Chamber News

Modern business leaders are grappling with the same challenge: how to stay competitive while moving faster towards net zero, greater resilience, and smarter use of resources. Few companies sit closer to that crossroads than ABB – a group whose technologies power energy systems, factories, hospitals, ships, and data centres across the world. ABB now joins the SCC UK community, with a story offering both a rich industrial heritage and a clear-sighted view of the future.

We’ve all heard it. Future-proofing. It sounds reassuring and hard to argue with. But Paul Harrop doesn’t deal in comfortable consensus.

With 25 years at H&M – from the shop floor to the Managing Director’s office – Karen O’Rourke is leading the UK & Ireland business into a milestone year, as the brand marks 50 years in the market.

Easter weekend is here – perfect timing to dive into LINK 376, our spring magazine on future‑proofing Swedish–British business through people, mobility, deals, energy, and more ideas shaping the next chapter together.

Our CEO, Fredrik Warneryd, shares his take on a high‑energy spring at the Chamber – how we’re refining our offer to create stronger Swedish–British connections – and looks ahead to where the conversation might go next.

SCC UK has elected three new members to its Board of Directors, during the Board Meeting on Wednesday 18 February 2026. The newly elected bring senior experience from leading Swedish businesses in the UK across technology, defence, and retail.

We are pleased to announce that Mats Torstendahl, Head of SEB UK, has been nominated as the next Chair of the Chamber. He will be formally appointed at the Annual General Meeting on 10 June 2026, succeeding current Chair, Peter Jelkeby of IKEA.

Entering a new market is rarely straight-forward – and the UK is no exception. In this SME Q&A, our contributors share their experiences of entering and growing in the UK market.

Across the UK, a quiet revolution is underway in homes, both old and new. Rising energy costs and a growing sense of environmental responsibility are changing how people approach daily routines. It’s about saving money – but there’s also a deeper awareness that every choice, from a quick laundry cycle to cooking a family meal, has an impact. This moment of change has brought Electrolux into sharp focus.

Guest column by Carl-Johan Hagman, NYK: Global shipping faces geopolitical shocks and climate uncertainty, yet Scandinavian innovation, sustainability leadership and defence of open trade foster resilience and cautious optimism ahead.

In a few years, maybe sooner, a child will ask their parent: “Did you really use to cut the grass yourself?” The question will land like “Did you really wash dishes by hand?” A small piece of history, no longer imagined as necessary. And when that moment arrives – when the question feels almost quaint – Husqvarna will have already rewritten the story of how that world came to be.

When Newbie opened its first UK store in 2017, few could have predicted the rapid expansion that would follow. Today, with 11 stores and ambitious plans for 30 by 2030, the Swedish children's lifestyle brand is revolutionising how we think about family fashion. We sat down with Gemma Keenor, Country Manager UK at Kappahl Group, to explore Newbie's recipe for success: listening to their customers.

This SCC UK Member manufactures nothing you can buy or hold. Instead, Netmore has built the invisible wireless network backbone connecting millions of devices that communities and businesses depend on every single day, and in just four years, they have quietly become one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure players. We spoke with Ove Anebygd, CEO at Netmore Group, to understand the company, its approach, and what’s next for connected Britain.

From the hum of the service centre to the innovation shaping tomorrow’s industries, Alfa Laval is a company defined by people and passion. At the centre of it all is Rachel Bridges, Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, whose leadership blends authenticity, curiosity, and a love for learning – qualities that ripple through every team and process she touches. And somewhere amid the precision, engineering, and innovation, sled dogs have found a place too.

This season’s LINK looks back at a packed year across the Swedish–British business community, and looks ahead to what’s coming next – from connected infrastructure and leadership, to energy use at home and SMEs growing in the UK.