WORDS FROM OUR PRESIDENT
My colleagues and I wish everyone a happy holiday season! We are so grateful for a fantastic year in the Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce network. In 2017 our 20 Chambers have hosted more than 300 events and facilitated trade relations with the help of more than 200 engaged regional board members. Almost 100 students and graduates have with the help from SACC-USA's trainee program started an internship at either a SACC-Chamber or Company across the United States. On top of that, 14 Lucia celebrations and Glögg nights are hosted by our Chambers this month as the Holidays are approaching. Our vast network and the things we can accomplish together make me proud. In 2018 we are going to deepen the relations between our Chambers and members and make our collaborations even stronger.
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The Russia Investigation: A Witch Hunt or A Guilty Administration?
From the very moment of his election, the alleged ties between Trump's campaign and Russian leaders has cast a constant shadow over the actions of the current administration. The months following his inauguration were plagued with calls from the Democratic party to hold an investigation into these connections. Rather than fading away, these demands only increased as FBI director James B. Comey was fired and Trump's motivations for this decision were questioned.
Due to the sensitivity of the matter, a special counsel outside of the Justice Department was formed to lead the investigation, one that was "truly independent of any political consideration," according to Representative Adam B. Schiff from California, a ranking Democrat in the House Intelligence Committee. Appointed to lead this probe in Russia's meddling was Robert S. Mueller, a former prosecutor who also served as FBI director from 2001 to 2013. As the investigation has developed, the Trump administration has remained adamant in its assertion that there was no collusion between its campaign and a foreign entity. Trump has even gone so far as to declare this investigation as "This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!" on twitter.
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Barbro Ehnbom at Sutton Place in New York
Photo: Pontus Böök, Svenska Dagbladet
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Barbro Ehnbom - Trailblazer in Life Science and Women's Networking
Swedish business woman Barbro Ehnbom took the United States by storm in the 1970s as one of the first female executives in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry as well as the first female executive analysist on Wall Street. Throughout her career, her success has allowed her to accomplish many things. In 2005, she founded the Swedish-American Life Science Summit, an initiative aimed at building strategic and collaborative relationships in academia, industry and funding between the two countries. She also has created her own network, Barbro's Best & Brightest, through which she promotes young women in Swedish and international business by providing mentorships and interdisciplinary idea-exchange.
Serendipity. This is the word used by Barbro Ehnbom when explaining how she ended up in the pharmaceutical industry. After graduating from the School of Economics in Stockholm at the age of 23, she moved to New York City and began working for a pharmaceutical company, specializing in marketing and research.
- Despite it being a coincidence that I started my career in the
pharmaceutical business, it turned out to be a perfect fit and I am still happily working in the Life Science field, says Barbro Ehnbom.
Since Barbro Ehnbom has spent most of her life working to develop and maintain Swedish-American relations, both culturally and commercially, it was a natural step forward for her to start the Swedish-American Life Science Summit (SALSS) in 2005. SALSS is an initiative whose main purpose is to increase the level of cross-border business between the United States and Sweden, one of the most important Life Science industry centers in Europe. Over the years the Summit has taken on an increasingly global nature, making it a true reflection of the Life Science industry today.
- Next year's summit will focus on "All About Brains" and will feature brain experts from across the world, says Barbro Ehnbom. This subject is relevant as so many people are diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's.
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Uber buys self-driving Volvo cars
In the next few years, Volvo Cars will sell up to 24,000 cars to Uber, according to a recent agreement. Over a year ago, Volvo Cars and Uber introduced a joint billion project to develop self-driving cars. Hundreds of cars is in the pilot project have been tested in Pittsburgh and elsewhere in the United States since last year. The companies have invested around $2.5 billion, only for the pilot-project.
According to a press release, the companies have written a new framework agreement, which means that Volvo Cars will sell "tens of thousands" vehicles based on the XC90 model, adapted to use different self-driving technologies.
- New technology picks up and disturbs the automotive industry, and Volvo Cars chooses to be an active part of the disruption," says Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson in the press release. Our goal is to be the most desired car supplier for shared taxi-services worldwide.
According to Dagens Industri, up to 24,000 cars will be delivered between 2019 and 2021. How much Uber will pay for the vehicles, Volvo Cars does not want to comment.
- We have chosen not to do it. But it is clear that it is an important business for Volvo, for many reasons, says Katarina Adamson, Communications Director at Volvo Cars, to TT. We get support in the development of our own self-driving cars, since it is a big commercial order.
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Google moves in with Sweden
Web giant Google sets its sights on Sweden as it buys 109 acres worth of land in the municipality of Avesta. While the motivations behind this purchase are not confirmed, it is widely believed that this move indicates Google's long-term plans of building a major data center in the area. This region is already outfitted with the infrastructure needed for a large-scale IT facility, as well as being a key industrial city in Sweden with a pool of skilled workers ready.
