Scan Magazine | Issue 12 | October 2009

PROMOTINGBRANDSC

ANDINAV

IAIS

SUE

12O

CTO

BER

2009

ERIK HASSLE – BIG HAIR, BIG TALENTSCANDINAVIAN WINTER MAGIC – THE BEST GETAWAYSJYSK – GIVING ENGLAND A GREAT OFFER

SCANM A G A Z I N E

Issue 12 | October 2009 | 3

8

12

16

35

Scan Magazine | Contents

ContentsCOVER FEATURE

8 A New Kind of Hassle | Erik Hassle

DESIGN

11 We Love This | Design that Matters12 Subversive Seduction | The Essence of Borba Margo Unravelled14 Danish Homestore | A Collector’s Paradise

THEME: WINTER HOLIDAYS

16 Winter Holidays in Sweden18 Winter Adventure in Swedish Lapland20 Rediscover Your Sense of Wonder in Norway22 Fefor Høifjellshotel | History, Skiing and Magical Nature24 Lillehammer | An Olympic Winter Experience26 Reaching Olympic Levels | Clarion Collection Hotel Hammer26 Comfort Hotel Trondheim | Top Modern Facilities in a Historic Town29 Winter in Finland30 Syöte | A winter of Content

COLUMNS

31 Is it Just Me | Mette Lisby on Flat Pack31 First to the Finnish Line | Ben Kersley on Finnish Sports

SCAN BUSINESS

35 The Economic Crisis | Norway’s Minister of Finance, Kristin Halvorsen38 Thommessen | The London Edge40 Oslo Apartments | Your Home Away from Home42 JYSK | Will the Goose’s UK Egg be Golden?44 Danske Bank | International Corporate Banking, London46 Krogh and Partners | Audit and Essential Advice

REGULARS & COLUMNS

47 How Was Your Day | Bronte Blomhoj48 Leadership for the Upturn48 Employment in the Current Economic Climate50 Chamber News | Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and

Danish Chambers of Commerce for the UK

53 Scan News | Scandinavian Newsflash56 Restaurant of the Month | Flavour Feast at The Delhi Brasserie in Soho58 Scandinavian Music60 Culture Calendar | Your Scandinavian Cultural Events

11

4 | Issue 12 | October 2009

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

It's October and we are back,swinging the Scandinavianhammer! Not so long ago Idiscovered that amidst thesedifficult financial times, theNorwegian economy was do-ing well. So I was instantly on

the phone to the Norwegian Minister of Finance (OK it was herpress officer, but it sounded good) and asked her if she wouldkindly share this news with our readers. I received an article fromher which you can read on page 35.

Now for something completely different. I have been in this jobfor 15 months and it is no exaggeration to say that good storieshave been served to me on a plate! There is an abundance ofexciting Scandinavian entrepreneurship out there for us to cover.Go to page 12 and read the report on Borba Margo or page 14 onthe Danish Homestore and you will know what I mean. I find thatScandinavian people are full of good ideas and many have thebravery required to pursue them! What do you think? Is this aspecial Scandinavian trait? Email me your opinions and thoughts:[email protected]

For those readers who are set to go to Scandinavian countriesduring the winter (and according to the results of our recentreader survey, that is quite a few of you) we have lined up a win-ter theme to inspire your holiday choices. As a child I always usedto go either to Norway or Sweden for my winter holidays and Ihave good memories from these trips. I still remember my firstmeeting with Swedish culture which was at the age of six, when

I made friends with a Swedish boy of the same age who stayedat our ski hotel. He would practically not stop singing the Swedish“Diggi Loo-Diggi Ley” song that had won the Eurovision SongContest that same year. I was ever so impressed he rememberedthe complete lyrics (still am). Apart from this song, he alsotaught me how to jam the hotel lift so it would be permanentlyparked on the floor you were living on. A great friend and a greatholiday!

Finally, with winter coming up I encourage you to have a look atthe Jysk feature on page 42. The Danish retailer of bed linen hasthe goods that can provide you with a first-rate sleep. They planto open 300 – 500 stores in the UK. Now there is one to watch!

We hope you enjoy this issue.

See you in November,

Thomas Winther

Dear Reader,

SCANM A G A Z I N E

Scan MagazineIssue 12 | Oct. 2009

Published 05.10.2009ISSN 1757-9589

Published byScan Magazine Limited

Design & PrintLiquid Graphic Limited

Executive EditorThomas Winther

EditorSigne Hansen

Creative DirectorMads E. Petersen

Copy-editorMark Rogers

ContributorsBronte BlomhojEmelie KruglyMette LisbyKarolina OestlinEmma HolmqvistNia KajastieKarl BatterbeeBen Kersley

Marketing ManagerHelene Oxfeldt Lauridsen

[email protected]

To receive our newslettersend an email [email protected]

To [email protected]

Next issue 9 November 2009

Scan Magazine Limited53A Clapham High StreetLondon SW4 7TGPhone 0870 933 [email protected]

www.scanmagazine.co.uk

All rights reserved. Materialcontained in this publication may notbe reproduced, in whole or in part,without prior permission of ScanMagazine Ltd.

Corren Troen is an English law firm, based inLondon, with a special knowledge of the Anglo-

Nordic market, and an extensive internationalnetwork of like-minded professionals. We combine

the experience and qualities of a top city law firm withthe time, and attention to detail of a family office. We

provide advice to many English and Nordic families,attending to all their private and business needs across

generations

C O R R E N T R O E N

For further information and advice please contact

CORREN TROEN35 Catherine PlaceLondon SW1E 6DYwww.correntroen.com

Our law firm is built on 4 main areas of expertise:

• CT Wealth Management• CT Corporate and Commercial

• CT Commercial Property• CT Credit Crunch

Paul Corrent: +44 (0)207 592 [email protected]

Benedikte Malling Becht: +44 (0)207 592 [email protected]

Elizabeth Kristensent: +44 (0)207 592 [email protected]


Scan Magazine | Contributors

Signe Hansen (Editor)has an MA in Journal-ism and has beenworking as a freelancereporter in London.

She is now the editor of Scan Maga-zine. Having previously worked withtelevision, radio, web and local news,the good story is always her priority.

Bronte Blomhoj runsScandi Kitchen inLondon, a Scandina-vian deli/cafe. Bronte,who has studied in

Edinburgh and has a background ininvestment banking, has lived inLondon for 7 years. She writes ScanMagazine’s monthly food column.

Emelie Krugly hasworked on a number ofSwedish newspapers.After travelling exten-sively, she is now

based in London and is responsiblefor Scan's news section. She can becontacted any time regarding an eventor story: [email protected].

Mette Lisby is Den-mark’s leading femalecomedian. She invitesyou to laugh along withher monthly humour

columns. Since her stand-up debutin 1992, Mette has hosted the Danishversions of “Have I Got News For You”and “Room 101”.

Emma Holmqvist hasbeen happily London-based since 1994,when she left her na-tive Sweden. A journal-

ist with 7 years' experience and aSaint Martin’s degree in FashionCommunication behind her, Emma'sarea of expertise is fashion but shealso covers topics such as design, artand film.

Nia Kajastie was bornand raised in Helsinki,Finland, and moved toLondon in 2005 tostudy writing. With a

BA in Journalism & Creative Writing,she now describes herself as a part-time writer and grammar stickler.

Karolina Oestlin is aLondon-based Swedishfreelance journalist,who has found her wayback to journalism af-

ter several years in branding.

Karl Batterbee is de-voted to Scandinavianmusic and knowsexactly what is comingup in the UK. Apart

from writing a monthly music updatefor Scan Magazine Karl has alsostarted the Scandipop Club Night andits corresponding website: www.scan-dipop.co.uk.

Thomas Winther(Executive Editor).Originally from Den-mark, Thomas has abackground in Eco-

nomic consultancy. He is now on apersonal mission to take Brand Scan-dinavia to new heights. Thomas livesin Blackheath with his much betterhalf and 1 year old son.

Regular Contributors

GROCERIES

CHILDREN’S ITEMS

WORKS OF SWEDISH ART

AND DESIGN

We provide Londoners with a wide

range of fine Swedish products.

32 Crawford Street, London W1H 1LS

TEL 020 7224 9300

[email protected]

www.totallyswedish.com

Nationwide home delivery. Please place your orders at: www.totallyswedish.com

Branded the “Stockholm Wunderkind” and even referredto as the next Robbie Williams by British journalists, the21-year old Swede Erik Hassle has become the UK’snewest pop phenomenon. His contract with IslandRecords is considered to be one of the biggest dealssigned in the last few years and his first album Pieces ispredicted to become “as big as his hair” when releasedin the UK in November.

So, who is this shooting star? A small town boy who grewup in what is supposedly Sweden´s most boring townKatrineholm and the youngest of five children, Hassle wasforced to play the violin at the age of three. At 11 he waspushed to perform in front of his teachers by a motherwho desperately wanted them to see that her son was notjust the noisy kid in the class. At the same age Hassle hadwhat he describes as “an incredibly strong experience”when he first heard his voice in a microphone.

When Scan Magazine meets Hassle at Café 1001 in EastLondon, it’s a cloudy day and Hassle sips a cappuccino.We are only a stone’s throw away from his new home of

just a few weeks. “I still haven’t quite come to terms withthe fact that I’ve moved to another country, I feel really athome already,” says the singer.

It also happens to be Hassle’s 21st birthday, so Icongratulate him. “It’s kind of a big thing over here, isn’tit, turning 21?” he remarks.

This extraordinary looking young man obviously has moreto celebrate than most 21-year-olds. His penetratinglysoulful voice was discovered during his final year in UpperSecondary School and three years later he released hisfirst album Hassle (named Pieces in the UK) with musicwhich Erik himself describes as “arena soul”.

You pretty much became a celebrity overnight. What doyou think made people open their eyes?

My hair! Well, seriously speaking, I think my album hastwelve very strong songs where you will find soulful vibesand emotional lyrics but not too poppy. It’s all made bysomebody who is genuinely passionate and grateful to bemaking music. Even though the breakthrough has


Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | A new kind of Hassle

A new kind of Hassle By Emelie Krugly

“It’s kind of a big thing over here,isn’t it, turning 21?”


Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | A new kind of Hassle

happened quickly, we actually worked on the album forthree years and that was an important process andnecessary, a whole lot of love has gone into it.

How do you find the British audiences and the music in-dustry here so far?

Well, it’s all very different over here. Firstly, of course,because everything is a lot bigger; for example, instead ofhaving one consultant dealing with my PR I have three orfour people. It’s after all one of the biggest music exportcountries in the world and the possibilities here areenormous. So far it has been absolutely amazing and theresponse has been overwhelming.

Your song Hurtful is your biggest hit to date; did you havea gut feeling about this?

The first time I sang Hurtful I think we all had a feelingthat it was special and could be a success. It was thesecond song I wrote when I was 18 so it was a big thing forme at the time. Since then I’ve sung it at least 3,000 times!I don’t sing it in the shower any longer, but it’s still growingon me and it’s still amazing to play it live. In fact, I waslistening to it on my iPod the other day and that was kindof mad!

You are predicted to be the new “heartbreaker”: how doyou feel about that?

I suppose I’ve always wanted to be become a heartbreakerin the sense that I want to touch the hearts of people withmy music. The attention is of course quite nice, but at thesame time having girls coming up to me in the street is

bizarre, it’s still something I’m trying to get used to. Wedid a festival in Sweden during the summer and it wenthysterical, I jumped down from the stage to signautographs and was almost killed!

Now you’re based in London, what do you think you willmiss the most from home?

Probably the nature and the silence. I’m hoping to own ahouse somewhere in the country of Sörmland, where Igrew up. And of course I’ll miss my family, I’m a real familytype of guy and love hanging out with my folks.

Hassle’s album Pieces will be out in the UK on 9November 2009.


Five things you didn’t know about Erik Hassle

1. I’ve got a dog waiting for me back home called Bellaand she is 11 years old and a real old lady.

2. I’ve got ten tattoos and I’m planning to have somemore done!

3. I’ve got shoe size 114. My all time favourite song is I’m in Love by Wilson

Pickett5. I give my tongue a massage every day with a towel to

keep it soft and in good shape. Since I’ve never reallyhad any professional vocal training this is a way I’velearnt for me to keep my most important tool in goodcondition and it really helps to be able to hit the highnotes!

Erik Hassle’s gravity-defying red hair and characteristic features are just as unique and attention-grabbing as his soulful music.


Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this...There is so much cool stuff that we would like to show you. In fact we love this!

These cute little Moccis are su-per comfortable for kids’ tiny feetbut adults can certainly also enjoythe softness of the Moccis.Kids: £18, Adult: £26www.moccis.co.uk

Innovative New Dog CoatDanish Susanne Mortensen is thedesigner of this fantastic FourSeasons 2-in-1 Performance DogCoat. The removable polar fleecelining keeps your dog warm in alightweight, waterproof andbreathable jacket. Colours: Black,orange and green. Stockists:Please call 0113 3919 828www.danishdesign.co.uk

This Carl Hansen wish-bone chair designed byHans Wegner will fit inanywhere. From £355.00www.iconsofdenmark.dkFor UK stockists call07545 244524

Danish children’s wear labelMini A Ture is a kids’ favourite!This Jacket retails at £41at www.oscarselk.com

Children won’t mind being rainedon with a cool outfit like this!Freoli black with white polka dotwaterproof and windproof rain-coat and bottoms. Retails at £40at www.oscarselk.com

La Chance by M.O.S. was launched 3years ago in Copenhagen with thevery successful ‘Chinese LuckyBracelet’. With extraordinary speed itbecame a massive trend after thebracelet was picked up on by count-less national celebrities.www.la-chance.info


Scan Magazine | Design | Borba Margo

Subversive seduction– the essence of Borba Margo unravelled By Emma Holmqvist

Lauded for its innovative and edgy spirit,Borba Margo is one of London’s mostcoveted accessory players. Scan caughtup with Jessika Göransson and AndersonBorba DaSilva to get the low-down on thelabel and the duo behind it.

