Scan Magazine | Issue 6 | March 2009

MARCH 2009 ISSUE 6 PROMOTING BRAND SCANDINAVIA

JOJO&MALOU | LONDON FASHION WEEK WHAT’S THE BIG IKEA? | CRUISING WITH FRED. OLSEN MAERSK – THE SECRETS OF GLOBAL SUCCESS

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Scan Magazine | Contents

Contents COVER FEATURE

14

10 Jojo & Malou | Under the Magnifying Glass

DESIGN

10

14 18 22 25

What’s the Big IKEA? | Barbara Chandler Plots the Rise of the IKEA Design Norwegian Opera House & Ballet | Enters the World Stage London Fashion Week | Catch the Scandinavian Design Stars of the Future We Love This | From London Fashion Week

SCAN TRAVEL 28 Fred. Olsen Cruises | A Norwegian at the Tiller, but British at Heart 32 Scandinavian Village | The Gateway to the Scottish Highlands

COLUMN 36 Is it Just Me | Mette Lisby on Expert Opinions

SCAN FOOD 37 Bronte’s Scandinavian Easter | Teaser letters, Witches and Finnish Mämmi

14

FEATURE 40 Schools | International or Scandinavian, Day or Boarding... the Choice is Yours

SCAN BUSINESS BUSINESS FEATURES 46 Maersk | The Secrets of Global Success 50 The Møller Centre | Training in Cambridge to a Danish Design

REGULARS 54 Hotel of the Month | Knightsbridge Green Hotel 56 How Was Your Day | The Answer is Never that Straightforward

22 28

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE 58 Chamber News | Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Danish Chambers of Commerce for the UK

SCAN NEWS 62 Scandinavian Newsflash

CULTURE 65 Culture Calendar | Your Scandinavian Culture Events

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 3

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, By picking up this magazine you asked for a Scandinavian injection. So here it is! This month we speak to some extremely cool Swedish girls (JoJo&Malou, cover feature), the Directors from the Danish multinational Maersk, the design team behind the Norwegian Opera and the designers who came up with the new PS collection at IKEA. We also visit a Scandinavian village in Scotland and we take a luxury cruise with Norwegian cruise line Fred. Olsen – it is important that you relax, put your feet up and enjoy your time in our company.

Elsewhere in this issue we visit London Fashion week (page 22). We sent our dedicated Scan Magazine expedition, composed of Danish Marketing Manager (Helene), Swedish journalist (Emelie) and our Greek photographer (Yiannis). For three days, they ran around tirelessly from catwalk show to catwalk show looking for good stories.

Whilst they kept us updated at the editorial office, it was clear they were not only having a good time but finding lots of inspiration. And it is good to know that if you are looking to showcase groundbreaking Scandinavian entrepreneurship and innovation - then it won’t be difficult to find.

My assertion is: it is out there in abundance!

Welcome to the March issue of Scan Magazine.

Of particular interest to our expat readership, we look at some of the excellent international education options in the UK and Scandinavian countries (page 40). Having recently become a parent I sometimes wonder how the first 5 months passed so quickly. In the beginning, our baby could do nothing but lie down and look grumpy. Now he can sit up on his own and scream much louder than he was able to around his point of entry (or do you say exit?).

So fast do these things develop, I can already begin to imagine the day he starts school. That will be a big day.

Thomas Winther

Scan Magazine Issue 6 | March 2009

Copy-editor Mark Rogers

Sales and Marketing Helene Oxfeldt Lauridsen

Published 10.03.2009 ISSN 1757-9589

Advertising marketing@scanmagazine.co.uk

Design & Print Liquid Graphic Limited

Contributors Barbara Chandler Ian Welsh Signe Hansen Emelie Krugly Bronte Blomhoj Linnéa Mitchell Mette Lisby

Editor Thomas Winther

Photos Yiannis Katsaris

Art Direction Mads E. Petersen

Cover Photo Eva Edsjö

Published by Scan Magazine Limited

To receive our newsletter send an email to news@scanmagazine.co.uk To Subscribe send an email to subscription@scanmagazine.co.uk Next issue 6 April 2009

4 | Issue 6 | March 2009

SCAN M A G A Z I N E

Scan Magazine Limited 53A Clapham High Street London SW4 7TG Phone 0870 933 0423 info@scanmagazine.co.uk www.scanmagazine.co.uk All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd.