This emphasis placed on digitalization through the company's expansion, according to Google's Sweden chief Anna Wikland, will bring new jobs to the market and increase Sweden's economic growth. Despite there being no plans to build at present, future outlook suggests the coming of a new wave of digital technology, including that of artificial intelligence and robots, that will change the everyday lives of everyday people.
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The Future of Technology: Sweden Revamps its Pursuit of Artificial Intelligence
The United States and China are leading the march in terms of developmental efforts in Artificial Intelligence (AI), along with other multinational enterprises such as Google, IBM and Facebook. While Sweden too recognizes these advancements as the future of economic growth and technological change, the country is currently falling behind in terms of its research efforts. Referred to as an "AI winter", interest in the science had declined in the past decades and has resulted in minimal Swedish influence. Leaders in the technology industry have recognized Sweden's lagging position, and efforts are being made to bolster its standing. At the forefront of this movement is the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, which is granting a total of SEK 1.6 billion to "build up basic research in AI and quantum technology over the next ten years", stated Peter Wallenberg Jr., Chairman of the Foundation.
In coordination with the foundation, Linköping University is hosting the AI initiative, the Wallenberg Autonomous Systems and Software Program
, while Chalmers University of Technology is hosting the Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology
, along with the contributions from other participating universities. The goal of these initiatives is to keep Sweden competitive in AI research and education, following in the footsteps of the US. While the Wallenberg foundation will spearhead Sweden's rise in the AI world through the creation of infrastructure, according to Peter Wallenberg Jr., "other players and companies will need to develop applications and innovative technologies over time" to bring the research out of the lab and into everyday life.
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Chamber President Beata Krakus adding innovation to SACC Chicago
In 2000, Beata Krakus moved to Chicago, a city with a diversified economy with many business opportunities for Swedish companies. Today, she is the President of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in Chicago (SACC Chicago) and is in the midst of planning their 2018 events on the theme "TheSocial Side of Business."
Beata is born and raised in Sweden and started her international career right after graduating law school in Stockholm when she moved to Poland, where her parents had emigrated from. She moved there at a time when many Swedish companies wanted to establish themselves in Poland and spent several years working for a Swedish law firm (now Magnusson Law). There she met her American husband with whom she later moved to Chicago. Beata went back to law school in Chicago and is still practicing law, as a partner at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.
She truly enjoys the city of Chicago and says that it is very interesting from both a personal stand point and from a business perspective. Many big cities have a heavy emphasis on one specific industry, but Chicago has as very diversified economy and is built around different industries. McDonald's, Boeing, Abbott Labs, Zebra Technologies and a multitude of other companies have their headquarters in the Chicagoland area. Companies take advantage of relatively lower expenses than in other major cities and the geographic location. With access to O´Hare Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, it makes it a strategic and convenient location. With daily flights from Stockholm and Copenhagen it becomes is easy for Swedish companies to do business in Chicago.
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TRAINEE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
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Swedish Trainee made Atlas Copco's services
more cost effective and environmentally friendly
The Swedish industrial company Atlas Copco hosted Jonas Olsson, a mathematics student
from Linköping University in Sweden, through SACC-USA's Trainee Program and J-1 Visa Service. He trained at Atlas Copco's office in Dallas, Texas for two summers.
- We hired him as a summer intern before his Master's and brought him back the summer after because he did so well, says William Switzer, Business Controller at Atlas Copco.
Hosting a Swedish trainee is a fantastic opportunity for an American company. Trainees educated within the highly regarded Swedish educational system bring expertise within their academic field along with an intimate knowledge of the Swedish and European market, language skills and cross-cultural knowledge. The intern Jonas Olsson did not only contribute his international experience, he also created a software application that the company uses in its shipping process.
- This application has not only made it more efficient for us to transport all around the world,
but also much more cost effective and environmentally friendly. This has made Atlas Copco
more competitive, says William Switzer.
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A life changing Internship in Atlanta
Frida Åkerberg was previously a trainee at the
Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia. According to Frida the internship changed her life and opened many doors of opportunities. Not only did she gain work experience as a Business Development Coordinator, she also fell in love with the city of Atlanta, and met her future husband.
The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia (SACC-Georgia) is located in the vibrant city of Atlanta. Every six months they host two trainees, one Marketing and Events Trainee and one Business Development Trainee. Frida Åkerberg from Täby in Sweden was one of the trainees in 2015. She was very pleased with the internship and stayed a full year.
- I wasn't the kind of intern that only made coffee. It was a real learning experience with a lot of responsibilities. One of the most memorable things I did during my year was arranging the Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce Summit, a business event with almost 100 participants. It was such a great lesson and it made me grow as a person, Frida Åkerberg says.
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Are you, or do you know, an American tech or IT student or professional interested in a traineeship in Sweden?
Sweden is home to many high tech and innovative companies such as Spotify and Skype and offers a vibrant start-up scene. We offer traineeships at cutting-edge technology companies in various industries such as aerospace, renewable energy and bio-printing.
See available positions
here
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SACC REGIONAL CHAMBER EVENTS
What's Happening at Our Regional Chambers
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