It might sound like a cliché, but somethings are meant to be. On a sunny day inLondon in 1996, Jessika Margo Görans-son, a half Swedish, half polish 17-yearold holidaying in London, sat down on abench in Covent Garden to prepare for abusking session with her violin, her great-est passion at the time. A moment later,Brazilian twenty-something AndersonBorba DaSilva walked past and took a seatnext to the pretty violinist to eat his lunch.The pair started chatting and sharedAnderson’s bacon sandwich. “As soon aswemet, we both felt an instant connectionand sharing an interest in many thingsincluding fashion, we became close

friends immediately,” the duo tells us inunison when we meet them in their EastLondon studio.

Eight years later, in 2004 to be precise,Göransson and Borba DaSilva foundedBorba Margo together. Prior to launchingthe label, Jessika completed a women’swear degree at Middlesex University inLondon and went on to hone her skills atvarious fashion houses including GaspardYurkievich, Oskar Suleyman and HusseinChalayan.BorbaDaSilva,meanwhile, gainedexperienceelsewhere, includinga stint at thetailoring department of The Royal Guards.

All eyes on Borba Margo

Fast-forward to 2009: Borba Margo isconsidered one of London’s mostpromising new names. Coveted for itsdistinctive aesthetic that is playful andsevere all at once, the label bagged theBritish Fashion Council’s prestigious New

Generation Sponsorship no less than fourtimes.

Speaking of the style that’s wowed thejaded and hard-to-impress fashion elite,Borba Margo’s aesthetic has a mildlysurreal and somewhat organic feel to it,as bags and belts are carefully sculpted tomould around the body like living organ-isms. But other interpretations circulate,too: “Someone once described our look asa bit S&M, but a soft, seductive versionthereof,” says Jessika and goes on to of-fer her own description of the label: “Thestyle is full of contradiction; it’s body con-scious and quite strong with focus on boldshapes. It’s also very feminine but not inthe girly sense of the word.” Somethingelse that sets the label apart from mostother accessory lines is the fact that manypieces, such as the “skirted” belts, almostdouble as garments. This distinctiveaspect has not come about by chance, but

Borba Margo’s autumn/winter 2010 collection, which centres on escapism, is currently available in prestigious stores such as

Colette, Harvey Nichols and Liberty.


Scan Magazine | Design | Borba Margo

stems from Göransson’s background inwomen’s wear design – and her willing-ness to blur the lines between accessoriesand clothing. “I like the idea of a belt thatthinks it’s a skirt,” she says.

Great minds think alike

Talking to the duo about their creative ven-tures, it becomes obvious that their mindsare acutely synchronized, almost spookilyso, somewould say. But despite being twinsouls and sharing most creative agendas,working as a duo must surely have itsdrawbacks? “Of course we disagree some-times, but most of the time we are so intune with each other’s ideas that it’salmost ridiculous. In some cases we haveto consult a friend to see if both of us havegone mad, or if we’re on to somethinggood,” says Jessika and laughs. “It’s alsohealthy to have someone to bounce backideas on. That way you get another per-spective and the original idea can developand get better,” Borba DaSilva adds.

In terms of the design work as such, thecreative pair share the notion that the labelis “under constant evolution” and its fun-damental concept serves as the spring-board for new directions. “What we’ve

designed previously provides the base forour next creative step,” explains BorbaDaSilva. “Unlike most fashion designers,we don’t necessarily change route com-pletely every season and we only use newreference points in a subtle way ratherthan drawing on obvious themes. Ourdesign process is based on intuition: it’s afeeling, an aesthetic that comes naturallyto us.” So what gives rise to these refer-ence points, however subtle they may be?“Everything,” says Göransson. “We bothlove music and dance, but often we utiliseour inspiration in an abstract way. It’s un-usual that we take inspiration from tangi-ble things,” she says by way of reinforcingher business partner’s previous statement.

BorbaMargo’s autumn/winter 2010 collec-tion, currently available in prestigious storessuch asColette, HarveyNichols and Liberty,centres on escapism. “Wewere longing forwhat’smissing at themoment, i.e. glamourand luxury. Hence we created a collectionrepresenting the antithesis of the currentdoom and gloom and the frugal fashionthat traditionally goeswith it,” says Görans-son. Simply called The Escapist Collection,the range certainly doesn’t hold back on theglam factor. Luxury symbols like tassels

and gold chains are used throughout, butthe resulting look still retains the recognis-able BorbaMargo air that is largely definedby contradiction. “The shapes might besquare and utilitarian, if not even a littleboring, but to counteract the plainness, welavishly decorated the pieces with goldchains and tassels to create a dual aspect.”

Next chapter

With the autumn/winter collection doneand dusted, what’s next? “Our label isdeveloping slowly but surely. We’re mainlyknown for our belts but we’d like toestablish the wider accessory range a bitmore and push the handbags, gloves andjewellery lines further.”

Before bidding farewell to the duo, we askJessika what attracted her to move fromSweden to London, leaving aside herstrong friendship with Anderson, of course.“I never chose to lead a comfortable, safelife. I chose a challenge, and London pro-vides that,” she replies. And on that note,we let Jessika and Anderson carry on withtheirmost immediate challenge, namely tocontinue developing BorbaMargo together.

www.valerydemure.com

The designers Jessika Margo Göransson and Anderson Borba DaSilva at work. Photos: Magnus Arrevad

With customers flying in from all corners of the world tovisit Danish Homestore, there is no doubt that SimonHarrison’s selection of modern antique Danish furnitureis quite unique. Danish Homestore was started bySimon’s father Roger Harrison who saw a hole in theBritish furniture market and now 27 years on, father andson have seen how the interest in Danish furniture hasexploded since the first shipment.

“Ten years ago it was a different story with only a handfulof dealers. Now there are about 100 and it is a hugelycompetitive business,” says Simon. “Our competitiveadvantage is that each piece is restored to it’s originalfinish, something learned over the last 25 years, and from

speaking to a 94 year old ‘source’ who used tomanufacture these classics.”

From value for money to collector’s favourites

Simon’s father settled in Denmark in 1961, marriedDanish Margot, and started selling British antiques inVejle. After helping relatives move to Ipswich he was leftwith their teak coffee table which he put in auction in theUK. It sold for £14, which was, explains Simon, anexcellent result. On the next trip over to England forantiques the small van was loaded with coffee tables andteak chairs and in 1986 Roger opened up his first store.Today the large premises in Nottingham are the centre ofoperations.


Scan Magazine | Design | Danish Homestore

Left: The Wishbone chair besides a Hans Wegner dining table. Right: Store owner Simon Harrison does most of the restorations

himself having learned his skills from his father.

Danish Homestore – a collector’s paradiseBy Signe Hansen | Photos: Courtesy of Danish Homestore

“Twenty years ago it was the very basic of good style andvalue for money that made us a success whereas todaywe have become a destination shop for style consciousand savvy collectors,” says Simon.

“Today clients come in and browse through 800sq metresof Danish furniture from the every day pieces to the veryrare investments. Everything is priced up, has backgroundinformation and can be found on the shop website. We aredoing it the good old-fashioned Danish way, whereeverything is accessible, and a cup of coffee is enjoyedwhile discussing chairs,” says Simon.

Global demand

One of the best represented designers is Hans Wegner, ofwhose work Danish Homestore has, says Simon,“probably the best collection in the UK”. The collectioncontains everything from iconic wishbone chairs/Y-stol to

dining tables, sofas, cabinets and a very rare lounge chairin oak. Prices on Wegner furniture range from £250 toseveral thousand pounds for rarer classics.

The furniture from Danish Homestore ends up in homes,not only all over the UK, but abroad as well with the USA,Japan and even Denmark among some of its destinations.But customers are, says Simon, not just collectors andinvestors but ordinary people too. “What we are dealingwith is often the 30 plus homeowners who wantsomething that is uniquely theirs. They are people whoseek out something which tells a story and has character.”

Amongmore specific buyers are film directors looking forthe right background setting for a scene, collectorslooking for specific investment pieces and companieswanting to have iconic pieces of Danish furniture.

Investing in the furniture

Back in 1994 one of Simon’s customers bought a BodilKjær desk famous as Dr No’s desk in James Bondmovies“From Russia With Love” and “Diamonds Are For Ever”.The buyer paid £600 for it and enjoyed it for 17 years beforeselling it on for £12,500!

“You can buy the furniture and enjoy it for maybe 20 yearsand then when you are ready for a change, you can sell iton and trade up to something even better. A lot of thepieces that we deal with have increased in price over thelast 5 years as demand increases,” says Simon. “AsDanish furniture is becoming ever more sought afterworldwide, now is an excellent opportunity to snap up thatHans Wegner sofa or Hans Olsen bikini chair before theybecome the subject of museum collections and the vastlyrich.”

Turning back time

Simon’s own interest is in the original furniture, and likehis father he does the renovations himself. “Sometimes Ifind a piece that looks like it has been completelydestroyed, but I know that I can work that processbackwards and bring it back to its best,” he says adding:“For me the best thing is to deliver a piece to a clientknowing they appreciate my hard work and will cherishthe furniture for years to come.”

For more information visit: www.danish-homestore.com


Scan Magazine | Design | Danish Homestore

Top: Mogens Hansen Leather Suite. Bottom: Rosewood desk

and armchair by Erik Buch.

16 | Issue 11 | September 2009

THEME: WINTER HOLIDAYS

Photo:BoLind

Photo:BoLind

Photo:WolfgangGreiner

Photo:WolfgangGreiner

Photo:HenrikTrygg

Looking for the perfect winter break? VisitSweden iscarrying out several exciting campaigns this winter!Whether you are looking for a short city break and someChristmas shopping, skiing with the family or a romanticweekend with that special one, Sweden is the place to go.

First things first, of course: the skiing. Sweden’smountains, timber cabins and efficient transport waysoffer supreme settings for the perfect skiing holiday. WithNeilson Active Holiday (www.neilson.co.uk/sweden) youcan fly directly from Heathrow Airport and into the largestskiing area north of the Alps, Åre. The uniquely beautifulresort stretches 10km along a frozen lake and offers notjust skiing but also husky-drawn sled rides andsnowmobile racing. Close to Åre is Vemdalen with gentleuncrowded slopes, a superb English-speaking ski schooland a ski and play area for children, the perfect place totake your family for their first skiing trip. Further north areRiksgränsen and Björkliden located 200 and 250km abovethe Arctic circle. With stunning views of Swedish Laplandthese two resorts offer an exotic and adventurous skiholiday. Packages to Björkliden can be booked withDiscover The World at www.discoverlapland.co.uk and toRiksgränsen at www.riksgransen.nu

City breaks

This autumn and winter VisitSweden and its partners arecarrying out a campaign to promote Sweden’s trendy

capital Stockholm and vibrant Gothenburg - Sweden’ssecond largest city on the West Coast. The best activitiesand sights are collected into customised packagesmeaning that you can get the maximum out of your staywithout hours of planning. In Stockholm for instance youcan follow the royal family, drink cocktails in an ice bar orupdate your wardrobe in trendy SoFo, while Gothenburgpackages may lead you on a lobster safari, toScandinavia’s biggest Christmas market or to fourMichelin restaurants in one evening. For more informationand to book visit: www.visitsweden.com/citybreaks

Unspoilt nature

For romance and luxury in spectacular settings there isno place like Swedish Lapland and with Discover theWorld’s direct flights to Kiruna from Heathrow, it just 3.5hours away. When there, enjoy the thrill of snowmobiling,husky sledging or ice driving at the world famousICEHOTEL all surrounded by the captivating and magicalarctic landscape.


Scan Magazine | Winter | Holidays in Sweden

WINTER HOLIDAYS IN SWEDENPhotos: Imagebank.sweden.se

Read more about Swedish Lapland atwww.discoverlapland.co.uk

More about Sweden at www.visitsweden.com


Scan Magazine | Winter | Swedish Lapland

With a population of only nine million, finding a slice ofwinter wilderness in Sweden is enviably easy andSwedish Lapland, with its magical snowscapes anddramatic mountain ranges, is one of the best places toenjoy all it has to offer.

Whether you’re seeking the thrill of snowmobiling, huskysledging or ice driving at the world famous ICEHOTEL, orif you’d rather take a leisurely stroll through the arcticlandscape or just sit back and soak up the silence, thereare a myriad options from which to choose.

With specialist operator Discover the World’s exclusivedirect flights to Kiruna from London Heathrow, one ofSweden’s most famous attractions is a mere 3.5 hoursaway. Built from thousands of tons of ice and snow everyyear the ICEHOTEL is the jewel in the nation’s wintercrown. As well as the hotel itself, with its beautiful icesuites, pillar hall and ice chapel where visitors can hostan unforgettable wedding, there is also a chance to jumpon a snowmobile or dog sledge and explore thesurrounding snowy wonderland. At the end of anexhilarating day visitors can enjoy first class cuisine in thetwo restaurants or simply relax and enjoy the awe-inspiring Northern Lights as they sweep across the arctic

sky. This year promises to be even more special as thehotel is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

And if you’d like to add a cultural splash to your winterbreak then why not opt for one of Discover the World’sSami cultural tours, where you can try your hand atreindeer herding, enjoy a traditional Lapland meal arounda camp fire and learn about the life of Sweden’sindigenous peoples.

Prices for a three-night break with Discover the Worldstart from £886pp (based on two sharing) and includeexclusive direct flights between London Heathrow andKiruna, transfers to/from the hotel and 3 nightsaccommodation on a bed & breakfast basis at theICEHOTEL.

Departures available frommid-December 2009 until mid-April 2010.

Winter adventure in Swedish LaplandBy Karolina Oestlin | Photos: Discover the World

To find out more or to book a trip,go to www.discoverlapland.co.ukor call Discover the World on 01737 218 801


Scan Magazine | Winter | Swedish Lapland

Seeing the spectacular Northern Lights or skiing downpistes with magnificent fjords and mountains as theperfect backdrop, a visit to Norway will leave youspellbound.

In Norway, we often say Norwegians are born with skison. Skiing is a way of life and our favourite means ofappreciating the spectacular and unspoilt mountainlandscape. It’s part of Norway’s history, culture andtradition.