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Scan Magazine | Contributors

Contributors Barbara Chandler is the design writer for Homes & Property, the weekly Wednesday supplement of the London Evening Standard. She has worked as a specialist writer on interiors and decoration for over 30 years, contributing to many leading UK and European publications. Books she has written include The Home Design Source Book, and Where to Get the Look. She is Journalist of the Year 2007 (as awarded by the National Home Improvement Council).

Ian Welsh is a UK-based independent writer and editor with nearly 15 years experience in business publishing.

With a background in corporate communications, Ian now specialises in corporate responsibility and supply chain issues.

Signe Hansen has just finished her MA in Journalism and is now working as a freelance reporter in London. Having previously worked with television, radio, web and local news, the good story is always her priority.

Emelie Krugly is responsible for Scan Magazine's news section and can be contacted any time regarding an event or story.

Emelie, a native Swede has been based in London for 3 years. Early on in her career she worked on a number of Sweden's newspapers including Sydsvenskan, Smalandsposten and Norra Skane. After then travelling extensively she settled with her English partner in her favourite city, became a mother and now returns to her passion, writing and journalism.

6 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Bronte Blomhoj runs Scandi Kitchen in London, a Scandinavian deli/cafe. Bronte studied in Edinburgh and has a background in investment banking and entrepreneurial start-ups and has worked across most of Europe. Bronte has been London-based for the past 7 years where she lives with her Swedish partner Jonas and their “mini-me”, 1 year old Astrid. Bronte is really bad at dancing, but very good at making layer cake.

Linnéa Mitchell is a Swedish freelance journalist, who came to London in 2003 as a TV voiceover. Still here, with a fresh journalism degree under her belt, she writes for both Swedish and English magazines and is responsible for Scan Magazine’s architecture column.

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian. She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns in Scan Magazine. Since her stand-up debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish versions of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”.

Mette currently lives in London.

Thomas Winther – Editor. Originally from Denmark, Thomas has a background in Economic consultancy and holds a BA and a Master in Economics. Prior to becoming the Editor of Scan Magazine he worked in the City of London. He is now on a personal mission to take Brand Scandinavia to the next level. Thomas lives in Blackheath, London with his much better half and 4 month old son. Email: thomas@scanmagazine.co.uk

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Scan Magazine | Letters of The Month

Dear Scan Magazine... Letters of the Month We receive many lovely letters from our readers. As we’re fond of saying, your feedback helps to make all of the time and effort worth while. We’ve decided to select a few Letters of the Month - letters that for whatever reason, tickled our fancy.

Hi Thomas, I became aware of your publication through NORA, which is a network of Norwegian woman in the UK. For the third year running I am organising a Norwegian Spring Ball to raise funds for cancer research.

Dear Scan Magazine, I have just read Issue 5 which I picked up at the Scandinavian Kitchen in Great Titchfield Street, London. The articles are of wide-ranging interest and a number of your advertisers have alerted me to services which I was not aware of including Cimber Sterling which I shall use for my next visit to family in Denmark.

I am closely involved with the Hertfordshire AngloScandinavian Society based in St Albans and one of our aims indeed is also to promote interest in all matters Scandinavian. I would propose making each edition of the magazine available to members at our meetings, for them to enjoy and pass on to others.

My father lost his battle against lymph cancer nearly three years ago, which is what prompted me to organise the Norwegian Spring Ball. He would have loved the idea of dancing the night away at London’s finest hotels while supporting a good cause. The previous two years we raised £28,000 through the events. This year the Ball will take place at the ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental.

I am hoping this event will be of interest to your readers.

Kind regards, Siri

Many thanks and keep up the good work.

