Sir Roger Gifford, Honorary Vice President and former Chairman of the SCC, has passed away aged 65

27 May 2021

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the United Kingdom pays tribute to Sir Roger Gifford, one of the greatest champions of Swedish-British business relations, after his passing on 25 May.

Gifford joined Swedish bank SEB in 1982, and was the head of SEB’s operations in the United Kingdom from 2000 until 2017, after which he stayed with the bank as Senior Banker. He became Chairman of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK in 2004, and was elected Honorary Vice President in 2018.

“The whole Swedish-British business community is saddened and shocked by the passing of Sir Roger Gifford. His contribution to our business community and bilateral relations was second to none. Roger was a figurehead and a true champion of Swedish-British relations, in particular in all things green and sustainability. He will be deeply missed, and we will remember him with respect and fondness,” says Peter Sandberg, Managing Director.

Sir Roger Gifford was the 685^th Lord Mayor of London, elected in 2012, and was a passionate advocate for green finance issues and climate-linked financial services. He was chair of the City of London’s Green Finance Initiative, which championed the UK as a hub for such activities and pushed for the contribution of the financial sector to the G20 climate agenda. He headed the government’s Green Finance Taskforce, which recommended the creation of an institute to take on the work of the Green Finance Initiative in 2018, alongside boosting investment into innovative clean technologies and issuing sovereign green bonds. He also chaired the Green Finance Institute.

Gifford was knighted in 2014 for services to international business, culture and the City.