The Dutch Chamber celebrates 20 years of networking this year and this inspired us to interview former board members who were active in the founding period of the Chamber. This time we have interviewed Eva Blom,  trade officer at The Netherlands embassy.

What was your involvement with the DSBA, later Dutch Chamber and what was your role?
Dutch Swedish Business Association started since we felt a need of a platform for Dutch and Swedish companies and individuals who wanted to grow their networks and learn from each other regarding issues related to their professional role and challenges for businesses on the Swedish and/or Dutch markets. My role included among other things organising interesting events, reaching out to new members and setting the format for the association.


What were the challenges faced during the first starting period?
To understand what the added value was for the members to be part of this initiative and organise events that were attractive and valuable. It was easier to attract Dutch persons than Swedes for obvious reasons. (Since the Swedes already had networks in Sweden and extra activities in the evenings were not always possible due to work-life balance.)

 What are your best memories?
The positive energy that comes from a team who enjoys working together and when an idea transforms into a result that both the team and members are satisfied with. We organised a visit to the Traffic Control Tower at Arlanda just the week before it went operational. It was fascinating to get an insight in the important work of the air traffic controllers and skills needed for such a position.  We also got a  brief on the architecture of the tower, as well as a splendid view. 

 What are you doing nowadays?
I am working at the Netherlands embassy in Stockholm with a focus on smart cities, sustainability, built environment and mobility issues. Among many things I initiate various projects and I am advising Dutch companies in their internalization process and stimulate cooperation between public and private stakeholders.  In my personal life I focus on nature experiences (sailing, trekking, cross country skiing) developing my music skills and investing time in family relations and friendships.

​/MN

Skansen Kronan was the perfect starting point for the walk & talk on King's Day on 27 April. Overlooking the city of Gothenburg we shared a toast to celebrate king Willem-Alexander.

Karin Forss, key account manager from KLM, gave us an insight on how the royal Dutch Airlines was founded little over 100 years ago. From the very start the company was privileged to call itself royal, which is unique. We learned about how the company operated during Covid-19, how business is back to the same levels as in 2019 and how they make travelling by air more sustainable.

The fact that Willem-Alexander is a pilot at KLM is no secret but still nice to know. We just wondered which name he uses when he announces updates from the cockpit. All participants were handed over a goody bag with many useful products for future (business)trips. 

Thank you Karin Forss for sharing your enthusiasm for KLM and joining us on the royal walk via Kungsparken, Viktoriabron, Kungstorget, Kungsgatan, Hotel Royal, Drottningtorget, Scandic Crown Hotel to café ’t Amsterdammertje where the celebrations for the king continued.

Join us for our next walk & talk on Wednesday the 8th of June - Explore Gothenburgs' (under)water world.  

/Team West

On April 12 our Dutch country leader for Signify Sweden Rob van Brunschot warmly welcomed us to show the ‘extraordinary potential of light’ on life. The impact of light is often unknown and underestimated. Not anymore for those who joined the impressive presentation and well-organized tour around the state-of-the-art lighting solutions in the new Signify office in Stockholm. 
 
From indoor navigation with your smartphone via the light inside buildings, to tailored 3D printed lamps, to fast, reliable internet via light (LiFi), experience natural but artificial daylight indoors, to syncing lights perfectly to TV, music and games.
 
Thank you, Rob van Brunschot & his enthusiastic team for this extraordinary experience!
 
 /Team Stockholm

The Dutch Chamber celebrates 20 years of networking this year and this inspired us to interview former board members who were active in the founding period of the Chamber. We start off with Jasper van Dorrestein, former trade officer at The Netherlands embassy.

​How did you get involved with the Dutch Chamber and what was your role? 
Working for the Netherlands Embassy trade department, we noticed a need for Dutch entrepreneurs to congregate and rely on a pivotal point to meet with fellow professional country(wo)men and Swedish business counterparts. As a trade officer, I happened to be in the fortunate position to welcome many Dutch corporate professionals as well as entrepreneurs in Sweden and built an extensive network. 
It eventually ensued in forming the Dutch Chamber, together with a team of great people (the first Executive Board, Advisory Board and the Regional Managers): the founders of the Chamber with a total of 22 volunteers in seven subsidiary offices in Sweden and the Netherlands. 
 