Dear Siri, Regards, John Carl Martin Herts Anglo-Scandinavian Society

We admire what you are doing and of course this is relevant to our readers. Please see the article and more details with regard to the event on page 63 Kind regards,

Dear John,

Thomas

Thanks for this excellent feedback. You can count on receiving 10 issues every month.

Kind Regards, Thomas

8 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Letters may be edited. Letters are only published with the consent of the sender.

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Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Jojo & Malou

10 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Jojo & Malou

Under the magnifying glass: Jojo & Malou

By Linnéa Mitchell | Photos: Eva Edsjö

Jojo Ericson and Malou Palmqvist are best friends as well as a Swedish fashion design duo based in London.

With their eighth collection in the pipeline, they talk to Linnéa Mitchell about finding inspiration, creativity, and crazy spies.

On first impression it is easy to think that Jojo and Malou have known each other since childhood, as they almost read each other’s minds. But it was not always so. When they met eight years ago at an arts foundation course in Kent they were like chalk and cheese. “We didn’t get along at all at the start,” says Malou and laughs. But half way into the course they ended up in the same class, unable to avoid each other anymore, and soon they became inseparable. “That’s when we decided to set up our own brand one day,” says Jojo. They then went separate ways to finish Art College. After working with other designers such as Katie Hillier, Markus Lupfer, Cacharel, Peter Jensen and Ann-Sofie Back, they reunited and set up Jojo&Malou in 2005 and soon won the Fashion Fringe competition, which marked the start of an amazing journey.

Four years later and soon with eight collections behind them, they have twice been awarded New Generation sponsorship to participate in London Fashion Week, created an exclusive line for Top Shop, represented the UK

for the British Council in Lithuania as well as won the ELLE prize for newcomer of the year in Sweden in 2008, and their clothes are sold in shops across the UK, France, Japan and Sweden. Quite impressive for two 27-year-olds.

It takes lots of cups of coffee to get through the long days, many of them from the east London café where we meet, around the corner from their studio. This vibrant area is where they spend most of their time between the studio, markets and their flats.

Their designs could be described as rather ‘unScandinavian’ with strong colours, punchy patterns and adventurous accessories, packed with joy and a pinch of humour. A bit like themselves. “We want to dress the young confident woman with a strong personality,” they say. This certainly fits in with their current Spring/ Summer09 collection “Private Eyes”. But more on that later.

Both born into creative families in western Sweden, they always knew they would go down the same path, but neither of them knew it was going to be clothes design until later. “I just wanted to get away,” says Jojo and shrugs. “I found the course online, applied and got in.” For Malou it was not much of a choice. “I had big dreams of going to Italy and learn Italian, but my mother had other plans. I was more or less thrown into it,” she laughs. None

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 11

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Jojo & Malou

of them spent hours at home with the sewing machine back then, but the interest in style and experimenting with clothes was always there.

Inspiration Glancing back at the duo’s previous collections including “Funfair Freaks”, “Rock n’ Roll in the Woods”, “Lipstick” and “Pippi”, you cannot help wondering where the ideas come from. “We get inspired by anything: books, films, or just an interesting person we’ve seen in public,” they explain. “One of us comes up with an idea and we start talking. There is a link through all our collections, and there is always a piece of ourselves in whatever we do. The Autumn/Winter07 collection ‘Too cool to be a widow’ was our version of a broken heart and death. Things are not always cheerful and sweet.”

Their current Spring/Summer09 collection “Private Eyes”, however, is a fun and attractive mix of colours, dots, and interesting details such as versatile capes, magnifying glasses and staring eyes. “It’s a detective theme and it originates in our previous collection ‘Lipstick’, which was about obsession, mostly in the form of fans’ obsession

12 | Issue 6 | March 2009

with celebrities,” they both explain without interrupting each other. “The idea then expanded and we started reading crime novels and lots of The Pink Panther, Paul Auster and a little bit of Sherlock Holmes,” Malou continues. The staring eyes come from a different story, a rather scary one. “A friend of mine was stalked by a stranger. One evening in her flat she discovered two holes drilled through the wooden window shutters and two eyes were staring at her,” says Jojo. “Jojo keeps her curtains shut nowadays,” Malou smiles. “We think there is a little spy hiding in all of us.”

