region.

SACC Brisbane QLD – After Work Networking Drinks 3 July

SACC Brisbane QLD – Networking Drinks with the Brazil, Dutch, Maltese, Norwegian and Swedish Chambers!

This business networking event takes place on the first Thursday of the month and is a great opportunity to expand your network with other international chambers in Brisbane QLD.

Join us for good laughs and a nice drink in a relaxing atmosphere and the Dutch will of course throw in some famous Bitterballen. Feel free to bring friends and colleagues along!

When: Thursday, 3 July, 5:30 – 7.30 pm
Where: Riverland, 167 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Please register to confirm your attendance here:  https://events.humanitix.com/business-networking-borrel-jul25

There is no cost attached to this invitation. Drinks at bar prices.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

SACC Brisbane QLD Chapter

SACC Brisbane: Monthly networking drinks

SACC Brisbane, together with the Dutch, Norwegian, Brazilian and Maltese Chambers, met for the monthly networking drinks on June 5th. We are growing! It was a well-attended event, and several new connections were made. These networking drinks are very informal and lots of fun. We meet at the same place, Riverland in Brisbane, first Thursday of every month – join us for the next one!

Howwe Rolls Out Major Upgrades to Drive Faster Strategy Execution

Howwe Technologies has introduced significant upgrades to its strategy execution platform, Howwe.io, enhancing user experience and functionality. The updates are designed to facilitate better, faster business growth and rapid transformation.

  • New landing page: The platform now features the Strategic Plan as the main landing page, making the strategy more prominent for users. Additionally, the Acceleration Board has been renamed to “Organization” for easier access.
  • Enhanced Acceleration Meetings: Updates include a new visual representation of previous period achievements, a new Initiative Overview screen for smarter reviews, and faster editing of milestone deadlines. A Gantt-style view has also been added for strategic initiatives, allowing leaders to track progress effectively.

Howwe is used by CEOs and all leaders to drive business growth and enable rapid buy-in to its client’s business transformations.

New landing page

We are now using the Strategic plan as main landing page when logging in to the application to put the strategy front and centre for all users. As well as a tile view of initiatives, Howwe has added a Gantt-style view, which connects the financial contribution of each initiative to the company’s financial goals. This enables CEOs and C-suites to have a helicopter view of the progress of what is most important, what is starting, what is completing and what is in progress in a simple view across the whole company.

 Acceleration Meeting Just Got Better

The Acceleration Meeting is the key ingredient in driving consistent and effective change programmes and is the way to improve accountability & commitment. The Acceleration Meeting process is a fundamental part of the Howwe.io platform and we’ve introduced several updates to make your Acceleration Meetings more insightful and efficient:

 Previous Period Achievements – Now More Visual

The Previous Period view has a fresh new look!

  • See your team’s milestones clearly organized and visualized.
  • Access both team and company-level achievements in one place.

Initiative Overview – New Screen for Smarter Reviews

A new Initiative Overview screen is now available in the meeting.

  • Quickly understand your team’s initiatives, their milestones, and connected activities.
  • Get the full picture before committing to new actions.

Faster Milestone Deadline Editing and Allocating to teams

What’s new:
You can now edit milestone deadlines directly from the Initiative view and Milestones Planner—no need to open each milestone individually. Just click the date on the Milestone. You can now allocate milestones to teams just by joining a team to an initiative. No need to allocate specific milestones to each team.

Why it matters:
Save time and adjust plans on the fly. This streamlined editing makes it easier to keep your timelines accurate and your initiatives on track and automatically updated in relevant teams.

Reporting

Coupled with the new initiative view is a Strategic Plan Report upgrade, which enables clients to easily create Board or Management Reports from the strategic content within their implementation of Howwe.io. Free text can be added to each section of making Reporting of updates a breeze for all users of Howwe regardless of what level they are within the organisation.

Contact for more information: 

Stephen Bowhill
Managing Director

Howwe ANZ Pty Ltd
M: +61 (0) 403852734

50 Bridge Street, Sydney. NSW 2000

 

Howwe® is the Solution for Growth. With our method and software, we simplify the execution of your strategy. Learn more at Howwe.com.au.

Volvo to manufacture first-ever Australian-made heavy duty electric trucks as part of nation’s largest-ever order

Ahead of Australian Made Week, Volvo Group Australia (Volvo) today marks a pivotal moment for Australian manufacturing, announcing it will build the first-ever Australian-made heavy duty electric trucks at the company’s Wacol facility in Brisbane next year.

 

This coincides with Volvo’s delivery of ten heavy duty electric trucks to leading logistics company, Linfox, which represents the biggest single delivery of Australia’s largest order for 30 Heavy Duty electric trucks.

Ten of the electric trucks in the landmark order will carry the Australian Made label, positioning Volvo at the forefront of creating a new electric truck manufacturing sector in Australia, tailored to the country’s unique heavy transport needs and conditions.