First-time visitors are often impressed by the quantity andquality of snow in Norway, even at low altitudes. Our skiseason typically lasts six months, and resorts offeruncrowded pistes, efficient lift systems and queues, andmodern ski equipment.ManyBritish skiers are surprised athow easy Norway’s family-friendly ski resorts are to reach

Rediscover your senseof wonder in Norway



Scan Magazine | Winter | Norway

For futher information on how to rediscoveryour sense of wonder in Norway, go to

www.visitnorway.co.ukwww.neilson.co.uk/norwaywww.ski-norway.co.ukwww.hurtigruten.nowww.activitiesabroad.co.uk

ednwian OavindncaSnian RuavindncaS

verehtrrFodaRonotnarG522

ww

eW

For

yrry best tuOnaivanidnacSniaF00032551310l:eTHD1H5 E,hgrubindE,d

o.ukcdoor.outnordic.ww

oor dutociordNnitbeshe trefofff

ds gnbraeviuslcxefge onraur or

!raegrrootd00042551310:xa

uk

.rgea

otog

Stay close to Oslo airport Rica Hotel Gardermoen is a full service hotel with a central location between Oslo airport Gardermoen and the citycenter of the capital. The hotel has lovely rooms with modern furnishing suited for families, partners and singles, on holidays, business or as a pitstop between two destinations.

– it’s just a two-hour flight away and tour operators such asNeilson and Ski Norway offer great packages from the UK.

Hemsedal has been nicknamed ‘the Scandinavian Alps’for its raw and wild beauty, with some of the mostchallenging skiing in Northern Europe. Voss offersspectacular views with thrills to match – even forbeginners, and, dubbed ‘Paris of the North’, Tromsø is theperfect place for a winter break. And best of all, directflights are now available from London, making this winterwonderland easily accessible for a long-weekend.

If skiing is not your forte, why not go in search of thespectacular Northern Lights? Most of northern Norway isabove the Arctic Circle and its latitude makes it one of thebest spots in the world to witness this naturalphenomenon. The closer you get to the North Pole thebigger the chance you have to see the green display in thesky.

With a host of places to visit, including Tromsø, Alta,Kirkenes and the North Cape, the north of Norway hassomething to offer everyone. As well as the Northern

Lights, there are magic adventures such as romantic icehotels, dog sledding and King Crab safaris, also thechance to hear the tales of Sami life around the cracklingfire in the lavvu. Go in search of the Northern Lights onthe Hurtigruten, the magnificent coastal cruise, or let aUK tour operator such as Activities Abroad create amemorable itinerary for you.

With winter now just around the corner, wrap up warm,head north to the Land of the Northern Lights and prepareto be enchanted. You won’t regret it.

Scan Magazine | Winter | Fefor Høifjellshotel

Majestically located on the edge of Fefor Lake andsurrounded by the peaks of Jotunheimen, the historicFefor Mountain Hotel with its numerous outdooractivities provides magic settings for a peaceful skiholiday. The almost-130-year-old hotel lies 930 metresabove sea level, but located in the middle of Norway it isstill easily accessible.

“Fefor hotel is definitely one of the most special hotels inNorway,” enthuses Hotel Manager Kari Tagestad. “Youreally have to be up here fully to comprehend it; it is a verycalm and very typical Norwegian area.” Even thoughsecluded, the hotel is just 13 minutes away from Vinstra’strain station, where you can be picked up the hotel’s bus,or a four hour drive from Oslo.

Magical mountain beauty

There are many ways to enjoy the mountain’s naturalbeauty and especially during the winter an array ofactivities for all ages and levels are on offer. Cross-countryroutes start just outside the hotel’s doors and for thosewho prefer alpine skiing, buses from the hotel will takethem the tenminute ride to the slopes at Gudbrandsdalen.“If people want to go cross-country skiing we have one ofthe best locations in Norway and one of the longest skitrails. The air is very clean and we have spectacular naturearound here,” says Tagestad. Put together, the area has630 km of ski trails.

But it is not all about skiing. The hotel also has its ownfloodlit ice-skating rink and if you fancy a game of curling,this is also a possibility as Norway’s second curling clubwas started up here.

Meanwhile, from Gudbrandsdalen valley guests canexperience magical dogsled drives or snow-shoe walks in

Fefor Høifjellshotel– History, skiing and magical nature

By Signe Hansen



Scan Magazine | Winter | Fefor Høifjellshotel

the moonlight. The location of the hotel is also ideal fortrips to the Rondane and Jotunheimen mountains, whereliterature lovers and hikers can follow in the steps ofHenrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt.

The history in the walls

Magic and adventure are not just outside at Fefor; thehotel itself contains its share. Founded all the way backin 1884, Fefor was one of the first hotels to be establishedat that altitude. Back then it was located a bit away fromthe current building in a small farm, but in 1891 thecurrent timber-walled hotel was constructed. “The hotelhas a lot of history, but the rooms have been newlyrenovated so it is a nice and comfortable place to stay too,”says Tagestad. “We say that the hotel has its own soul.There is so much history in the walls and everybody whostays here has had the same impression.”

Laidback comfort

The secluded location of Fefor hotel and its peacefulatmosphere ensures that a stay will be absolutely free ofstress during both day and night. When back from themany outdoor activities, most guests kick back in either

the restaurant, bar, library, or one of the cosy gatheringrooms with crackling fireplaces. “In the evening mostpeople just relax because they are so tired from being outall day skiing. They like just to have a good dinner, lay backand maybe read a book or play a board game. It is not aparty place, but we have a mix of guests here, both youngcouples and families.”

Guests can stay in one of the hotel’s 114 rooms of which 22are family rooms or in one of the 20 timber cabins. Thecabins have their own kitchens and all enjoy beautifulviews of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

Of course a day inside does not have to mean lying on yourback for hours and hours. To tempt you away from thefireplace, the hotel also has squash courts and, of course,an indoor swimming pool with a panoramic view.

All in all, it is hard not to take Tagestad at her word whenshe says: “It is really difficult to describe, you just have tocome up here!”

For more details visit: www.fefor.no

The Norwegian small town of Lillehammer is best knownfor hosting the Winter Olympics in 1994. Ranked in thetop three ski resorts in Norway and best forsnowboarding, it continues to live up to its promise ofgiving visitors an Olympic experience of winter sportsand activities in a charming setting.

Located at the top of lake Mjøsa and as the gateway forthe Gudbrandsdal landscape, the historical highway toTrondheim, Lillehammer developed as a natural meetingpoint for people from different parts of the country andabroad. The area has been settled since the NorwegianIron Age and is described by old Norwegian sagas as “thesmall trading place”, “Litlikaupangr”. According to otherrecords it was a site for council as early as 1390.

The picturesque town is still a popular destination, withover 800,000 night guests per year. Easy to get to (Oslo

Airport Gardermoen is only one and a half hours away bytrain or two hours by car on the E6) many choseLillehammer for the great skiing or exciting winteractivities. Others go to enjoy the beautiful winter sceneryand the charming town – that has won an award for itspedestrian shopping street, Storgata. “Charming andhistorically important buildings serve as the backdrop fora modern and bustling shopping environment with anumber of specialist shops and an excellent range ofproducts to choose from,” Tone Andersson, Director ofSales and Marketing at Radisson SAS Lillehammer Hotel,describes the central area.

Staying in Lillehammer

The oldest hotel in Lillehammer is the Radisson SASLillehammer Hotel. It was built in 1911 and is still goingstrong, located in the city centre, near the attractions andthe Olympic Park. During the Winter Olympics in 1994, it


Scan Magazine | Winter | Lillehammer

LILLEHAMMER – An Olympic Winter experienceBy Karolina Oestlin | Photos: Courtesy of Radisson SAS Lillehammer Hotel

Lillehammer’s oldest hotel, Radisson SAS, at wintertime.


functioned as the official I.O.C. hotel and had JuanAntonio Samaranch, the I.O.C. president, among itsguests. “It’s also the biggest [hotel],” Andersson says. “It’sbeen renovated and expanded the last years.”

The hotel continues to attract a range of guests.“During the winter season we have families with children,groups of friends looking for a good ski-resort and guestsonly looking for a venue with great ski-slopes andcentrally located in a small town with great nature justoutside the hotel,” Andersson says.

New Conference Centre

In the recent expansion of Radisson SAS LillehammerHotel, the hotel significantly increased its conferencecapacity and cemented its place as one of Norway’s largestcongress hotels. In January 2009, the hotel opened a newCongress Centre as an addition to their existing conferenceoffer. The new Congress Centre offers a space of 1,000 m2in the main hall on the ground floor and 270 m2 in anadjacent glass atrium. The hotel also has excellentconference facilities with 30 modern conference rooms.

Radisson SAS is located inside an impressive garden, whichalso has four log cabins that can be used for conferenceentertainment. “The cabins are great for kick-off, gardenparties and dinner,” Andersson says, and continues:“Because of the combination of conference facilities andthe hotel’s location, with its beautiful scenery, good nightlifeand – not to be forgotten – easy distance to unusual teambuilding winter activities, it makes a lovely hide-away forthe combination conference and team building.”

Winter activities

“The skiing in Lillehammer is great!” Andersson says andexplains: “The Olympic trail network has been extendedand disposes 30 slopes… for skiers of all levels. And thedown hill and cross country Hafjell Alpine centre is only 15minutes from the hotel.” “Long runs, excellent snow andsunny climate” is what best signifies Hafjell, sheconcludes. Along with this comes an extensive floodlightsystem on many of the slopes – the biggest in Norway –which allows visitors to make the most of their skiingholiday long into the evening, three nights a week.

But there are also many winter activities other than skiingon offer. Elk safaris can be organised as well as different

kinds of cultural and scenic tours around Lillehammer.Hunderfossen Winter park, with a cathedral built of ice, aFairytale Palace and a variety of winter activities, includingice bowling/curling and horse sledge is also a fundestination. The Bobsleigh and Luge track, located nextto Hunderfossen is of particular interest for companies.“The facility has extensive open areas that can be used fororganising a wide variety of events, competitions andceremonies for groups,” Andersson says.

www.lillehammerhotel.nowww.radissonblu.com

Scan Magazine | Winter | Lillehammer


Scan Magazine | Winter | Hotels

Comfort Hotel Trondheim - top modern facilities in a historic townLocated in Trondheim’s beautiful andvibrant city centre, Comfort HotelTrondheim by Choice Hotel provides amodern, comfortable and very practi-cal starting point for any stay in thearea, be it for business or pleasure.

Sloping towards the sea Trondheim withits many beautiful 17th century build-ings and abundance of shopping, en-tertainment and restaurants is a visi-tor’s heaven. Among themain historicaland architectural sights close by thehotel are Munkholmen a small islandwhich served as execution ground andprison in ancient times, Nidaros Cathe-dral and the Old Town Bridge. “What isreally special about our hotel is ourunique location and modern facilities,”says Director Cathrine Stadsvik.

But how about skiing? “We havehosted the World Cup in skiing, and thetown is very popular for cross-country

skiing and ski jumping,” says Stadsvik.The skiing area in Vassfjellet mountainsstarts just 8 km outside the city andboasts 4km of the largest illuminatedslopes in Norway. Ski buses run to thearea from the city centre.

With direct flights from LondonStansted, this is the perfect destinationfor weekend getaways. To make it evenmore convenient, check-out time onSundays is at 6pm and the breakfastbuffet is on until midday.

But Comfort Hotel is not just forthose looking for skiing, relaxation andsightseeing; for anyone wanting to taketheir business gathering to somewherespecial, the hotel’s three conferencerooms and business facilities offer theperfect settings too.

For more information visitwww.choicehotels.no

By Signe Hansen

Lillehammer, the middle-sized Nor-wegian town, is probably best know forhosting the winter Olympics in 1994and for its array of winter sports activ-ities. But one does not have to be aprofessional skier to enjoy the town’smany facets.

When visiting Clarion Collection HotelHammer in Lillehammer, guests cancombine skiing with a stay in the middleof the lively and typically cosy Norwe-gian town with its bars, restaurants andshops just outside. “A lot of people comevisiting here because they know theplace from the Olympics, but there aremany other things to do as well,” saysHotel Manager Marianne Haraldsen.

For skiers, buses drive directly fromthe city centre to Hafjell skiing centre,where the women’s and men’s slalomwere held in 1994, and lift cards can bebought at the hotel. The bob-sledge

arena is another attraction, and for thekids, theNorwegian themed amusementpark Hunderfossenwith its fairytales andtrolls may be an idea. Another very pop-ular destination is Maihaugen open airhistory museum.

Hotel Hammer has 95 double roomsall located in the new part of the hotelbuilt in 1991. Meanwhile the receptionand dining room are a typical Norwe-gian timber walled building from 1865

allowing history and modern comfort togo hand in hand. The hotel offers a lightdinner buffet and from three to six in theafternoon there are free waffles on thehotel’s DIY waffle set; a very populartreat for all guests, says Marianne.

For more details visit:www.choicehotels.no

By Karolina Oestlin

Reaching Olympic levels: Clarion Collection Hotel Hammer

Sola Strand Hotel is conveniently located near Stavanger, Sandnes and Sola, the airport of Stavanger.Just outside your hotel room you will find the Solastranden beach, an ideal spot for evening walks,bathing, and for building castles and hunting treasures at the waterside. Our cuisine is renowned forits high standard, as are our comfortable rooms, and course and conference facilities.

In April 2010 we are opening our new spa, which is sure to make your stay with us an even moreenjoyable experience.

INSPIRATION AND WELL-BEINGSOLA STRAND HOTEL – PERFECT FOR CONFERENCES, COURSES, HOLIDAYS AND LEISURE

Tel: + 47 51 94 30 00 | [email protected] | www.sola-strandhotel.no

Mom

entK

omm

unik

asjo

n

• 7 minutes away from airport• Pick up/drop off 24 hour service• Free Wi-Fi• Restaurant• Price includes breakfast

Gardermoen HotellBed & Breakfast

Affordable acommodation

SINGLE ROOM from £60DOUBLE ROOM from £70

Tel: +47/63 93 00 50www.gardermoenbb.no

email: [email protected]

Photo:Plugi/Sportmix

Photo:KarstenBidstrup

Photo:MattiKolho

Scan Magazine | Winter | Finland


Let it snow! That’s the message from Finland as thecountry gears itself up for another fantastic winter.Finland – in many ways it’s just one great big naturalplayground, with every opportunity imaginable foractivity, enjoyment, fitness, wellbeing and adventure.

Check out the Alpine ski resorts of northern Finland andFinnish Lapland: head for the Arctic Circle and beyond tofind top quality resorts with wide-ranging opportunities.Draw breath at the top of the hills, gaze out across theseemingly endless expanses of forest and fell. Then findyour way down. Choose a run that’s perfect forconfidence-building, or go for something steeper. Theline-up of slopes offers decent challenges for everyone.

