The Midlands is at the forefront of technologies such as industrial digitisation, life sciences and alternative fuels. With a long industrial heritage and history of innovation in transport, the Midlands has a clear advantage in future mobility initiatives. The population exceeds 10 million, and the region generates more than £230 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA), which is equivalent to around 13% of the UK economy. How are Swedish businesses in the region contributing to this development? And why are businesses looking to the Midlands when choosing where to invest in the UK?

Welcome to an afternoon of sectoral insights, success stories, and high-level networking in Birmingham, as we look into the Swedish business footprint in the Midlands. In collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in London and the British Embassy in Stockholm, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK invites you to meet with industry experts, key stakeholders and the Swedish businesses that are investing in the region, and to connect with the wider Swedish-British business community.

Agenda

3.30pm – Registration, tea and coffee

4.00pm – Welcome

• Simon Farrant, Head of Office, Savills Birmingham
• Susan Simpson, Midlands Chapter Chair, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

Opportunities in the West Midlands

• Nicola Griffiths, Partnerships Manager West Midlands, Strategy and Investment, Department for Business and Trade
• Mike Lewis, Creative and Digital Technologies Lead, West Midlands Growth Company
• Christian Smith, Director, Savills Birmingham

5G and the rise of smart factories

• Mike Barlow, Enterprise Sales Director UK & Ireland, Ericsson
• James McAllister, General Manager, Atlas Copco UK

Taking UK logistics to the next level

• Alastair MacIntyre, VP Region United Kingdom & Ireland, Einride

Securing skills for fossil-free steel

• Stephen Handscomb, Managing Director Construction, LKAB Minerals
• David Williams, Managing Director, SSAB

Reinventing retail in a changing customer landscape

• Salma Azad, Market Area Manager South, IKEA

Leveraging on the UK's first-class engineering

• Jonathan Goodman, Head of Polestar UK and Ireland

5.30pm – Drinks and networking

About the event

‘Swedish business footprint in the Midlands’ is part of a series of events looking into the contribution Swedish businesses make to the regional development of the UK. Where are job opportunities created, what investments are Swedish businesses making, and how do they contribute to the local communities? The event is free of charge, and open for all to join.