Manufacturing Volvo electric trucks in Australia will expand the nation’s manufacturing capabilities, help accelerate their adoption, and lower emissions throughout the Australian road transport sector.

The landmark order with Linfox will comprise 29 FM Electric and one FH Electric model. Linfox has already successfully trialled Volvo electric trucks, beginning with two vehicles in 2021 and expanding to four in 2023.

This milestone delivery and announcement is being celebrated at Linfox’s Willawong site  in Brisbane, with Volvo Group President and CEO Martin Lundstedt, and Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks who have travelled from Sweden with Volvo executives, joining Martin Merrick, President of Volvo Group Australia, and Linfox Executive Chairman Peter Fox AM for the official handover.

Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo Group, stated, “Today signifies not just the delivery of electric trucks, but the dawn of a new era for Australian manufacturing. This landmark order from Linfox, coupled with our commitment to build a third of these electric vehicles right here in Australia, demonstrates our confidence in the local industry’s potential to lead the way in sustainable heavy transport, perfectly suited to Australia’s demanding distances and conditions.”

Martin Merrick, President of Volvo Group Australia, added, “Manufacturing  a significant portion of these electric trucks locally is a key pillar of our long-term vision for Australia. We are dedicated to establishing a thriving electric truck manufacturing industry that will create skilled jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate the uptake of zero-emission transport solutions across the Australian road transport sector. To assist the industry accelerate the adoption of low emission electric trucks, we would like to see all state and federal governments provide more accessible incentives for all businesses, especially small to medium enterprises, so they can follow in Linfox’s footsteps.”

Peter Fox AM, Executive Chairman of Linfox, commented, “Linfox is excited to partner with Volvo in driving the future and leading sustainable logistics in Australia. Further electifying our fleet sets the standard for us and our customers and the entire industry.

As a proud Australian company, it is our great pleasure to take ownership of the first Australian-made heavy duty electric vehicles.”

Volvo Group’s decision to manufacture these advanced heavy duty electric trucks in Australia builds upon their extensive 50-year history of local production at the Wacol plant in Brisbane.

For further information, please contact:

Brochure Gallery | Volvo TrucksMatt Wood

Public Relations and Media Manager (Volvo Group Australia)

Mobile: +61 (0)436 681 117

Email: matthew.wood@volvo.com

Julia Hoy

Sefiani Communications

+61 450 983 704

jhoy@sefiani.com.au

Nordic Business Lunch – 11 July – Melbourne

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce (SACC) is pleased to invite you to the return of the Nordic Business Lunch, in collaboration with the inland Australia Chamber of Commerce and the Norwegian Australian Chamber of Commerce (NACC).

Join fellow professionals from across the Nordic–Australian business community for an engaging lunch focused on meaningful discussion, networking, and cross-industry insights.

Friday 11 July

12:00pm – 2:00pm

Denmark House, Level 3, 428 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC

️ Menu: 4 x smørrebrød, tea & coffee

Limited to 15 guests – designed for quality conversation and valuable connections.

$25 for FACC, SACC & NACC members

$50 for non-members

Please let us know any dietary requirements by Tuesday 8 July.

Purchase your ticket here https://app.glueup.com/event/146659/register/, seats are limited.

 

Global Business Climate Survey 2025 – Swedish Outlook Across 37 Markets

On 16 June, Business Sweden and Swedish Chambers International (SCI) launched the sixth edition of the Global Business Climate Survey. This year’s survey covers 37 markets including 13 new markets and Australia was one of them. The event commenced with a welcome and introduction by Daniella Waldfogel, President Swedish Chambers International and CEO of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa, opened the Global Business Climate Survey launch on 16 June by:

  • Delivering the introductory address, emphasizing the strategic importance of the survey’s findings for Swedish businesses expanding globally.

  • Highlighting TeamSweden.se, a new nationwide platform (launched that same day), as a key tool for reinforcing collaboration among Swedish agencies, trade bodies, Chambers of Commerce and companies to boost exports and attract investment.

In essence, he emphasized the importance of collective effort and improved coordination in driving Sweden’s global trade and investment agenda.

Jan Larsson, CEO of Business Sweden, highlighted the growing global uncertainty—from geopolitical tensions to economic slowdowns. Despite this, Swedish companies show strong resilience abroad. He also noted the survey’s expanded reach to 37 markets, reinforcing its value as a tool for navigating global business challenges.

Jonas Lindström, Managing Director of the Swedish-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, delivered the closing remarks and summary following the main session for the launch.

The SACC were represented at the launch, by President Jan Gardberg and General Manager Camilla Jennings, which took place at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the International Chamber Days in Stockholm.

The survey features insights from more than 2,000 executives at Swedish companies around the world.