If your idea of a perfect winter day is to pull on cross-country skis and head for the forest, then you have a trulyspectacular choice of location and terrain. Even if youdecide to visit during the darker time of midwinter, you’llstill find that most towns and resorts offer manykilometres of floodlit trails – all of them well marked toensure you get the most from every expedition.

There’s much more to a winter holiday in Finland thansimply skiing. The great outdoors welcomes you on apowerful snowmobile for the ride of a lifetime acrossfrozen lakes, up over the hills and through the forests. Orperhaps you prefer the natural power and energy of a livelyteam of husky dogs? Balance on the sled behind as theorder is given to run. Their barking stops and they pull yousilently through the snowy landscape.

Take some time to see how the Finns really can make themost of their fantastic winter opportunities. Check out theunique experience of a night in an igloo or snow hotel, signup for a safari adventure that can take you deep into oneof the spectacular Finnish national parks, or try out yourtechnical skills as you experience the reality of winterdriving and skid control. Or put your skis down for a dayand see how you fare with a snowboard.


Scan Magazine | Winter | Finland

WINTER IN FINLAND Photos: imagebank.visitfinland.com

More about Finland at www.visitfinland.com

When travelling to Finland, a holidaymaker is oftenlooking for an authentic experience in the Nordicwilderness with a backdrop of unblemished nature. Onesuch distinctive destination is Syöte, Finland’ssouthernmost fell region, which offers access to two skicentres, Syöte National Park, and an abundance of otheractivities that will bring you closer to nature.

In Syöte, you can enjoy the wild scenery without having tostray far from urban areas. The fell area offers an array ofnature activities all year round, and during winter theseinclude downhill skiing, cross-country skiing,snowboarding, snowmobile rides, husky sleigh rides,

reindeer safaris, sauna bathing and “ice hole swimming”.The region’s unique southerly location also provides it withmilder temperatures and a shorter period of winterdarkness, which might come as a relief to foreigntravellers.

Adventures at night

While enjoying any of the main attractions offered in theSyöte area, visitors are always surrounded by the peacefulair of the wilderness and the clear, white snow that coverseverything, even the trees on the fell tops. Some of theactivities can also be done by night, giving visitors thepossibility of a more thrilling and intimate adventure in the


Scan Magazine | Winter | Syöte

Syöte – A winter of contentBy Nia Kajastie

wild. Paula Paukkeri, a sales manager from Syöte’scentral booking agency, says: “Our advantage in theFinnish market is our proximity to nature-centric services.Syöte is a small and cosy destination. Given its size, Syöteis easier to manage, and we can offer a more tailor-madeand individual holiday experience to our visitors.”

Challenges for all levels

Juha Kuukasjärvi, a representative of Hotel Iso-Syöte, alsowants to emphasise the importance of the ski centres asa part of Syöte’s services. In Syöte, there are two separatefell areas called Iso-Syöte and Pikku-Syöte, which lieabout 4 km apart. The former is designed to cater for amore advanced skier, while the latter concentrates onsnowboarding and offers skiing for beginners, teenagersand families with children. There is also an opportunity foraccommodation in the actual fell area, where you canaccess the slopes straight from your hotel’s front step.

For more details visit: www.syote.fi

The event arrangements? Take them as a walk in the park. Finland and Tampere are known for their public safety, pristine nature and excellent infrastructure. Tampere is a dynamic hub of education and science, business and culture. And it’s easy to fl y in. You’ll be arranging your event in the heart of a sizeable city with a small-town feel. All venues and services are truly within walking distance.

Greenmeetings

Tampere Hall has been ranked the number one congress centre in Finland. It is also the Nordic countries’ largest congress and concert centre built specifi cally for the purpose. Hundreds of events have triumphed at Tampere Hall, including EU summits.

Yliopistonkatu 55FI-33101 Tampere, FinlandTel. +358 3 243 4900, Fax +358 3 243 4199www.tampereconventionbureau.fi

Yliopistonkatu 55FI-33101 Tampere, FinlandTel. +358 3 243 4111, Fax +358 3 243 4199www.tampere-talo.fi

TampereFINLAND


Scan Magazine | Columns | Humour

Who starts to sweat and quietly curse,when delivery guys drop of a piece offurniture... in a box?

I don’t mind the furniture. It’s the flat box.Flat box reads one terrifying message.Unassembled! On my own I’d be perfectlycapable of handling the situation. I wouldsimply put the box in a corner assured thatI would get someone to assemble it “atsome point”. That is my answer to DIY:GSETDI: Get somebody else to do it. It’sunproblematic, non-confrontational, andEASY.

Sadly my husband is misguidedlyencouraged by theDIY-concept. He’s on thebox like a dog on a ball. Tearing off thebrown cardboard, tossing the wrappingaround in a frenzy of enthusiasm whilemanically yelling: “This is gonna beGREAT!” When all the parts lie there,scattered all over the floor he carefully

starts examining which of the billionpossible combinations is right. MeanwhileI’m trying to hide in a corner, quietly waitingfor the horror that is about to happen: themoment where my husband casually asks:“Honey, could you hold this?”

See? That’s what DIY-people do: Draghonest, lazy people into their DIY misery.Years of experience taught me that when Icontribute by “holding something”, every-thing goes wrong. I hold it too high, too low,too straight, too close, just WRONG! Andthen it’s MY fault, which is SO unfair giventhat I never asked for this ferocious outburstof initiative. Had I hadmyway, the bookshelfwould be safe and sound... in its box, waitingfor some of our alcoholic friends I couldbribe with beer to assemble it.

Reluctantly I must admit that my husbandgets things done. After numerous attemptsto “hold something”, something suddenly

sticks like it was supposed to, and after onlyapproximately 9 – 10 hours (boy, does timefly when you’re having fun) the bookshelfstands there, prouder than a toddler all byitself.

However, I do wishmy husbandwould readthe DIY term strictly to the letter:Do it YOURSELF.

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading femalecomedian. She invites you to laugh alongwith her monthly humour columns. Sinceher stand-up debut in 1992, Mette hashosted the Danish versions of “Have I GotNews For You” and “Room 101”. Mettecurrently lives in London.

IS IT JUST ME... By Mette Lisby

Ben Kersley looks at how Finland getsthe gold medal for sporting creativity.

The Finnish Football Association boasts aconsistency in form that few internationalsides can match. They have consistentlyfailed, over their entire 102-year history,to qualify for either the World Cup or theEuropean Championships.

In 1952, the Finns hosted the Olympicsand in what should have been their sport-ing zenith they even managed to comebehind Hungary in the medals table. Inice hockey, the quintessential Nordicsport, Finland usually goes home withsilver to Sweden’s gold. Other than theodd bit of ski jumping and some middledistance running, no major sport has everbeen troubled by Finnish domination. YetFinland’s trophy cabinet is far from empty.How? By inventing a wealth of new worldchampionships and making up the rulesas they go along.

There are sports for everyone. FromNeppis, which is toy car racing in sandpitsfor grown ups, to The Mobile PhoneThrowing World Championships. There’sSwamp Football, a slow and clumsyversion of the beautiful game played kneedeep in mud. Not unlike watching aproper game of Finnish footie.

The best participant sports are thosewhere you don’t need expensive clothesto play, such as the Nakukymppi, arunning race as nature intended (shoesand socks are optional). It takes placearound midsummer, which has less to dowith tradition and more to do with the factthat mosquito numbers have not yetreached their peak. Or there’s the WorldSauna Championships with contestantsaiming to stay in a sauna as long aspossible without actually cooking. Thewinner celebrates by throwing his sweatypar-boiled body into a crowd of adoringfans.

The jewel in the Finnish sporting crown isalso the thorn in their side: much asEngland regrets ever teaching cricket andrugby to the Australians, the Finns mustrue day they invited the Estonians to takepart in theWorldWife Carrying Champion-ship. In the twelve year history of thecompetition, Finland has only won twice.Other than that Estonia, a nation evenworse at football than Finland, hascarried home the silverware (presumablyputting the wife down first) every time.

First to the Finnish line By Ben Kersley

Ben Kersley is a writer and perfor-mer based in Linköping, Sweden. Heis also Sweden’s only Swinglishstand up comedian. www.speakup.se

Denmark plays Sweden on 10 October 2009 – potentially be the most important football game of the year!Denmark has never before been closer to qualifying directly to the World Cup. Sweden is pursuing revenge for their 0-1 defeat

from the last encounter while at the same time fighting for direct qualification to South Africa.

This event will be a great evening for the members of the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerceand Swedish Chamber of Commerce and friends.

Make sure to sign up now! Carlsberg are sponsoring the first couple of beers for the first 300 who sign up!You can only sign up via www.ducc.co.uk/denmarkvssweden.html

Denmark vs SwedenFootball night at The Sports Cafe, London

Sponsors Media Sponsor SCANM A G A Z I N E

Probably the best partnership in the world

D

Relationship Banking -Just as you remember it

Handelsbanken’s customers are the most satisfied in the

country*. Do you want to find out what it is like to bank with

us? Contact our London West End branch and we will be

happy to tell you more.

John Hodson - Head of London West End Branch: 020 7930 3982

*Source: According to a survey done by EPSI Rating in 2009, customersatisfaction with Handelsbanken is significantly higher than the industry average.

www.handelsbanken.co.uk/westend

Handelsbanken is the trading name of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ). Authorised by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) and authorised and subject to limited regulation

by the Financial Services Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Financial Services Authority are available from us on request.

Safety, quality and sustainabilityin bulk liquid transportation

c/o Stolt-Nielsen Ltd65 KingswayLondon WC2B 6TD

Tel: +44 20 7611 8960

Fax: +44 20 7611 8965

www.stolt-nielsen.com

No country integrated into the global economy is leftunaffected by the financial crisis. Norway is therefore noexception. However, compared to many countries, Iwould say Norway has managed relatively well.

In the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009we did experience negative GDP growth, but growth pickedup slightly again in the second quarter. Unemploymenthas risen far less than in most other countries, and theunemployment rate is currently just above 3%. Theturmoil in the international financial markets did spreadquickly to Norway, but Norwegian banks are solid andhave so far incurred only moderate losses.

Looking forward, growth is expected to increase furtherand gradually maintain this trend in the course of 2010.

Unemployment will continue to rise, but probably peakwell below 4%.

The foundation for this development lies in a sound policyframework and a prudent and long term orientedeconomic policy over several years. The large revenuesfrom our petroleum resources in the North Sea have notbeen a sleeping pillow leading to lower productivity andgrowth. Another challenge is to transform this fluctuatingrevenue stream into welfare gains for both current andfuture generations. To meet this challenge, we put asidethe revenues from the petroleum sector in a resourcefund, named the Pension Fund – Global. This Fund isinvested in financial assets abroad, and we only spend theexpected real return from the Fund over the annualbudgets. This framework contributes to stabilizing the


Scan Business | Comment | Norway

Norway less affected by the financial crisisthan many other countriesBy Kristin Halvorsen, Minister of Finance, Norway

Thanks to a prudent and long-term oriented economic policy, Norway and its capital Oslo (above) have been less affected by the

financial crisis than other countries.

Norwegian economy. It also ensures that futuregenerations take part in the petroleum wealth.

The Norwegian authorities have, as have the authoritiesin most countries, introduced a range of measures todampen the effects of the global recession:

• Norges Bank has reduced the key policy rate by 4.5percentage points, to 1.25%, since October 2008. Sincemost Norwegian mortgages have floating interestrates, these moves have a large and immediate impacton household demand.

• The Government has adopted the most ambitiousfiscal policy measures in more than 30 years. The useof petroleum revenues, as measured by the structural,non-oil budget deficit, is estimated to be NOK 130billion. This is equivalent to a demand impulse of 3% of

GDP for Mainland Norway, which is also strong whencompared with other countries.

• Furthermore, extensive measures to stabilise thefinancial markets have been established, both by theGovernment and Norges Bank. These arrangementsimprove Norwegian banks’ access to liquidity and long-term funding, and they strengthen individual banks andimprove their ability to uphold lending activity tohouseholds and businesses.

Norway experienced a severe banking crisis in the early1990s, which I believe is still vividly remembered byregulators and by many bankers. As share capital waswritten down (even as far down as zero) before thegovernment recapitalised the banks involved, the bankingsector learned the true cost of imprudent risk taking and


Kristin Halvorsen, Minister of Finance, Norway

insufficient credit evaluations. Also legislators andsupervisory authorities learned valuable lessons fromthe crisis, especially with respect to crisismanagement and the necessity of adequate capitalrequirements. The crisis in the early 90s made usbetter prepared to meet the challenges of the currentcrisis.

The fact that the petroleum market has remainedrather stable during the last 12 months, despite thedownturn of the world economy, has of course been animportant contribution in stabilizing the mainlandeconomy. High activity on the Norwegian continentalshelf leads to significant demands of both capital andintermediate goods from manufacturers on themainland. Petroleum investments are expected toremain high next year. Moreover, the production ofconsumer goods relative to total output is smallcompared to countries like Sweden and Germany,which have been much harder hit by the drop in globaldemand than Norway. Whilst manufacturingproduction in the euro area was down more than 20%in the first four months of 2009 compared to the sameperiod in 2008, the decline in Norway was a mere 6%.

Norway’s relatively large public sector also helps tostabilise the economy in turbulent times. The publicsector employs one third of the labour force in Norway.These jobs are not directly threatened by the crisis. Thefact that pensions, health care and education areprovided by the government, ensures that the supplyof these services is protected from the market turmoil.

So, is the crisis over? I am afraid we can’t be sure ofthat. Risks remain high, both regarding the financialmarkets and economic development. The compre-hensive measures from the authorities worldwidehave, however, significantly reduced the risk of gettinginto a negative spiral where the financial markets havea negative impact on economic development and viceversa. The Norwegian Government put the emphasison contributing with our experiences in order to workout a sound framework for the financial marketsinternationally, so that they can underpin a prosperousand sustainable development for the world economy inthe years to come.

It is easy when you know how.We are your ideal partner.

As the leading bank in the Nordic region Nordea has a world-wide commitment towards our custo mers.

If you want to succeed in business in the UK and elsewhere, youwill benefit from the following advantages with Nordea:

• Tailor made cash management solutions on national and international levels.