What were the challenges faced during the first starting period of the DC?
Any new entity needs to create its place in a trade promoting constellation that, at that point, logically considers itself to be sufficient to its potential audience. It’s been a challenge to earn our birthright, convincing all parties, target audience and authorities involved of the Chamber’s right of existence and reason to be, its purpose and give evidence that there’s sufficient critical mass to found it. Today’s position of the Chamber proves that we weren’t totally wrong at the time and ‘were out and cycling’. 
 
What were your best memories from that period?
Undoubtedly, the very moment that I witnessed the Swedish Ambassador in the Netherlands and the Netherlands Ambassador to Sweden literally tied the knot on stage, marking the starting moment and recognition of the Chamber, with all 22 volunteers on stage and the Embassy ballroom full of some 150 supporting attendees. I extremely much enjoyed the passionate atmosphere and driven energy with all founders involved at the time, the great inspiring fun meetings we’ve had and the many good moments we spent together working at something great. Sounds a bit American, but that’s how we all lived it, I think. I’m also very grateful to the people and good friends that over the years presided over the Chamber, making it prosper.
 
What do you do nowadays?
After my unforgettable eight years in Sweden, I moved to work for the embassy in Brussels and ten years ago was asked to found the Netherlands Business Support Office in Barcelona for our Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Having helped many companies over the years and building the professional network, becoming an international Business Development consultant was a given. I currently work as VP Global Sales for Rojo Consultancy, a Dutch IPaaS/software company with HQ in Breukelen, but based on the beach of Castelldefels, nearby our Barcelona branch office.  
​I’m a proud father of two 100% Dutch + 100% Swedish children of which one will assume her career with the Swedish Chamber in the Netherlands this Summer. In that respect, I can’t think of a more elegant and remarkable completion of the Swedish-Dutch trade promoting circle. 

​/M.N.

It was really great seeing each other in real life at our Dutch Chamber event on 3 March in Malmö. Stratiteq and its Dutch CEO Frank Hennekens hosted the evening and talked us through his experiences as leader in different settings and specifically in Sweden.
Frank told a very open and interesting story about making strategic choices and sticking to them, which being triggered by many questions. As always we ended the mingle with some drinks and warm Dutch treats.

We’ll look forward to see even more attendees on our Kings Day event in Malmö in April. Invites will be sent shortly.

/W.R.

The second Walk & Talk of 2022 in region West took place in the historical district of Haga in Gothenburg. A professional tour guide from Crime Walks shared stories about all the killings, fights, bank robberies and prostitution that took place in the neighbourhood back in the days.
She showed us a haunted house, prison and brothels. After all this dark and cold news, participants gathered in Le Pub, where Christiaan Winckel from Jaktia explained us how it is to be working for Sweden's largest retail chain for hunting and fishing equipment. 
We thank everybody for making this walk again a very inspiring meeting! 

This Walk and Talk was powered by our partner Philips, and every participant was offered a Philips light bulb to light up the dark days.

Join us for our next Walk and Talk on April 27 - a royal walk to celebrate King's Day. ​

/Team West

At the Annual General Meeting on 23 February two new board members were elected: Lotte van der Vaart and  Johannes Pastoor. Welcome to you both!
Re-elected for a 2 year period were chair Els Berkers, Frank Cleeren board member Events and Annika Närling, board member Communications. Manuel Harmsen did not have to be re-elected, as he was elected for a 2 year period last year.

We said good-bye to Olle Jansson and thanked him for his years in the nominating committee, Jacques Pellis has been voted as his successor. Our plans and budget for 2022 were approved. 
Thank you Kim de Jong Deputy Ambassador for the Netherlands in Sweden for your kind words on our cooperation and explaining the role of the Embassy towards businesses.

Events
Regional directors Stefanie Brinkman, Inge Vriese, Viola Pettersson Vergouwe, Esther Meulenberg, Bram Nabuurs and Wouter Ridder already planned 29 events for this year. They shared their favourite events with the audience.

Visit Sweden
Jeffrey Kusnadi from Visit Sweden in the Netherlands ended the meeting with a presentation of the Discover the originals campaign from Visit Sweden (look it up on youtube!) and showed how easy the use of Upplevelseguiden is to discover touristic destinations in Sweden.

​/Els Berkers