Good times, bad times With such a large spectrum of ideas it is not strange that the young fashion duo feels at home in the world’s fashion centre, London. But it is also here that the current financial crisis is most apparent, even in the world of fashion. “Of course it’s tough sometimes. It’s harder to get shops to buy new brands as they tend to stick to the familiar in times like these,” says Malou. “But you can’t give up,” says Jojo. “I think it is good that people become a bit more creative and careful actually,” she says and makes a point about reckless shopping and child workers.

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Jojo & Malou

As two naturally optimistic personalities they find it hard to point out anything bad that has happened in their career. They tend to focus on the good things. And there have been many. “Best thing so far was probably the ELLE prize,” says Jojo. “It’s also great when we spot our clothes on other people on TV or in magazines, for example Sophie Ellis Bextor and more recently Lauren Laverne,” says Malou.

Looking forward With plenty in the pipeline professionally and both being in relationships, life seems pretty settled here in London. Yet something changes in their eyes when I mention home.

“We always miss Sweden,” says Malou. “Thinking about my niece growing up without me really hurts inside. But you have to be where you are happiest. One day I think it will be Sweden, but not now. But then… we always say that,” she says and glances at her design partner. “We both have English boyfriends so it would mean a change for so many people if we were to move,” says Jojo.

Sweden or not, with a never-ending flow of ideas there will no doubt always be things happening around these two.

At the moment they are marketing their Autumn/Winter09 collection “Heartbreak Handshake”. “Expect lots of gold, bracelets, glamour and exotic fruit,” says Malou with excitement. The source of inspiration? Early 20th century women such as the heiress and political activist Nancy Cunard, as well as actress and entertainer Josephine Baker. They have also designed shoes for Swedish brand Gram, available in a limited edition in April. But already in March you can find a special collection based on the detective theme on Asos.com.

Clearly they do not rest very much. “It doesn’t feel like we’re working hard because we love what we do,” says Jojo. “I often think about what I would do if I didn’t do this... probably live in the countryside with lots of cows, but I would always do something creative.” The same goes for Malou: “Maybe move to a warm country and design bikinis! We made some for the last collection and we’d love to do more of that. It’s really cool.”

With their talent, healthy attitude and energy put together it is hard to imagine anything holding them back. They also know how to run a business. Watch this space.

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 13

What’s the big IKEA? – Barbara Chandler plots the rise of the IKEA design

By Barbara Chandler | Photos: IKEA

In 2009, the true IKEA afficionado – and there are many – shops at blue-and-yellow not so much on price as on design (with instant access/convenience a powerful bonus). After all, however cheap something is, you don't want it in your home unless it fits in. Not that the price doesn't help, of course.

But ‘twas not ever thus. When the first IKEA store opened in London some 20 years ago, it was an immediate talking point. Most of the rest of Europe had already got their IKEAs. Indeed, tourists had come across the stores as far afield as Canada, Australia and even the USA. Now – at last – London had got its own (the concept had already been trialled in the North of England).

14 | Issue 6 | March 2009

The news spread around the capital that there was this huge building on the North Circular selling mainly flatpacked furniture that came from Sweden and was very cheap. I just had to see it, and thus was one of the first through the doors. And yes the prices were low, and most of the furniture was sold in flat boxes. But for a design writer there was a pleasant surprise: the furniture looked good too. Plain and unadorned, in natural woods and/or straightforward colours. What was not to like?

Years passed since that first visit and, as a regular visitor, I noticed a subtle change in the design agenda. There were more and more products that seduced you into buying them because they were so clever, and so beguiling. You

Scan Magazine | Design | What’s the big IKEA?

From left to right: The curvy red clock (2001), the Gullholmen rocking chair (2006) and the designers from Front.

fell in love with them. "I need that" morphed into "I want that." With "I can afford that" taken as read.