• High service levels from your personal relationship manager.

• Recognised industry expertise and long standing commitmentto the Shipping industry.

There are several more good reasons. Contact us and we arehappy to advise how you can benefit from the best that NordicCorporate Banking and Shipping have to offer.

Nordea Bank LondonCarolla Moise,Senior Relationship Manager, Corporate Banking+44 (0)20 7726 9183

Ulf Andersson,Head of Shipping,Offshore and Oil Services+44 (0)20 7726 9215

Nordea Bank London8th floor, City Place House, 55 Basinghall Street,London EC2V 5NB Making it possible

1

For a Norwegian business law firm with internationalclients, understanding and knowing the marketinternational clients and law firms operate in is important.This is why Thommessen is one of few Scandinavian lawfirms represented in the UK. By having an office inLondon, Thommessen aims to establish contact andstrengthen relations with potential and existinginternational clients and to provide its lawyers with anopportunity for professional and personal development.

Thommessen was recently named “Norway’s Law Firm ofthe Year 2009” by Who’s Who Legal, and the Norwegianwinner of Chambers Europe Awards for Excellence 2009.Thommessen dates back to 1856, and through organicgrowth and mergers, it has become one of the leading lawfirms in Norway with 170 lawyers divided between officesin Oslo, Bergen and London.

Changing direction in the UK

Currently, there are three lawyers based in their office inNew Broad Street in the City; two of them are participatingin Thommessen’s associate secondment scheme, whileResident Partner Lars Eirik Gåseide Røsås has been in

London for almost three years. “This year is the 25thanniversary of our London office,” says Røsås. “Thereason for starting up here 25 years ago was to follow ourNorwegian clients into the UK market and provide legalcounselling, mainly in relation to the shipping industry.”

Today the core areas of business have changed somewhatbecause many Norwegian businesses seek English legalcounsel directly, or only need to be referred to theappropriate local counsel. “We used to be mainly theintermediary for Norwegian clients between English andNorwegian law, but today we more often provideNorwegian legal advice to international clients, eitherdirectly or by acting for international law firms. Thereasons for being here have changed over the years,” saysRøsås. Part of the firm’s business in London still consistsof advising Norwegian clients in the UK. However, themajority of the work concerns UK or other internationalcompanies doing business in Norway.

Creating a competitive edge

The benefits of being present in the UK are not easilymeasurable; however, they are still there, says Røsås.


THOMMESSEN – the London edgeBy Signe Hansen | Photos: Silje Glefjell

Having a London office allows Thommessen to be on theground in a major business hub, and to offer Norwegianlegal services at the doorstep of international clients. “Ourpresence here has a representation and marketingfunction, and we believe that it makes us more visible.”

Still Røsås says that it is of course possible to run aNorwegian business law firm with clients in the UKwithout having a London office. “It is a matter of offeringour clients here something extra,” he says. “We have seenin recent years that it has become more and moreimportant to have an international footprint. Besides,London is very often the first point of contact, and whenbeing approached by an English, American or otherinternational law firm, it is important to know andunderstand their standards and how they expect you todeliver your services.”

Providing international experience for associates

Last September, Thommessen introduced a secondmentscheme which offers associates the opportunity to workat its London office. “The scheme means that ourassociates in our offices in Oslo and Bergen can apply tocome here and work for four months, and we provide themwith accommodation and an international learning

environment,” explains Røsås.

Twoof the lawyers to have takenadvantage of this schemeareLars André Gjerdrum and Mads Haavardsholm. “I think thatwhen it comes to recruiting andkeepingpeople in the firm, thepossibility of coming over here is important,” Gjerdrum says,while Røsås adds: “After a certain time, associates might beinterested in broadening their experience and this schemegives us the possibility of offering somethingwithin the firm.”

While Thommessen came to London 25 years ago with aspecific aim, which has evolved over the years, Røsås saysthat Thommessen intends tomaintain its presence in theCity.“We are satisfied that we will be able to continue providingthis service to our national and international clients, andalthough the reasons for our presence have changed anddeveloped over the years, being in London still is important,and perhaps evenmore so than before,” he says.


Scan Magazine | XxxxScan Business | Business Profile | Thommessen

Mads Haavardsholm, Lars Eirik Gåseide Røsås and Lars André Gjerdrum in front of their office building in New Broad Street, London.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS42 New Broad Street, London EC2M 1JDWeb: www.thommessen.no/enPhone: +44 207 920 3090, @: [email protected]

Oslo can often be found at the top of the list for the mostexpensive cities in the world, but this does notnecessarily mean that you have to max out your creditcard when looking for short-term accommodation.Whether you are there for business or leisure, OsloApartments can provide you with first-rate lodgings indesirable locations for approximately half the price of ahotel room.

Oslo Apartments, established around 1999 by ManagerPer O. Torgersen, was one of the first companies of itskind in the Oslo area. The concept behind the businesswas originally borrowed from the English bed andbreakfast format, with the first available apartments beingrented from private owners. However, as this

accommodation model was not easy to market in Oslo, thecompany subsequently started renting out modernapartments that did not include any extra services. “Whenwe first started out, we had to create the market,” saysTorgersen. “The customers were staying in hotels at thetime, but now an increasing number of people see themoney-saving benefits of renting apartments instead.”

With 160 apartments dotted around ten different locationsin the downtown, western and suburban areas of Oslo,Oslo Apartments should always be able to offer yousuitable accommodation for your stay, whether it is for ashort holiday break or a longer work-related visit. Allapartments come fully furnished with free Internet andcable television, while fresh bed linen and towels are


OSLO APARTMENTS – Your home away from homeBy Nia Kajastie

Scan Business | Business Profile | Oslo Apartments

provided every week. In the downtown area, theapartments are located within walking distance of allamenities, giving easy access to shops, restaurants andtheatres. However, if you are looking for something a bitless hectic, Oslo Apartments also offers a selection ofquieter locations in the suburban area, which can bereached from the city by tram or car.

A smart hotel alternative

According to Torgersen the biggest benefit of renting anapartment compared to booking a hotel room is the lowerprice tag. “Of course you can always find cheap hotels withlow standards, but if you compare our apartments tohotels with the same level of standards, then you aregetting it for a lot cheaper,” he says. From OsloApartments, you can rent a studio apartment starting atNOK 590 per night (not per person), which currently addsup to slightly over £60, while a five bedroom one costsabout NOK 1750 per night (approximately £183).

You can also save a lot of money by making your own foodand buying ordinary groceries, rather than paying forexpensive restaurant meals every day. In addition, theapartments offer farmore space than hotels: while a regularhotel room consists of about 10-20 m2 of space, anapartment can easily reach up to 30–40m2. Torgersen adds:“When a family of two children and two adults wants tocome for a holiday and stay in Oslo, one hotel room can getquite crowded. It’s just not convenient to stay in the sameroom, and the children can’t stay in a room on their owneither. That’s why an apartment with two bedrooms is ideal.”

As one of the testimonials on the Oslo Apartments websiteputs it: “We felt in this apartment as if we were at home.Already on the second day of our stay here, we had thefeeling as if we (had) always lived here.” While people oftentravel abroad to experience something special and out ofthe ordinary, what is often missing is that true sense ofcomfort, as you always end up feeling a little out of place.So after a long day of sightseeing or work, it is veryrelaxing to have a place to return to that feels almost likehome. With excellent accommodation and friendly serviceavailable in multiple different languages, Oslo Apartmentswill help make your stay in Oslo as stress-free as possible.

www.osloapartments.no


Scan Business | Business Profile | Oslo Apartments

“I have a great offer for you.” This statement in LarsLarsen’s strong Jutlandic dialect has made the man alegend in Denmark. Everybody knows his story; thesmall entrepreneur who started out with one store andnow, 30 years later, runs JYSK group, a business empirewith over 1,500 stores turning over almost two billionpounds. In the UK, on the other hand, JYSK and Larsenhave just made their debut. We talk to MarketingManager Dara Goolsby to see how the modest merchanthas been welcomed.

It is not much more than a year ago since the first twoBritish JYSK stores selling low-priced duvets, bedding andfurniture opened up in Lincoln and Mansfield; two morefollowed in Blackburn and York, but while four storesopening in a year represents a good start, the owner hasmuch more extensive and far-reaching plans. “LarsLarsen is quite ambitious; he will tell us that we will have300 to 500 new stores in the UK within the next 20 years,”says Goolsby.

How to create the great offer

The concept of the stores in the UK is the same as inthe rest of JYSK: a great offer and a straightforwardand down-to-earth approach to customers. “What weare trying to bring across is the great offer. Obviouslythat is what JYSK is known for and what we can offer


JYSK– will the goose’s UK egg be golden?

By Signe Hansen

our customers in the UK is that and Scandinavianquality.”

But is this enough to make JYSK stand out in a highlycompetitive low-price furniture market such as the UK’s?Goolsby admits that the UK market is hard to break. Butshemaintains that JYSK’s concept of buying in bulk to givethe customers the lowest possible price will help Larsenreach his goal of being the most well-known brand invalue for money shopping in the world and in the UK. “Weare present in 32 countries and next year we are openingin China as well, so we’ve got a lot of buying power. The UKis a difficult market, but a lot of the dealers that wecompete with are UK-centric, they are not elsewhere.”Besides having greater buying power than most UKcompetitors, JYSK also manufactures some products likegarden furniture and some of the duvets within the group.

Adapting to the UK

JYSK group has just celebrated its 30th anniversary,marking the opening of the first JYSK store in Aarhus,where it is still located, in 1979. It was, however, notbecause of its location in Jutland (Jysk means Jutlandic)that Larsen named the store JYSK. Larsen was planningall along to open a chain of stores, but he wanted all of thestores to be connected to that area because of the Danishword’s connotation, namely modesty, thoroughness and

honesty. Obviously these messages are hard to convey tolocal markets, but Larsen is not only known for his greatoffers but also for his advertising’s unique impact. Tocelebrate his 25th anniversary Larsen sent out 2.4 millionfree copies of his autobiography, a book entitled “Hello myname is Larsen” creating quite a fuss about his person.

Although starting out small, advertising and campaigningare also the means with which Goolsby and her team aimto win over the Brits. “We do a lot of radio commercials inthe local areas and send out campaign catalogues in thesame way as JYSK does in Denmark and the rest ofScandinavia,” says Goolsby.

Larsen was also one of the first business owners tomarket his business by appearing in his own TVcommercials with the statement that made him famous:“Hello my name is Larsen and I have a great offer for you.”However, we should not expect to see Larsen’s moustacheon British TV screens any time soon because althoughthere are plans to commence TV campaigns when thechain has had a bit more time to grow, Goolsby does notreckon Larsen will feature in them himself. “No, Larsen isnot such a well-known face in the UK yet, so I think wewill just go for the goose,” she laughs.

For more details visit: www.jysk.co.uk


Scan Business | Business Profile | JYSK

Left: Marketing Manager Dara Goolsby. Middle: Danish business legend Lars Larsen. Right: One of JYSK’s first fourstores opened in Northern England.

Solving the financial crisis and taking over the globalbanking industry are not on the list of Anders WulffLarsens’s things to do this year. The Head of ICB(International Corporate Banking) in Danske Bank’sLondon office is more modest and far moreunambiguous. He wants to continue doing what he andhis unit do best: niche banking for corporate,Scandinavian group customers.

When Scan Magazine met Anders on the fourth floor ofthe bank’s London office in King William Street, we werenot met with a lot of show or airy plans but with a veryconcrete statement. “It’s business as usual here – or atleast as close as we can come.”

Following the customer

As Danske Bank has been servicing group customers inLondon since 1983, Anders does have substantial weight

behind his words. The UK ICB unit is one of 12 similarunits, which besides the four Scandinavian countriesinclude Poland, Germany, Russia, Ireland, Estonia, Latviaand Lithuania.

The location of new units abroad is dictated by therequirements of the Scandinavian group customers andthat is why, explains Anders, the London unit is at the verycore of Danske Bank’s business. “The bank’s policy hasalways been to follow its customers on the markets andthat’s how it all started. Over the years we have perfectedour original services to our corporate core customers ontheir core markets.”

Scandinavian service for Scandinavian customers

The UK is Norway’s largest export market, Denmark andSweden’s third largest, and Finland’s fourth largest.Consequently, it provides very viable terms for a bank


Danske Bank – International Corporate Banking, London

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Christos Koukelis

From left to right: Sheila Brady, Steve Pike, Anders Wulff Larsen, Carsten Amdi and Per Nielsen at the Danske Bankoffice located on King William Street in the centre of London City.


which, like Danske Bank, offers specific services forsubsidiaries of Scandinavian corporations. “Over the yearswe have grown and takenmarket share, especially fromUKbanks. The main reason is that we deliver a Scandinavianservice and Scandinavian products and both from a group’sperspective and a subsidiary’s perspective, we oftenconstitute a better solution than UK banks,” says Anders.

Head of Corporate Banking in Danske Bank, SørenHaugaard, stresses that the service which Danske Bankcan provide abroad is not only essential to the customersbut to the bank as well. “Anders’s jobis to ensure that we catch up on thebusiness that our group customershave here in the UK as well as theirlocal business,” he says adding: “Themore facets we have to accommodate our customers’collective requirements, the better is our potential ofrunning a profitable business. I see our business like a bigpuzzle with many pieces; it won’t be finished without allthe pieces and London is a very important piece to ourcorporate customers.”

One of the special services the bank offers all customersis a web-based cash management system which providesa cross-boarder solution. “It gives our customers theopportunity to operate cash management online throughthe same system in all of the countries we arerepresented in, which is a unique service. It gives a huge

advantage for group companies in that they can optimizetheir cash flow.”

But what about the crisis?

Of course when it comes to banking, one has to ask aboutthe crisis. Is Anders worried that there is an increased riskin the Bank’s customer base? He is definitely not afraid toadmit that banks are struggling at the moment butstresses that the crisis has never brought Danske Bankor the London unit into a life-threatening situation. “Ofcourse our customers have been affected by the

international credit crisis too, but ourstrategy has not changed as such. Wehave always had the tools and the abilityto handle the risk in our customerportfolio, and we work closely within the

Bank to access the risk in our portfolio. That is prettyusual for what we normally do; we identify changes andproblems that the customers will experience and work tosolve them.”

