THE SWEDISH BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA AWARD WINNERS 2024
On November 21, the SACC Swedish Business in Australia Awards took the spotlight, uniting the Swedish-Australian business community in a prestigious celebration of excellence. The event recognised organisations that have shown exceptional commitment to advancing sustainability, driving innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, initiating and strengthening partnerships and collaboration, creating a meaningful social impact and recognising the achievements of individual business professionals.
This annual gathering highlighted the achievements of businesses that continue to set new benchmarks in their respective fields, embodying the core values of Swedish-Australian collaboration. The Swedish Christmas inspired event, co-hosted by the Embassy of Sweden, took place at the prestigious Heritage Ballroom at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney, offering an elegant and festive atmosphere for the evening’s proceedings.
The event commenced with a beautiful Lucia performance by the Swedish School in Sydney. Attendees were then welcomed by Jan Gardberg, President of SACC, followed by the Guest of Honour speech by HE Pontus Melander, Ambassador of Sweden to Australia. A highlight of the evening was the Julbord, a traditional Swedish Christmas buffet, with an array of delicacies, providing a true Jultomten journey through the Swedish Christmas traditions.
The event showcased the finalists and winners of the 2024 Swedish Business in Australia Awards. Celebrating the achievements of inspirational companies both newcomers and well stablished businesses showcasing successful collaborations between Sweden and Australia. Organisations and professionals were recognised for their significant contributions to shaping the business landscape and setting new standards of excellence.
The 2024 SACC Swedish Business Awards were presented in the following categories:
- Excellence in Innovation
- Excellence in Sustainability
- Excellence in Entrepreneurship
- Excellence in Partnerships and Collaboration
- Excellence in Social Impact
- Business Professional of the Year
- Young Professional of the Year
We invited companies, enterprises, business executives, young professionals and entrepreneurs with strong ties to Sweden to submit nominations. Additionally, organisations and individuals were encouraged to nominate specific projects, such as sustainability focused projects, products or services, innovative campaigns, or impactful initiatives.
The judging panel, comprised of esteemed industry experts and leaders, carefully reviewed each nomination to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation process. The impressive range of submissions made the selection process particularly challenging for the judges. After a detailed and careful screening of all nominations, the winners were determined and announced at the event. Each category reflected the outstanding accomplishments and dedication of individuals and organisations committed to driving excellence in their respective fields. The final results celebrated not only the winners but also the remarkable contributions of all nominees, showcasing the strength of Swedish-Australian business ties.
The 2024 results within the seven categories were announced at the awards event as follows.
Excellence in Innovation 
This award was open to all Swedish or Swedish-Australian businesses; large or small, newcomer or established. Recognises businesses that have made significant contributions to their industry through the introduction, improvement and implementation of an innovative solution or idea, a method, technology, process or application, new, existing or long-term.
The Excellence in Innovation Award 2024 was granted to Amokabel with Hitachi Energy and Piab Group as runner ups.
Motivation: Amokabel, with innovative Swedish engineering tailored to the Australian Government’s demands and unique environment, developed a Covered Conductor Solution to eliminate the risk of power line-initiated bushfires and significantly enhance network resilience. By refurbishing existing infrastructure, it embraces circularity, supports local manufacturing, and drives Australia’s renewable energy transition, aligning with the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
This innovation saves lives, reduces bushfire emissions, and delivers safe, affordable power to communities. Designed for Australia’s unique challenges, it strengthens the reliability of the electricity network and addresses climate risks, making Amokabel a deserving candidate for this award.
Excellence in Sustainability
The Sustainability Award recognises organisations that execute initiatives that demonstrate leadership and commitment to sustainable business practices in planning, and operations in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). We encouraged businesses of all sizes and sectors that go above and beyond to achieve any of the SDG’s, to reduce the impact of their operations on the environment and/or provide products and services that have positive environmental outcomes. With many Swedish organisations excelling in this field, selecting a winner in this category was challenging for the jury, given the exceptional calibre of the finalists: ABB, Arjo, and Flick Anticimex.
The Excellence in Sustainability Award for 2024 went to Arjo.
Motivation: Leading the way in reducing healthcare waste and advancing sustainability, Arjo operates Australia’s first TGA-certified, ISO-accredited facility for reprocessing single-use non invasive medical devices, addressing the sector’s annual 168,000 tonnes of waste. Arjo’s chemical-free pasteurisation technology enables safe reuse of medical products, reducing landfill waste without added costs for hospitals. With biodegradable materials, recycled packaging, and optimised transport, Arjo demonstrates a holistic commitment to sustainability. Recognising Arjo with this award highlights its innovation and inspires broader adoption of sustainable practices in Australia’s healthcare industry.