These aesthetic advances were gradual, but a major milestone along the way was the arrival in 1995 of the first PS collection. PS, incidentally, stands for "post scriptum" – those handy initials, taken from the Latin, that show a writer has something to add. And, indeed, PS added stronger, more original design to IKEA's basic ranges.

More collections followed in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2006.

Indeed some of the ideas have been particularly successful and have stayed on the shop floor since their launch – such as the simple curvy red clock (from the first collection) and the Gullholmen rocking chair from 2006.

It is a fundamental principle of good design that it should be as long-lasting as possible, both in the manufacturer's range and in the home.

And now it's time for a new PS, a collection and it truly put a marker on the major design themes of 2009. Already design junkies are getting down there quick to snap up the most original items. Because IKEA zoomed in on the zeitgeist, and signed up some of the most fashionable and newsworthy talent on the international design circuit.

and since then have consistently challenged conventional ideas on design. Hitting the British headlines last year was their "hand-drawn" chair at the Brit Insurance Design Award, held in our own Design Museum. Using amazing software, the girls literally took "drawings" traced invisibly in the air, and, with the aid of some pretty nifty computer technology and magic modern materials, turned them into a solid piece of furniture. At a price.

Work like this is indeed highly collectible, though inevitably expensive and already being sold at auction. But now everyone can have their own piece up Front. I love their Selma easy chair with a seat/back of four layers that literally turn over like a book, revealing printed patterns poetically based on old Swedish fabrics and paintings.

"This is a reading chair that you can really read," say the designers. At £249 it is not, perhaps, cheap, but it is as much art as furniture. Front have also designed a quirky lamp in pristine white with a bendy frame that "collapses" into crazy asymmetric shapes – very amusing, and bang on trend.

A table version is £85, with a floor lamp at £109.

Up front and personal Take Front, for example. This is a group of four young Swedish women who met whilst studying industrial design at the University College of Arts, Craft and Design in Stockholm. They formed their design "collective" in 2003,

SELMA easy chair.

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 15

Scan Magazine | Design | What’s the big IKEA?

Hella Jongerius in India, demonstrating the embroidery of the wall hangings.

Hella Jongerius from Holland is another famous designer brought on board by IKEA – they've actually been working together since 2005. But this time, the project was very ambitious. Hella, whose work is already in the permanent collections of several big design museums worldwide, went to India to build on a partnership IKEA had already set up with UNICEF. This harnesses the sewing skills of women in around 500 village workshops, and helps them send their children to school.

Hella's new design combines industrial production with hand-quilting and embroidery. Charming wall hangings are first cut and stitched in a factory, and then come to the women to be embellished by hand, with each worker signing their pieces individually. The animal head shapes – a fox, a rabbit and a goat – were inspired, says Hella, by Swedish fairy tales. Again, ones for the collection, at £49.90 each.

This inspiring design story is just part of an extensive and innovatory programme by IKEA to bring profitable employment to poorer parts of the world – at a fair price for labour and in good working conditions. Thus, on another project, a designer from IKEA spent several months in Vietnam developing a new way of pressing and

16 | Issue 6 | March 2009

gluing bamboo into sheets than can be shaped in a mould.

The result is the new IKEA Skal dish, a generously-sized platter, which costs £25.

Wood be good Indeed innovation is a thread running right the way through the new IKEA PS range. One fabric is stitched onto a base of compressed fibres – a "non-woven" fabric.

Then the base is literally washed away leaving a delicate design of fine threads like an ethereal spider's web, but with an abstract, random quality. It could be straight from the portfolio of one of the most famous fabric houses, at over £100 a metre, but at IKEA it is on sale as a curtain panel for £25. Other fabrics update fashionable batik for a cotton voile, or print seemingly random dots onto natural linen.