With regard to the bank’s own way of handling the crisisthe answer is to do just that says Anders: provide the bestservice and assistance for the bank’s customers. “We area niche bank in the UK and we will focus on what we aregood at and that is servicing a limited client group. Wefocus on our existing good clients and we are here forthem whether they are world brands or not. We are nothere to solve the banking crisis.”

Scan Business | Business Profile | Danske Bank

“Business as usual”

For Scandinavian companies the differences betweenScandinavian and British legislation can be the firstbarrier between them and success in the UK. Krogh andPartners Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditorshave specialised in advising on those differences and indoing it the Scandinavian way, that is with efficiency andhigh service levels.

With just two employees Per Krogh Petersen sat up Kroghand Partners in 1989. Today 15 employees work at thefirm’s offices in Finsbury Circus, London, servicing morethan 300 companies and a large number of individualsbased all over the UK.

Advice in high demand

“The reason behind setting up was that Per had quite a fewclients back inDenmarkwhowanted to start up in theUKandalwaysaskedhim for advice,” explainsPartnerMichaelRohde.

The business has had continuous growth since and whileits main business is audits, it also assists with tax planningin connection with moving to the UK, preparation of UK taxreturns, accounting and preparation of VAT returns.

“It is easier to understand UK legislation when you can

compare it with Scandinavian legislation and, as one offew, we obviously have knowledge of both,” says Rohde.

Equal service for all clients

All staff have theoretical and practical qualifications fromScandinavia and practical experience from working in theUK. One of them is Senior Manager John Lindegaard, whois set to become the firm’s third partner. “The main part ofour clients is subsidiaries of Scandinavian companies. Butwe also have some Scandinavian-linked clients who havestarted up in the UK independently and in that way weservice both very large and very small businesses,” hesays, adding, “apart from our niche expertise, ourcompetitive edge is that we aim to treat everyone thesame. Many companies may have a very large business intheir home country but only ten employees in their UKsubsidiary and they may not get the service they areaccustomed to if they go to a larger firm of UK auditorswith international knowledge.” The language is, of course,also a factor and although most clients, John says, speakEnglish very well, they like the comfort of having someoneexplaining matters in their own language. “When it comesto tax legislation details can be essential.”

For more details visit: www.kroghandpartners.com


Krogh and Partners – audit and essential adviceBy Signe Hansen

Senior Manager John Lindegaard and Partner Michael Rohde.

Bronte Blomhoj owns Scandinavian Kitchen, acafé/deli/grocery store in Central Londonwhich has been around for two years andserves the Scandinavian ex-pat communityand locals alike with everything from opensandwiches to food products and drinks fromSweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

Early hours

Most mornings begin the same: woken up byAstrid, who’s two. She always has a smile onher face and makes it so easy to get up andface the day’s challenges, no matter whatthese might be. Today I’m trying to schedule ina week's worth of catering orders and eventswhile writing the weekly e-mail newsletter – aswell as being due with our second child anyday. Got a lot to do today, so I ask the little oneto hang in there for a few hours yet…

Free hugs for all

I make my way to our Great Titchfield Streetstore near Oxford Circus and face the activityof the café: our Sebastian is hugging acustomer as I walk in (we have a loyaltyscheme where you get a free hug after fivecups of coffee). The customer is a middle-aged

British gentleman who seems to be bothpuzzled and amused at the same time. Isample a shot of the excellent MonmouthCoffee we serve and everything seems moreawake around me.

I don’t want 200 kilos of beetroot, thanks

There is an issue with one of our weeklydeliveries from Scandinavia, it seems.Someone in Copenhagen has misread theorder as 200 kilos of pickled beetroot insteadof 20. We manage to straighten out the errorbefore the order leaves Denmark. Phew. Imean, do you realize just how much 200 kilosof pickled beetroot is? It's enough for 2,500 ofour meatball platters...quite a lot.

Cakes are of the essence

We love cakes and everything about them.Today, we have a big order for Swedish princesscakes for a corporate event and the KitchenAngels are busy making roses and coveringlayer cakes with green marzipan. A late orderfor 50 cinnamon buns almost throws them offcourse, but everyone chips in and we manage.We are lucky to have such a strong team ofgreat people.

Got a good recipe for chocolate cake?

A leading foodmagazine iswriting anarticle aboutScandinavian food and they ask us for advice. OurPR Department (my partner Jonas… in hiscupboard-office under the stairs) sorts them outand I debate whether to give out Auntie Inga’ssecret recipe for ‘kladdkaka’ (Sticky SwedishChocolate Cake). Jonas persuadesme not to andthe all important secret is safe for awhile longer…

Nightie, night

I waddle for the bus home to pick up Astrid andplan for the next few days ahead. I’m usuallyasleep well before my head hits the pillow.


Scan Business | Column | How was your day?

How was your day

These are our busy lives! We ask aScandinavian businessman or businesswoman the question: How was your day?The answer is never that straightforward.

THE HAM HEALING CENTREHam Common, Richmond TW10

Do you suffer from:• Backpain & Physical Ailments?

• Stress & Depression?• Emotional Problems?

• Bereavement?

Are you searching for inner peace & calm in your life?

The Centre is here to heal and support you.Our members experienced and qualified healers.

We have a reputation to put you at your easeand are good listeners.

There are no fees just a modest donation.

Contact:Marcus 07976 287701 or 020 8439 9220

Anita 020 8687 1120Every Saturday 2pm - 7pm

New

Phone: 020 7638 4330 | Email: [email protected] | www.bs-jc.co.uk

Covered by all major private health insurers

• Chiropractic

• Sports Medicine Consultants

• Spinal Surgery

• Rheumatology

• Neurology

• Physiotherapy

• Osteopathy

• Medical Acupuncture

• Pain Consultants

• Orthopaedic Surgery

• Massage-Personal Trainer

The Largest and Most Integrated Team of Spine & JointSpecialists of any Independent Clinic in the UK

Danish ChiropractorDr Alan Jordan, PhdClinic Director

2


Scan Business | Columns

When we run leadership developmentprogrammes, top executives from theorganisation typically participate asspeakers to deliver ‘the strategic mes-sages from the top’. Recently, the coremessage from one senior executive wasthe following: “Now you must choosewhether you want to be a survivor or awinner!” – clearly with the intention ofencouraging the leaders to refocus andstart driving for revenue growth.

The challenge is, though, that the busi-ness leaders were there precisely becausethey had developed and deployed survivalskills, cut costs, made people redundantand managed to hold on to their own jobsdespite the restructuring over the pastcouple of years. How can they changemindset and behaviour all of a sudden?And how can they do it in a way that is be-lievable to their organisations? As mar-kets stabilise and the first glimmers of

hope emerge, companies need to rethinkhow leadership is executed and distrib-uted.

As some of the shortcomings andmis-judgements of celebrated, heroic leadershave been exposed, a revised model ofleadership is emerging. In this model,leadership is distributed, relational, per-sonal and situational. Distributed in that itis not the privilege of the chosen few at thetop but executed across the organisationby individuals who take it when needed –and are encouraged to do so. Relationalbecause it is co-created and continuouslyrefined by the multiple relationships andinteractions the leaders have. Personal inthat leaders will regain trust by beingthemselves and authentic in their actions.Situational since there is no ‘one style fitsall’. Leadership has to be adapted to theperson and to the situation.

So whether you successfully make thetransition from ‘surviving’ to ‘winning’ will

be determined by the extent to which youare able to rebuild trust and are willing totake risks, engage with people and em-power others to take leadership.

Leadership for the upturn By Inger Buus

Many Employersare seeking ways toreduce staff costsand find alterna-tives to redundancy.Employee costs areoften one of thelargest overheads.One option many

employers are considering is temporar-ily to reduce the Employee’s workingweek to cut costs, therefore also avoidingsignificant redundancy payments andmost importantly, enabling Employers toretain valuable staff.

Employees who are asked to reduce theirhours could argue that their position is infact redundant. In the current climate,many Employees will not want to lose theirpositions, but long-serving Employees en-titled to a significant redundancy paymentmay consider going down that route.

Corren Troen work with a number ofScandinavian clients with businesses inthe UK. Saira Mian, Employment lawyerwith Corren Troen, says that many clientsare often unaware that the legal frame-work for dealing with employment-relatedmatters can be very different in the UK. Inparticular, under English law, there is aprocedure for dealing with redundanciesor reducing an Employee’s working hours.

She recommends that before any action istaken, Employees are consulted with firstof all on the options and the possibility ofa reduction in hours. Also it is importantthat Employers ensure that it is clear thatthe new hours are on a temporary basisand that they advise the Employees as towhen the hours will change back. Keepingthings clear and simple will help preventconfusion or problems in the future. Anychanges to an Employee’s terms shouldalso be agreed in writing.

It is worth Employers considering all theoptions before deciding how the reducedhours will operate. Offering a four dayweek or a six hour day could have an im-pact on childcare expenses or train farecosts and therefore the Employee’s viewson agreeing to the reduction are impera-tive. Employees may also want some re-assurance that other benefits such as hol-idays, pensions or life cover will not beadversely affected.

Having an honest and open discussionwith Employees explaining why thechanges are necessary is normally thebest way to find a workable solution.

Employment in the current economic climate

If you would like advice on an Em-ployment-related matters, pleasecontact Saira Mian or a member ofthe Employment Team at CorrenTroen on 0207 597 8900.

Learn SwedishLearn Swedish in Sweden or at home with ISU Programs. We o�er summer, year-round programs and distance courses.

www.folkuniversitetet.se/isu

ISU Programs


Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

In the light of therecent news about amore positive eco-nomic outlook andthe belief that weare moving on from‘crisis management’mode towards arecovery focused ap-proach, DUCC and

Miller Rosenfalck LLP invite all members and others who areinterested to a seminar on 14 October. “Managing your HumanResources efficiently” is the theme, and we will reflect onmarkettrends while focusing on issues such as alternatives toredundancies, flexible working, information and communica-tions, not to mention rewards and benefits. The event is aimed atcompany management including HR management. Saxo BankA/S London will be hosting the seminar and registration isnecessary because of a limited number of seats: [email protected] event not to miss is when Denmark plays Sweden on 10October 2009. The event is sponsored by Carlsberg, DSV and G4S

– probably the best partnership in the world – and will potentiallybe the most important football game of the year! Denmark hasnever before been closer to qualifying directly to the World Cup.Sweden is pursuing revenge for their 0-1 defeat from the lastencounter while at the same time fighting for direct qualificationto South Africa. Sign up online: www.ducc.co.uk

UPCOMING EVENTS

10 October FIFA Event: Denmark vs. Sweden14 October Managing your Human Resources efficiently:

Focus on service companies – Presented byMiller Rosenfalck& DUCC. Hosted by Saxo Bank

29 October Advisory Board Knowledge Share (Lunch)– by invitation only

29 October DBAL – New Network of Danish BusinessAngels London

29 October Nordic Thursday Drinks at Radisson BluPortman Hotel

5 November Network Lounge in Leeds for Danish BusinessProfessionals

Norway and Scotland are connected on many levels, throughbusiness and leisure, through history, and through a generalsense of having a lot in commonwhile also having a lot to offer oneanother. NBCC invitesmembers and non-members to participatein our Taste and Travel event in Aberdeen on 9 October. We willorganise a mini-exhibition, and in addition there will be aprogramme of speakers and a networking event.

All sponsor members are invited to take a seat on the NBCC'sAdvisory Board. The Advisory Board consists of a broad spectrumof CEOs from international companies operating in the UK and inNorway. Its formal role is to guide NBCC on its strategic and policydirections, as well as constituting the Norwegian Ambassador'sBusiness Forum. We take great pleasure in inviting our AdvisoryBoard members to a networking event at the Ambassador'sResidence to meet and discuss topics of current interest on 22October.

The annual Shipping & Energy Dinner is on 29 October: welcometo the autumn's meeting place for companies and individualsworking within or closely related to the Shipping industry. This is

the perfect place to entertain guests and introduce businesspartners to the renowned Norwegian-British Shippingcommunity; kindly hosted by StatoilHydro.

UPCOMING EVENTS

8 October Financial Evening9 October Taste & Travel Norway and Scotland22 October Advisory Board Networking Event29 October Shipping & Energy Dinner29 October Nordic Thursday Drinks

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7259 6795 | Email: [email protected] | www.ducc.co.uk

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7930 0181 | Email: [email protected] | www.nbccuk.com

Aberdeen Skyline. Photo: Wikimedia Commons


Scan Magazine | Business Directory

Want to grow yourbusiness in Britain?

Goodwille has, in the last decade, successfully assisted in the establishment, running and development of more than 500 companies in the UK. We custom build a proactive teamaround you, ensuring continuity and support while we help your company to grow.

With a broad knowledge and wide range of support anddevelopment products we can help ensure that you are ready for the next step.

• Corporate Legal • Financial Accounting• Company Secretarial • Human Resources & Payroll• Implementation Strategy • Virtual Office

Call us to discuss your individual needs or visit: www.goodwille.co.uk

Together we will help your business blossom.

Your business partner, every step of the way.

St James House13 Kensington Square

London W8 5HDUnited Kingdom

T: +44 (0)20 7795 8100E: [email protected]

G

Samtext UK Ltd +44 1962 858 790www.samtext.com/en [email protected]

Your Nordic partner for translation, copy-adaptation, copywriting, editing and production design. Offices in theUK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Germany, all staffed by dedicated text experts.

T: 020 7727 1902E: [email protected] www.consido.net

Guiding youstep-by-step

Consido are relocation experts. We provide an unequalled service for professionals moving to London, tailored to your individual needs, with absolute discretion guaranteed. We’ll assist you with everything ensuring rapid integration with minimal disruption to your family or business.

Please contact us to find out howwe can help you find your place in the world's most dynamic city.


Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

This season’s kick-offevent, the Swedish-Finnish Crayfish Party,attracted over a hun-dred guests. On Friday4 September, the twoChambers invadedandtransformed London’sEmbassy Restaurantfor the event. It was not

longbefore the first snaps songechoed in the restaurant and the firstcrayfish was eaten and so the evening continued. All in all, it was atruly amazing evening with much singing and dancing.

The coming autumn is filled with a wide range of events, includingseminars on communications and presentations, HR and executivecompensation, business opportunities, rethinking the future of ITand financial regulation.We are also looking forward to aMembers’Luncheonwith thePresident andCEOof Saab, Åke Svensson, on 10November and the Annual Christmas Luncheon at the Dorchesteron Friday 4 December (almost sold out already).