Some of the key findings:

46% plan to increase international investments

65% expect industry turnover to grow

82% say Brand Sweden gives a competitive edge

Despite global uncertainty, Swedish companies continue to see strong opportunities abroad.

Download the full report to explore market insights and trends: https://www.swedishchamber.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/global-business-climate-survey-2025.pdf

About the Global Business Climate Survey
The Survey is a collaborative initiative by Business Sweden, the Swedish Chambers of Commerce (SCI), and Sweden’s embassies and consulates. It covers 37 markets across Western Europe, APAC, MEA+, and the Americas.

Launched in 2020, the survey gathers insights from Swedish business leaders operating abroad. In 2025, over 2,000 C-level executives responded to 18 standardised questions about the business climate in their key markets. Regional responses are weighted in the overall results to reflect market representation.

#SwedenAbroad #SwedishBusiness #GlobalMarkets #BusinessClimate #TeamSweden #SwedishChambersInternational #SCI

Midsummer Celebration at ÖPPEN 28th of June, Melbourne

Join us for a classic Midsummer Celebration at ÖPPEN

While it may be winter in Melbourne, we’re bringing the spirit of Scandinavian summer to life with a traditional Midsummer Celebration — complete with delicious food, festive cheer, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Expect a classic Nordic experience featuring a traditional smörgåsbord with gravlax, meat(veg)balls, pickled herrings, Skagen and more, paired with your choice of wine or beer and a celebratory shot of Aquavit — all topped off with the iconic Swedish strawberry cake.

Date: June 28th

Time: From 15:00-19:00

Venue: ÖPPEN – 20/2 Maddock St, Windsor VIC 3181

A selection of additional drinks will be available at the bar for purchase.

This event is a wonderful chance to embrace Swedish tradition, connect with fellow Scandinavians in Melbourne, and meet new people in a relaxed and friendly setting. You’re also warmly encouraged to bring your non-Swedish friends and family along — it’s the perfect opportunity to share the magic of a true Swedish Midsummer celebration.

Tickets are limited — secure yours now!

We can’t wait to celebrate with you. Skål and see you there!

Brisbane Beyond 2032 – Circular Futures – 21 August Brisbane

INVITATION: Brisbane Beyond 2032 – Circular Futures
Co-hosted by The Circular Economy Club GC, People Planet Pint and the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce (SACC)

What will Brisbane look like after the 2032 Olympics?
How circular, inclusive and resilient could Brisbane become?

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games are positioned to be the most sustainable yet, with circular economy principles at their core. This event aims to ignite the conversation around what comes next — and how we can use this momentum to drive long-term, local impact.

Join us for an inspiring evening of insights, discussion and connection as we explore the potential for a circular future for Brisbane beyond 2032. This event brings together local changemakers, industry professionals and sustainability leaders to share ideas and spark action.

Date: 21 August
Location: The Precinct, 315 Brunswick Street #Level 2 Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006
Time: 5:15 – 7:30 pm AEST

Event Highlights:
TEDx-style talks by three guest speakers, each presenting a unique perspective on shaping a circular Brisbane post-Olympics
Interactive Q&A and open discussion with the audience
Networking with sustainability professionals, innovators, and community leaders

This event builds on the success of The Circular Economy Club Gold Coast, known for its high-impact sessions on topics from textiles to organics. With growing interest, we’re now expanding into Brisbane to broaden the reach and engage new voices in the circular economy movement.

Come for the insights. Bring your colleagues and friends — all are welcome.

Register for here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/brisbane-beyond-2032-circular-futures-tickets-1306641843929?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

We look forward to seeing you there!

CANCELLED: SACC YP Midsummer Celebration at The Greens North Sydney!

Due to the extreme weather in Sydney, we regretfully had to make the difficult decision to cancel this event. 

We’ve got more events coming up soon, so stay tuned!

SACC YP Midsummer Celebration at The Greens North Sydney!

Hej Young Professionals,

You’re invited to join us for the SACC YP Midsummer Celebration of 2025, a day of delicious food, fun and great company to celebrate the Swedish Tradition!

Date: Sunday 6th July 2025 
Time: Meet at 11:30 AM – stay as long as you please 
Location: The Greens North Sydney, St Leonards Park

We’ll start with some friendly lawn bowls games — a great way to break the ice and connect with fellow young professionals.

After the games, we’ll head to the park and enjoy a smorgasbord lunch featuring classic Swedish dishes like Meatballs, Herring, Gravlax, Potato salad and more. We’ll also provide a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to the buffet.

Want to keep the fun going? Stick around for some traditional Midsummer games and socialising for as long as you like!

All of this is included in your ticket price — networking, lawn bowls, buffet lunch, and drinks at the park. 

Spots are limited, so don’t miss out on this chance to celebrate Midsummer with great food, friendly competition, and even better company.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Warm regards,
The SACC YP Board