Stockholm meeting assesses regional trade priorities

Leading figures from business, government and the financial sector debated the current state of Swedish and Nordic exports at the long-running Nordic Region Trade & Export Finance Conference, held for the first time in Stockholm on November 19-20.

In a momentous year for the global trade and export community, which has seen sanctions on Russia, Ebola in Africa and scandal hit China’s commodity sector, further fuelling fears of slowdown, the conference hosted over 350 delegates from across Scandinavia and from further afield to discuss changing trends and share their experiences.

Such trends, and the measures in place to support exporters in their efforts to access new markets, were placed high on the agenda, as heads from the likes of EKN, SEK and Business Sweden debated the mechanisms in place to support the growth of the region’s largest economy. Elsewhere, world-renowned economists provided a health assessment of the four Nordic economies, presenting ‘a tale of four countries’.

“In light of the economic problems that have blighted Europe since the advent of the global economic crisis in 2008, it is testament to the strength and resilience of the Nordics that their companies continue to thrive, ably supported by the financial community and some of the world’s most forward thinking government agencies,” said Jeff Ando, Associate Director and Head of Conference Production at Global Trade Review, organisers of the event.

“Traditionally the event has been held in Gothenburg, the heartland of trading within the region, but this year’s move to the capital has witnessed an uptake in interest that reflects the desire to come together and evaluate the last year and assess what the future holds.”

Among the topics discussed across a range of industry leaders, from corporates such as ABB, Ekman, Ericsson, Getinge, Konecranes, Nokia, Philips, Siemens, Volvo and Valment to banks such as SEB, Swedbank, Danske Bank, DNB, BNP Paribas and RBS, were the differing offerings from the ECA and private insurance markets, changing regulatory requirements including sanctions and compliance, the role of technology, and opportunities provided in emerging markets such as Africa and Asia.

“This was definitely the arena for speakers and audience to come together and interact from experience and knowledge but also from pure eagerness to learn new things,” says Lydia Capolicchio, renowned journalist and broadcaster, and host for the day. “The best moments were when dialogue occurred from all directions in the room.”