TheSwedishChamber of Commerce includes around 400Membersand hosts over fifty events every year. So far, during 2009, we areproud to have welcomed over 70 newMember companies.

Please find belowa calendar of events forOctober; for events furtherinto the future, please look at ourwebsite onwww.scc.org.ukwhereyou can also sign up.

UPCOMING EVENTS

5 October Master Class in Communications with GPBConsulting

8 October The JCC After Work at Mahiki12 October 2012 Games – How to capitalise on the Games?13 October The JCC & McGuireWoods – Entrepreneurship

Forum19 October Annual Patrons’ Dinner at the Swedish Ambas-

sador’s Residence20 October Rethinking the future of IT21 October Seminar on Strategic HR

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7224 8001 | Email: [email protected] | www.scc.org.uk

Autumn is now officially here as we celebrated our annualFinnish-Swedish Crayfish Party at the beginning of September.The event was very enjoyable with great people, good music and,most of all, enormous amounts of super delicious crayfish! Wewould like to thank all the participants for creating this suc-cessful event.

At the beginning of October members of the FBCC have an op-portunity to enjoy a special wine tasting event. The evening willbe headed by a well-known wine expert, Ray O’Connor. On 28 Oc-tober, we are organizing the Corporate Social Responsibilityseminar together with the Finnish Institute. The monthly NordicNetworking Drinks event seems to be more popular than ever;in October the event takes place at Radisson Blu Portman Hotel.

Finally, don’t forget our Christmas lunch on 10 December! Thisyear the event will be held at the Scandinavian restaurant Mad-sen. More information about our upcoming events can be foundat www.fbcc.co.uk

UPCOMING EVENTS

7 October Wine Tasting Evening with Ray O’Connor atScandinavian Kitchen

28 October Corporate Social Seminar together with theFinnish Institute

29 October Nordic Networking Drinks at Radisson BluPortman Hotel

5 November Indian Breakfast with Anup N. Dalal atQuaglino’s

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 8741 6352 | Email: [email protected] | www.fbcc.co.uk

SCAN NEWS Edited byEmilie Krugly

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is dreaming of a cy-cling revolution in London. He shares the vision with TheEmbassy of Denmark, which is on a mission to encouragethe Brits to adopt Danish cycling culture.

As part of the prologue to the United Nations ClimateChange Conference in Copenhagen later this year, the GLAand the Embassy of Denmark therefore organised the ex-hibition Dreams on Wheels at the City Hall. The exhibitionaimed to share knowledge between the two cities, and toencourage more people to try out two wheels. The Ambas-sador of Denmark, Mr. Birger Riis-Jørgensen, said: “Thebest way to get around London is on your bike, and I enjoyhow the road users respect and consider each other in thetraffic. It is great that Londoners and Danes can now jointlyexplore the joys and challenges of safe cycling to the ben-efit of our planet and ourselves.”

The number of Londoners who choose pedal power overpetrol is on the up with the number of cyclists almost dou-bling since 2000.

“In Copenhagen cycling has become part of the fabric ofthe city, whereas in London many are yet to join the cyclingrevolution. London is now taking great strides towards be-coming a true cycling city, with record investment going intoproviding the infrastructure needed to make biking evensafer, accessible, and more convenient. I hope that this ex-hibition encourages more people to get in the saddle andsavour the city’s sights,” said Boris Johnson.

Transport for London is investing £111 million this year,providing funding for safety programmes, training, events,and landmark schemes such as a cycle superhighway.

Those who are interested in finding out more about cy-cling culture and urban sustainability can visit:www.dreamsonwheels.dk

Dreams on Wheels

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson

The Öresund bridge has long been the symbolof Grundberg Mocatta Rakison LLP. Today, itrepresents the merger of two great law firms,spanning complementary areas of law as wellas the Atlantic.

GMR and U.S.-based McGuireWoods LLPhave merged their operations. Known asMcGuireWoods, we will continue to providethe same trusted counsel and innovativesolutions on which clients of both firms havecome to rely. We look forward to introducingyou to our new colleagues and expandedcapabilities—on both sides of the Atlantic.

Anders Grundberg, London Office Managing Partner+ 44 (0)20 7632 1600 | [email protected] House | 15 – 19 Kingsway | London WC2B 6UN

www.mcguirewoods.com

bridgephoto.dk

The bridge thatcrossed the pond


Scan Magazine | Scan News

Swede Nadja Shaw is the founder of Hartwig Care, a careagency that guarantees a service that is uniquely tailoredfor each of its clients. It all started ten years ago in aNorth London basement and today offers its servicesthroughout London. Nadja Shaw can certainly be proudwhen 550 of her guests enter Hampstead Town Hall forHartwig Care’s anniversary festivities in November.

When Scan Magazine visited Nadja at her offices inKentish Town, northwest London, there was a buzz in theair; people were coming and going with staff memberspreparing for training sessions, and Nadja apologised forthe bustle and told us that they are about to open theirsecond office in Hampstead.

The story behind this operation began in Sweden whenNadja as a little girl observed her mother, aphysiotherapist, lovingly care for her patients.

“She is simply an amazing person; her nursing reallymade a difference to people’s lives and inspired me. Manyof her clients were chronically ill and some of them withonly a short time to live. My mother managed to reducetheir fear and anxiety; seeing this I felt that I also wantedto make a difference to people’s lives one day, so I studiedto become a nurse.”

In 1996 Nadja moved to London, intending to improve herEnglish and work for a while, planning to return to Swedenafterwards. As with many adventurous Scandinaviansthings turned out differently. “I was surprised to find howdifferent things were in the UK when I started nursing andrealised that there was a gap in the market and I thoughtto myself that I can do this better. Things slowly started to

grow without any marketing, Hartwig Care was formedand started to build a name for itself. We have not pushedit, it has all come to us,” Nadja Shaw explains.

Hartwig Care can offer a number of different services, forboth private clients and service users referred from SocialServices in London. Hartwig Care also provides directpayment care to clients with conditions such as MS,Parkinson and other physical disabilities as well as careservices for the elderly, people with learning disabilitiesand mental health problems, but also clients who canmanage on their own but need a bit of support to maintaintheir independence.

The recruitment procedure is very thorough. Many ofNadja’s staff members are well educated people from allwalks of lives. “I really value my staff and I want them tobe proud of their work; we ensure that we have regularassessments and encourage staff members to be active inother areas and disciplines within the company. Forinstance, one of my carers is currently updating thewebsite in anticipation of the second office. I alsoappreciate individuality and there is no dress code oruniform. Many of my clients are house-bound and forthem it’s nice that carers can bring a little of the outsideworld into their homes and lives.”

Hartwig is named after Nadja’s much loved grandfather,delicatessen businessman and crayfish importer OlleHartwig. “I grew up without a father and my grandfatherbecame a male role model in my life. He was a verygenerous and loving man whom I felt I wanted to honour.”

For more info visit www.hartwigcare.co.uk

HARTWIG CAREBy: Emelie Krugly | Photo: Elisa Noguera Lopez

Nadja Shaw at her office.


Scan Magazine | Scan News

Fancy an intimate guided tour of theSwedish capital? Stockholm CulturalTours guarantee to fulfil your wishes.Anglo-Swede Christina Sanderson issoon to celebrate her first year in busi-ness. Her company offers exclusive,specialised tours in and around thecapital.

After giving up her job as an auctioneerfor Bonham’s in London, Christina un-dertook a master’s degree in the Historyof Arts. Whilst writing a thesis on Scan-dinavian Arts, she became so engrossedin the subject that it awoke the entre-preneur in her. She discovered there wereno high-end tourism companies inStockholm and as a result decided to setup on her own. The response so far, she

maintains, has been very encouraging.“Everyone has really enjoyed it, the

tours accommodate amaximum of eightpeople and as the tours span four days,you form a relationship with the clientsand the group really get to know eachother as well. It’s usually an interna-tional group of well educated people.”

As well as those advertised, tailor-made tours can be arranged to suit in-dividual requirements. The tour includesvisits to galleries and manor houses inand around Stockholm, as well as boattrips around the unique and spectacularStockholm Archipelago. A few summertrips will include an opera at the Drot-tningholm court theatre.

“We aim to open up parts of Stock-holm and its surroundings that youwould

not necessarily see or, indeed, even beconscious of as an ordinary tourist.”

StockholmCultural Tours run from thebeginning of June until mid-Septembereach summer. Awinterweekend tour alsotakes place from 4-7 December 2009.

Future plans involve organizing a Mil-lenium guided tour following the hugeinternational success of author StiegLarsson's Millenium trilogy.

There is great interest in the toursplanned for 2010, with places alreadyreserved and booked up, so hurry beforeit’s too late. The four day tour costs £800and includes accommodation in theGrand Hotel in Stockholm.

For more information visitwww.stockholmculturaltours.co.uk

Coffee in Gamla Stan

Swedish Government Announces 50million SEK a Year Tourism Boost atSymposium Ahead of COP15

During the opening ceremony of theEuropean symposium, Tourism andTravel in the Green Economy, theSwedish Deputy Prime Minister andMinister for Energy and Enterprise,Maud Olofsson, announced a further in-vestment in tourism of 50 million SEK a

year as part of the 2010-2012 budget.The symposium, a joint venture of

the UNWorld Tourism Organisation, theEuropean Travel Commission and Vis-itSweden, also saw the launch of theUN Seal the Deal! Campaign. The cam-paign calls for a fair, balanced and ef-fective post-Kyoto climate agreement atthe coming UN Climate Change Con-ference (COP 15) in December. Sweden,

currently hold-ing the EU pres-idency, is ran-ked first of 133countries in su-stainability by theWorld EconomicForum.

Source: the newsmarket.com, Council for thePromotion of Sweden

Swedish Government announces tourist boost

Maud Olofsson

Tours of a hidden Stockholm

If you wish to feel the London buzz, be seen and grab abite after work, Soho is the place. That is exactly whatwe want to do, and we are not alone; all Londoners seemto be out on this last warm summer evening.

Tempting menu

Just seconds after arriving at the Deli Brasserie in 44 FrithStreet we are sitting comfortably looking through theinspiring menu loaded with specialities from India.Unfortunately, my sneaking bad habit of wantingeverything makes me incapable of deciding when it comesto food. The extensive, tempting menu does not exactlyhelp, so picking a dish turns out to be a rather difficultaffair. Luckily the friendly waiter springs to my assistanceand after ordering two Indian Cobra beers we are readyfor the spicy food.

We start out with the classic Papadums, different kinds ofchutneys (mango chutney, lime pickle, minted sauce andonion salad), a must-have at any Indian restaurant. Theyare delicious and I have to remind myself to leave roomfor all the treats that await us.

Secret ingredients

As starter, I have the Prawn & Purie onion Bhaje; it is sogood that I forget to share with my friend, even though she

kindly offers me a piece of her tasty Fish Terna - codmarinated in a special secret sauce.

For the main course I have the Chicken Korai, which ismade with the Delhi Brasserie’s very own secret spices –more secrets, and yes, they remain a secret. But I canreveal that the taste was excellent - full and strong. On theother side of the table, judging from the pleased smile onSigne’s face, the Vegetarian Thali is also a hit and it is a treatfor the eye as well. As a little side dish, not that we reallyneed it, but the waiter tempted us, we have Garlic Naan anda sweet dish calledMuttor Paneer, which is green peas andcottage cheese cooked in a mild spicy creamy sauce.

Perfect for groups

The grand finale is the creamy, green Indian coconut icecream – delicious. After ice and coffee we take a tour ofthe Brasserie and conclude that not only is the foodsuperb, but also that the party rooms at the back of therestaurant allow you to bring friends or colleagues for atasteful night out after work.


Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month

Restaurant of the Month

Flavour feast at The Delhi Brasserie in SohoBy Helene Oxfeldt Lauridsen

Soho Branch 02074378261Kensington Branch 02073707617www.delhibrasserie.com

The Swedish circus group Cirkus Cirkör is preparing fortheir West End Debut.

Their newest production, a Vaudeville style show, pre-mieres at the Peacock Theatre, London, from the 14 until 31October. Accompanied by a live soundtrack from the rockband Irya’s Playground, “Inside Out” has already proven to bea huge hit around the world, combining spectacular acrobat-ics and storytelling with extraordinary projected film footage.

Cirkus Cirkör began as an independent contemporary cir-cus group in Stockholm in 1995, under the direction of TildeBjörfors, Sweden’s first professor in Contemporary Circus atTheUniversity College ofDance.Björfors established thegroupafter being captivated by the art formwhilst living inParis. Overthe years, CirkusCirkör have produced over thirty shows, eachwith their own unique expression created by the different di-rectors, artists, and performers engaged in the productions.

Since its inception, the group has continued to expand,performing in Poland, Russia, Iceland, China, Japan andbeyond, and has established itself as a company dedicatedto developing contemporary circus as an art form. Thegroup of eight performers prides itself on its unique out-spokenness, humour, anarchy and warmth.

For more info:www.cirkor.se and www.sadlerswells.com

Cirkus Cirkör

The Swedish circus group Cirkus Cirkör

93 Golborne RoadLondonW10 5NL020 8964 3004

2-4 Lambton PlaceWestbourne GroveLondon W11 2SH020 7229 1671

www.kellskotthaircare.com

This month, each Scandinavian territoryputs forward its own Chanteuse, in aproud display of what each country iscapable of producing at the moment!

Norwegian songstress Annie is finally re-leasing her second album “Don’t Stop”.After constantly being delayed by her oldrecord label and altered by Annie herself,the final version is ready and will be re-leased in the UK on 19 October. It’s adreamy opus of melody-riddled electron-ica married to Annie’s remarkable vocals,which are interchangeable between sexyand vulnerable.

Finnish pop princess returns

Over in Finland, their reigning popprincess is back to launch the first singlefrom her third album (following on fromtwo number 1 albums!).

“Music Everywhere” sees Anna Abreuadopting what’s become THE sound ofAutumn 2009 around the world – dancemusic merged with r&b. It’s a fast paced,often frantic pop gem, that pays audiohomage to Lady Gaga. Incidentally, one ofAnna’s earlier singles, “Vinegar”, has justbeen given a UK deal and will be Anna’sfirst release here later this year.

