A common cause

Swedish Business Council works to increase cooperation .

In March, Crown Princess of Sweden and Duchess of Vastergotland, Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree inaugurated the new Swedish Business Council in Abu Dhabi in a ceremony at the Swedish ambassador's residence. This high-profile launch was an important step towards increasing cooperation between business communities in both countries. Gunilla Allansson, Director, Swedish Business Council, says the event helped create more visibility for the business council.

This is the second Swedish business council in the UAE. Its first office was established in Dubai in 1994. Allansson says the Swedish Business Council (SBC) in the UAE is a business group that comprises 120 companies and 30 individual members.

She says the council's primary role is to support the Swedish business community in the region by assisting them in networking, looking out for business opportunities, informing them about business rules and regulations in addition to being a social platform. The council works closely with the Swedish embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Swedish Trade Council in Dubai.

The council also has close links to other business and trade councils, chambers of commerce, both in Sweden and in the UAE, as well as the Swedish Travel and Tourist Council.

Membership to the Swedish Business Council can be sought under different categories. For instance, a company with one to ten employees can seek ordinary membership. Allansson says ordinary members are companies based in the UAE, that sell products or provide services that have been developed or manufactured, or are controlled by a Swedish company.

Associated members are those individuals who cannot be classified as ordinary members due to their activity, but for personal or professional reasons have a distinct interest in Sweden and in the objectives of the association.

Overseas members include companies, organisations or institutions active outside the UAE that are interested in supporting the association and/or promoting themselves in the UAE. The council also has supporting members, which comprise companies, organisations or institutions that are active within the UAE but don't have any connection with Sweden. They do, however, have an interest in supporting the association, and/or promoting their company or organisation in the UAE or Sweden.

Existing members or those who join the council stand to gain valuable insight into the council's reference groups. The SBC has 18 of them, which consist of different member companies that share a similar business environment and have experience and expertise in a particular field. Some of these reference groups cover sectors such as oil and gas, shipping and transport, industry and manufacturing, construction, banking, insurance, law and auditing, furniture and design, biotechnology, and general trading.

"Our reference groups help members or potential members on matters related to different business issues. We also have monthly meetings on different business topics and social gatherings for networking," says Allansson. The council's calendar of events this year includes a 'Back to Business' event in September, National Day reception and Christmas and Lucia Day celebrations. Sports activities will also be organised. The SBC also issues a directory of its members and offers companies the option of becoming a 'Promotional Partners' for all the events organised by the SBC.