Trade Mission to Stockholm: promising contacts!

Monaco Economic Board (MEB) led a Trade Mission to Sweden’s dynamic capital 26-28 March. The 17-strong delegation from ten organisations represented the banking/finance, consultancy, ICT and energy sectors. It was a busy two days of a fruitful trip set to boost trade between the two countries.

It was the MEB’s first trip for 2018 during which many useful contacts were made thanks to Monaco’s Consul in Stockholm, Olof Carl Sjöström. The Consul played a key role in the mission’s success by activating his many business networks.

Main events took place on Tuesday 27 March, starting with bilateral presentations which are always instructive for entrepreneurs before they move onto the one-on-one meetings. Stockholm Business Region Director, Olle Zetemberg, put Sweden’s macroeconomic policies into perspective, as outward-looking with a strong inclination for innovation. This is after all the home of Ericsson and IKEA, but also Spotify and Skype. For their part, the Scandinavians discovered an open forward-looking Principality, a world away from all the clichés.

The B2B meeting session followed, bringing together 60-plus men and women, with some potentially good contacts made. For example, Jean-Charles Harle and Pierfranck Pelacchi from SMEG (Société Monégasque de l’Électricité et du Gaz) met Swedish counterparts from Vattenfall which is committed to the Smart City approach, in line with the Principality’s aspirations. For the SMEG representatives this was their first MEB Trade Mission and they appreciated the “accelerator effect of meetings with contacts difficult to reach from a distance”. The session was followed by a networking lunch for participants to continue their discussions and meet other people in a relaxed environment.

The afternoon was spent visiting the Royal Seaport district, a former industrial area being redeveloped. It is at the cutting edge of experimental methods, pushing the boundaries to become a model of sustainable urban development and a source of inspiration for the Principality.  The day ended in the exclusive Sällskapet Club where there were more business opportunities for delegates.

In short, despite their differences, Sweden and Monaco seem to be heading in the same direction to a future that may bring them even closer together as a result of the many links forged during this Trade Mission.

Members of the Monegasque delegation with Monaco’s Consul in Stockholm, Olof Carl Sjöström.