New tracks from Sweden and Iceland

Iceland’s Hera Bjork has released aninteresting new track over there. “MyHeart” sounds like schlager music for theclubland generation, and it works reallywell. Hera sang backing vocals earlierthis year for Iceland’s successfulEurovision entry, which came second. Shealso participated as a solo artist in the2009 Danish pre-selections, againfinishing second!

Finally we headto Sweden, wherethey’ve just hadan exceptionallygood record oc-cupy the number1 position on theiralbum chart.

“Moving On” by Sarah Dawn Finer is adown tempo soul album with its rootsfirmly planted in pop! Full of sweet tunesall sung by the large voiced diva-in-the-making, Sarah.

All perfect soundtrack fodder for Winter!

[email protected]

Scan Magazine | Music

Scandinavian Music By Karl Batterbee

Let Stena Line help you take the strain out of driving to Scandinavia. With a choice of short routes with frequent crossings and longer routes withovernight journeys we can help to make your journey more relaxing and convenient

Onboard our ships you will find a range of facilities all designed to make yourcrossing as comfortable as possible. Remember to book early for our best fares.

Welcome onboard!

www.stenaline.co.uk or call 08705 70 70 70


ADVERTISE HERE! Call 0870 933 0423 or email [email protected] Scan Magazine | Classifieds

DR EBBA NIELSENMB BS DRCOG DFFP (Cert)

Private Danish GPwith special interest in

Women’s wellbeing & children

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Next to the Danish Embassy51 Sloane StreetKnightsbridge

London SW1X 9SWTel 020 7201 2690Fax 020 7259 5409

email: [email protected] Amanda Muller [email protected]

D

Karen Seyersted Sandbu

HomeopathyNatural medicine for common ailments,wellbeing and prevention of illness

Practice in WimbledonHomecalls in SW London and Surrey

Contact:[email protected]

Tel. 07957 636 730

Psychotherapy

Consults inSwedish and English

162-168 Regent StreetLondon W1B 5TG

07772 679 [email protected]

www.attachmentpsychotherapy.co.uk

SSuussaannnnee LLeevviinn MMBBAACCPP

One-stop Nordicjournalists/translators:• translations• editing• special reports• writing press releases, article

summaries etc.

Your professional partner

[email protected]

+44 (0)1443 672216

Nordic International Ltd

N

Scandinavian Babysittingin London

Are you looking for ahappy, friendly and experienced

Scandinavian babysitter?

For inquires and referencesplease contact us directly

Danish babysitter:07951 762101

Finnish babysitter:07947 230767

New build and pre-ownedproperties in Costa Blanca for sale

Right now we need pre-ownedproperties for sale

Jørn Erik SchmidtTlf. +34 660 45 98 89

[email protected]

Dental Practice52 Harley StreetLondon W1G 9PYm: 07759 226 962e: [email protected] 1987

For appointmentsplease call

020 7637 1339

GUNILLA ASSMUNDSONTANDLÄKARE

2

www.moccis.co.uk

2


Scan Magazine | Culture Calendar

OCTOBER

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Phil-harmonia Orchestra (7–8 Oct)This Gala Concert celebrates the reopen-ing of Butterworth Hall at the WarwickArts Centre in Coventry. The PhilharmoniaOrchestra is conducted by the prominentFinnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen,currently Principal Conductor and ArtisticAdvisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra inLondon and Conductor Laureate of theLos Angeles Philharmonic.7 October: Warwick Arts Centre,University of Warwick, Coventry C4T: 02476 524 5248 October: Southbank Centre, London SE1T 0800 652 6717For more info visit:www.esapekkasalonen.com

Hannu Lintu conducts the Royal Liver-pool Philharmonic Orchestra (8 Oct)One of Finland’s greatest living composersHannu Lintu conducts the Royal LiverpoolPhilharmonic Orchestra.Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street,Liverpool T 0151 709 3789For more info visit: www.hannulintu.fi

Elina Brotherus ( 9 Oct–14 Nov)The Wapping Project launches with theinternationally acclaimed Finnish photog-rapher and film maker, Elina Brotherus.Opening hours: Monday by appointmentTuesday to Saturday 11.00–18.00Until 14 November. The Wapping ProjectBankside, 65a Hopton Street London SE1T 020 7981 9851

Book sale (10 Oct)The largest Finnish-British organisation,Finn Guild offers language studies, infor-mation days, supports Finnish Schools,runs a video and DVD library and pub-lishes the Horisontti magazine. Thesecond-hand book sale is between 11amuntil 5pm on 10 October.

Finn Guild, 1A Mornington Court, LowerGround,MorningtonCrescent, LondonNW1For more info visit: www.finn-guild.org

Amorphis (10 Oct)Progressive heavy metal band with lyricsperform in London.The Underworld, 174 Camden High Street,London NW1 For tickets 020 7482 1932For more info visit www.amorphis.net

Champagne reception at the Danish Club(12 Oct)Annual Members Art Exhibition & Dinner.Champagne reception, 3 course dinnerand wine with the meal. Please note thedeadline for booking this event is Friday, 9October.Price: £60; Time: 7.00pm; Where: Exhibi-tion in the Garden Room and Study, Din-ner in the Dining Room; Dress Code:Lounge suit.

Kings of Convenience + Support (14 Oct)Norwegian indie folk-pop duo in one oftheir biggest London shows to date. Er-lend Øye and Eirik Glambæk Bøe spe-cialise delicate acoustic arrangements;their debut album “Quiet Is The NewLoud” (2001) attracted a dedicated audi-ence and was almost a manifesto for anew era of song writing. They will play atthe Barbican Hall.Tickets: £15 / 20 / 25 for more info visit:www.barbican.org.uk

Frieze: Superflex (12–15 Oct)Frieze Film 2009 presents a newly com-missioned project in four parts by Danishartist/activists Superflex. Taking their in-

spiration from a passage in Lars VonTrier’s film “Epidemic”, Superflex’s newfilms will show prominent figures fromthe world of art and finance, as they sub-ject them to hypnosis. Frieze Film will beshown on Channel 4’s innovative 3 MinuteWonder slot during the week of Frieze ArtFair from Monday 12 to Thursday 15 Oc-tober, at 7.55pm.

Leif Segerstam conducts the Philharmo-nia Orchestra (15 Oct)Finnish conductor and composer LeifSegerstam studied violin, piano and con-ducting at the Sibelius Academy inHelsinki as well as conducting at the Juil-liard School in New York with Jean Morel.Segerstam was chief conductor of theHelsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from1995 to 2007, and now holds the title ofChief Conductor Emeritus with the or-chestra. As a composer, he is known es-pecially for his numerous symphonies.Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, LondonSE1

European Union Baroque Orchestra(16 Oct)EUBO consists of three Finnish musiciansamong other Europeans; Irma Niskanen(violin), Louna Hosia (cello) and MatiasHäkkinen (hapsicord).The Bridgewater Hall, Lower MosleyStreet, Manchester T 0161 907 9000

Frieze Art Fair (15-18 Oct)Frieze Art Fair features over 150 of themost exciting contemporary art galleriesin the world. The fair also includes spe-cially commissioned artists’ projects, aprestigious talks programme and anartist-led education schedule. Danish Gal-leries participating in this year’s FriezeArt Fair are Andersen's Contemporary,Stand D14 www.andersen-s.dk and GalleriNicolai WallnerStand A1 www.nicolaiwallner.com formore info visit: www.friezeartfair.com

Scandinavian Culture Calendar– Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!

Heikki Silvennoinen is Finland’s answer to Eric Clapton. Asa teenager he instantly fell in love with the great Britishblues-rock guitarist and is now playing in London with hisown music.

“He was an eye opener to me in many ways, to me he hadthe whole package,” says Heikki.

We’re at the 93 Feet East Club on Brick Lane in East Lon-don. Heikki Silvennoinen and his band are about to check thesound. “It’s refreshing to be playing in a new country, new cityand venue; I think I’ve played in every single club in Finland bynow,” he remarks grinning.

From rock to blues

Heikki goes on to tell me about his first rock band called Tab-ula Rasa. The group became one of the most important1970’s progressive rock bands in Finland, but Heikki’s hearthas always been rooted in blues. “There is something veryemotional about blues: as well as the simplicity, there is alsoa lot of humour and irony, blues musicians must be able tolaugh at themselves. I suppose you could call a blues artista type of clown, I think it kind of suits my personality, even ifit’s not an easy thing to be one.”

Comedy, music and money

Heikki is also a comedian and in the early 1990’s had a ma-jor breakthrough as a member of a comedy group calledKummeli which became a much loved television show andwas compared to Monthy Python. They are still going strongand released their latest movie in 2008; we are told there aremore to come.

“Finnish humour is different from the British style, thereis more of a hidden sense of humour, we laugh at situa-tions, and there are not necessarily many words involved.”

The plan for the near future is to continue touring – evenNashville is on his list ofdestinations. “It’s ahard in-dustry,” he explains, butHeikki is not in it for themoney.

“I would play musicwithout making any pen-nies. I would play live justbecause I love the satis-faction it gives you bring-ing happiness to people,if I’ve managed to makepeople forget their trou-bles for an hour or two Ifeel like I’ve achievedsomething good in life.”

Finnish Blues Man In Town

Heikki Silvennoinen


Scan Magazine | Culture Calendar

Thomas Dybdahl (15-22 Oct)One of Norway’s most talented and popu-lar singer/songwriters, Thomas Dybdahl,this autumn tours the UK with his newself-titled album entitled “Thomas Dyb-dahl”.Thursday 15 October, 8pm, Shepherd’sBush Empire, London W12 8TT.Tickets: 020 8354 3300Friday 16 October, 8pm The Freebutt,Brighton BN2 2NDThursday 22 October, 7.30pm,Music Room at the Hare and Hounds,Birmingham, B14 7JZTickets: 0121 476 3322 [email protected]

Danish Film Institute proudly presents:Film at the BFI 53rd London Film Festival(15-24 Oct)Applause by Martin Zandvliet KoncernFilm & TV production 85 min15 October, 4.15pm and 9 pm 21:00/ NFT,BFI SouthbankHeadhunter by Rumle Hammerich,Nordisk Film Productions NORDISK FILM16 October, 1.45pm and 18 October, 9pmat the ICA, LondonMax Embarrasing by Lotte Svendsen.Asta Film17 October, 2pm at NFT, BFI SouthbankMirror by Joachim Ladefoged, BastardFilm19 October, 8.45pm and the 21st of Octo-ber at 2pm at NFT, BFI Southbank

Valhalla Rising by Nicoloas Winding Refn,One Eye Production22 October, 9pm and 23 October, 4pm and9.15 pm at Vue Cinemas, West End24 October, 9pm at the Ritzy Cinema,Brixton.For more info visit: www.bfi.org.uk/lff

Magne Furuholmen (16 Oct–21 Nov)Magne Furuholmen, one of the famousNorwegian pop group A-ha, will exhibit aportfolio of prints of the entire alphabet.Magne Furuholmen, songwriter and pi-anist/keyboardist has maintained a paral-lel career as a visual artist. The new exhi-bition, “alpha beta”, will be his third soloexhibition at the Paul Stolper Gallery. Theportfolio on display consists of 30 works,in drypoint and monotype.Paul Stolper Gallery, 31 Museum Street,London WC1A 1LH, 16 October – 21 No-vemberOpening times: Wed – Sat 10am – 6pmFor more information visit:www.paulstolper.com andwww.magne-f.net

Topi Lehtipuu (17 Oct)Topi Lehtipuu is a Finnish opera singerand tenor. Australian born and raised inTampere, Lehtipuu studied at the SibeliusAcademy and has quickly risen to inter-national acclaim in the world of baroquemusic.This concert is dedicated to the twentiethanniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, LondonSE1 T 0207 450 2000

Tarja Turunen (19 Oct)A bright star in the Finnish rock scene, thesoprano singer Tarja Turunen has in ashort time become one of the most well-known Finnish faces in the world ofmusic.O2 Academy Islington, 16 Parkfield Street,London, N1 0PS For tickets: 08444 772000For more info www.tarjaturunen.com

European Union Baroque Orchestra(16 Oct)EUBO consists of three Finnish musiciansamong other Europeans;Irma Niskanen (violin), Louna Hosia (cello)and Matias Häkkinen (hapsicord).The Bridgewater Hall, Lower MosleyStreet, Manchester T 0161 907 9000

Jazz evening at the Danish Club (28 Oct)Jazz evening with Angus MurrayPrice: £35 (3 course a la carte menu);Time:7pm. Please book with Anna 0207408 2092 or [email protected] orcall 07545 11 9339

Beer tasting at the Danish Club (22 Oct)Guest speaker: Nils Ørum-Nielsen, direc-tor of Rise Bryggeri.Price: Free event but booking is essential,contact Lizette, [email protected] call 07545 11 9339. Time: 6.30 – 9pm

Scan Magazine | Subscribe

Subscribe to Scan MagazineIf you would like to receive Scan Magazine in the post,you can subscribe at www.scanmagazine.co.uk or fill inthe form below.

The price for 12 issues is £30 + 15% VAT. Total £34.50(Outside UK £60 + 15%VAT. Total £69)

Name:

Address:

Postcode Country

Phone Email

Occupation Nationality Age (optional)

Tick here if you do not wish to receive the monthly Scan Magazine email newsletter.

Return with payment by cheque to: Scan Magazine, 53A Clapham High Street, London SW4 7TG

THE WORK LAMP PRESENTS ITSELF AS A READY-MADE ITEM WITH ADDED CHARACTER AND IMPROVED APPEARANCE.

“THE TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION LAMP WAS ALREADY THERE: YOU CAN DROP IT, TREAT IT ROUGHLY, IT’S AN EVERYDAY DO-IT-ALL OBJECT.

WE JUST HAD TO REFINE IT! ” SAYS JONAS PETTERSSON, JOHN LÖFGREN, AND PETRUS PALMÉR WHO TOGETHER

CONSTITUTE THE ACCLAIMED YOUNG DESIGN TRIO FORM US WITH LOVE.

THE WORK LAMP IS AVAILABLE IN CHROME AND 24K GOLD.

WWW.DESIGNHOUSESTOCKHOLM.COM

Scan Magazine | Issue 12 | October 2009

Documents

Transcript of Scan Magazine | Issue 12 | October 2009