On April 15 Stockholm Business Region together with the French, German, British and American Chambers of Commerce arranged a networking reception for foreign companies at the City hall of Stockholm .

The theme of the event was green business and Sten Nordin, Mayor of Stockholm started out talking about Stockholm - the first Green Capital 2010 in his welcome speech.

Sasja Beslik, Director ESG Analysis, Nordea was keynote speaker and moderator of the panel discussion. Sasja identified the following key trends and challenges:
1. Demografic changes in the world: enormous growth in population in certain parts of the world as India and China for instance, creating possibilities and problems .
2. Water scarcity: will have an impact on companies and society
3. Climate change

Then followed a panel debate about green business and opportunities in the Stockholm region. The following representatives of foreign companies participated in the panel discussion:

Hans Enocson - President & CEO of GE for the Nordic and Baltic Region
Jean-Bernard Salvan - Director Nordic and Baltic countries, Veolia Water
Björn Savén - Chairman IK Investment Partners
Ulf Troedsson - CEO, Siemens Sweden about green business in Stockholm

The panelists agreed that Stockholm must keep the leading position in the environmental area and capitalize more on the “First Green Capital of Europe”. They wished more investments in R&D and infrastructure and a long-term perspective. They said, however that the cooperation with the city of Stockholm is very good. Innovation is crucial for keeping a leading position in the field of environment and therefore more investments in R&D is very important. 

Björn Savén of IK Investment partners is concerned about the energy question and thinks that nuclear power must be increased. He also wants a lower expert tax for foreign experts in order to attract more experts and thereby boosting innovation and R&D.  

Jean-Bernard Salvan from Veolia talked about the “Veolia Innovation Accelerator”: a new Veolia initiative that will tap the creative energy of cleantech innovators and help to provide future green solutions .

Sasja Beslik asked the panelists to define arguments to why foreign companies should establish in Stockholm and these were some of the arguments:
- The city has clear visions and clear goals
- A climate of openness and possibility of fast decisions
- Stockholm is very time efficient, easy to meet with people
- Focus on the inhabitants
- Swedes are technology freaks, adopting fast to new technology; Sweden is a great test market
- Biodiversity 

  
The palelists together with Sasja Beslik.


Networking

The moderator, Sasja Beslik

Kristina Hulteberg - CCFS, Jean-Bernard Salvan - Veolia Water, Katarina Barter - CCFS, Sasja Beslik - Nordea, Olle Zetterberg - VD Stockholm Business region