Excellence in Entrepreneurship 
This award recognises the efforts and achievements of exceptional entrepreneurs, individuals and businesses (large or small) who are working in the field of entrepreneurship development. There were three shortlisted companies within this category AstraZeneca, Berkeley Communications and Nordman Design.
The 2024 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award was secured by AstraZeneca.
Motivation: AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca ANZ, through its A.Catalyst Innovation Hub and BRIDGE Program, empowers Australian healthcare startups by connecting them with over 350 global experts and fostering collaboration with universities and institutions. Supporting over 30 startups in diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health, and training 200 biotech entrepreneurs through the BRIDGE Program, AstraZeneca drives innovation, economic growth, and job creation.
With its Swedish heritage and commitment to cross-border collaboration, AstraZeneca strengthens ties between Sweden and Australia, making it a deserving recipient of the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award.
Excellence in Partnership & Collaboration
This award recognises achievements associated with partnerships and collaborations that develop, maintain, and grow successful Swedish-Australian collaboration, knowledge exchange, R&D, and creative and sustainable business development.
The winner of the Partnership and Collaboration Award went to Ericsson.
Motivation: Ericsson in partnership with Telstra delivered a transformative telecommunications upgrade to King Island, featuring the world’s longest over-water microwave link. Using Ericsson’s MINI-LINK technology, the project increased network capacity and availability tenfold, significantly enhancing connectivity for residents, businesses, and educational institutions on the island.
This achievement showcases the power of cross-continental collaboration between Swedish and Australian engineers, demonstrating innovative problem-solving in harsh environments. The project aligns with government initiatives to enhance regional connectivity, highlighting Ericsson’s commitment to leveraging technology for good and advancing sustainable development in Australia.
Excellence in Social Impact 
This award recognises businesses/organisations/individuals that implement initiatives that have a positive and sustainable impact on the community and generate outcomes that have a long-term benefit. Initiatives can include but are not limited to projects, programs, processes, systems, developments, ventures and undertakings.
The Excellence in Social Impact Award was granted to IKEA Australia.
Motivation: IKEA’s commitment to refugee and asylum seeker employment through its Australian Refugee Workforce Inclusion program represents a meaningful and sustainable model of social impact.
The initiative benefits not only the participants, who gain financial independence and a sense of social belonging but also IKEA’s business. It has helped reduce staff turnover, improve workplace diversity, and create a new talent pipeline across various roles. Furthermore, IKEA’s initiative aims to reshape the narrative around refugees through advocacy and positive storytelling. This initiative stands as a beacon of social impact, demonstrating the powerful intersection between ethical responsibility and business success.
Business Professional of the Year Award
This award honours individuals who embody exceptional business acumen, strategic foresight, and inspiring leadership. It celebrates executives or entrepreneurs who have achieved significant success in their careers, whether within an organisation or through running their own business.
These professionals exemplify the core values of SACC, serving as role models for the next generation with their dedication to innovation, transformation, and sustainable progress.
The winner of the Business Professional of the Year Award went to Povel Torudd, Managing Director, Berkeley Communications
Motivation: Through transformative leadership, Povel has revolutionised business storytelling in Australia. Under his guidance, Berkeley Communications has rapidly emerged as a key player in the competitive PR industry, championing an innovative approach that prioritizes engagement and quality over visibility.
Beyond his professional success, Povel’s mentoring, pro bono work, and support for local start-ups highlight his dedication to nurturing future communicators. His commitment to diversity, mental health, and employee well-being reflects a forward-thinking approach, making a profound impact on both grassroots and professional communities.
His unique blend of strategic vision and passion sets him apart, making him truly deserving of this award.
Young Professional of the Year Award
Recognising the tremendous talent in the young professional business community, this award honours up and coming leaders (up to 35 years) who impress with their ability to make an impact, build strategic success and inspire others with their business acumen to raise the Swedish profile in Australia.
The winner of the Young Professional of the Year Award went to Joshua Di Paola, Solutions Architect, Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure
Motivation: Joshua’s outstanding contributions to Hexagon highlight his professionalism, innovation, and resilience in high stakes environments. His ability to bridge technical and non technical stakeholders and adapt to challenging circumstances has delivered critical solutions for life and death organisations like police, ambulance and firefighters.
A dedicated team player, Josh’s commitment to understanding client needs and delivering effective solutions has yielded exceptional results. His hunger to learn and success in implementing Swedish technology to enhance safety for Australians make him highly deserving of this award.
The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce would like to thank members and everyone engaged in the 2024 Swedish Business in Australia Awards.
A special thank you goes to the dedicated judging panel and all the companies who participated in the awards.
Download the Summary of the Swedish Business Award Winners 2024 here.
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