Conservation is an ethical issue that constantly preoccupies IKEA designers and management. Wood, of course, is a core material for them – "we've got sawdust running in our veins." The company explains carefully how wood is the best material not only IN the world but FOR the world, as it absorbs harmful carbon emissions and gives off oxygen. Wood is biodegradable, recyclable, renewable, and packs flat. However IKEA have stringent

Scan Magazine | Design | What’s the big IKEA?

policies that guarantee their wood is correctly certified (by for example the FSC), with supplies that do not deplete vulnerable natural woodlands or forest. And they are always looking for ways to cut back materials to make furniture leaner, greener and of course cheaper.

So hats off to the new Bruse coffee table which has what looks like a solid chunky top, but is actually hollow – such a clever idea. Using recycled or waste materials is another strong green strategy – the supports for this table are made from recycled aluminium, and an attractive rug in the range is stitched together from textile offcuts.

With pushing 50 products in the new PS collection, there is not room to catalogue them all. There are the lovely throws, blankets, cookware, china and glass that mix old craft techniques with advanced modern production methods. There are the forms inspired by tradition and nature contrasting with sleek modern lines. And there are the stunning lamps that, when lit, cast magical patterns on the wall. And the bright blue storage boxes, blocks that stack into towers like modern art. And the sensational three-section screen woven from different shades of wood strips to evoke standing trees. And more. Prices start from a friendly £6.99 for a plate, mug and bowl in smart feldspar porcelain in shiny black or white. Oh, and a new outsize version of that best-selling clock stands extra tall at 198 centimetres, with a case open at the front to display family treasure. It’s these kinds of touches that you just have to go and explore for yourself. You will find the PS 2009 collection conveniently grouped together in one place on the shop floor.

PS (from me this time). Design isn't the only thing that has improved at IKEA since they first opened in London in 1988. We Londoners really appreciated the massive revamp a couple of years back, when our old Brent Park store was transformed into Wembley (same site, new name) – it cost £25 million, apparently. Managers had listened carefully to customer complaints, largely generated by the store's phenomenal growth in popularity.

Accordingly, car park spaces and checkouts were doubled, removing major sources of frustration, and all kinds of friendly facilities were added to the store, such as new stairs, lifts, children's play areas, and a café with an incredible 600 spaces... and comfy sofas where you can sit and talk through ideas and use your laptop. Displays and

SKAL dish, £25

BRUSE coffee table, £120

BRYGGA red £249 SVARVA floor lamp £109

routes through the store were much improved. We also liked the new store at Edmonton, at that time the largest in England with a floor area of 28,500 square metres. We like the new down-loadable room planning tools, and have happily embraced the web shopping.

IKEA Wembley is at 255 North Circular Road, NW1 (0845 355 1141); IKEA Edmonton is at Glover Drive, N18 (0845 355 2255); IKEA Croydon is at, Valley Park, Purley Way, Croydon (0845 355 1144) Or shop on line at www.ikea.co.uk

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 17

Photo: Christopher Hagelund-Birdseyepix

Scan Magazine | Design | Architecture

Norwegian Opera House & Ballet enters the world stage

By Linnéa Mitchell | Photos: Gerald Zugmann

The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo is the winner of the Best Architecture category in the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year Award this year. In the first instalment of Scan Magazine’s new architecture column, Linnéa Mitchell takes a closer look at Norway’s new masterpiece.

Norway’s new landmark building is the first step in a major transformation of the area, and already it is praised worldwide. Last year it won the Culture category of the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, and it is one of five finalists for the prestigious Mies Van der Rohe prize, to mention a few.

At first glance, the National Opera & Ballet looks like a huge iceberg, a luxury yacht, or perhaps something that has ascended from the depths of the Oslofjord by which it rests, on the Bjørvika peninsula. The massive white stone façade is laid out in different angles, gradually sloping down until it dives into the fjord. Quite striking for this area of Oslo - which was always the plan.

“We wanted it to be accessible to everyone,” says Simon Ewings who is the design team leader at Snøhetta, the architectural firm behind the 38,500sq.m building. “The Norwegian government had long planned to build something like this. But the idea of spending millions of taxpayer’s money didn’t match the national mentality of being careful with state funds. You have to remember

18 | Issue 6 | March 2009

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Scan Magazine | Design | Architecture

Views over the fjord from the west side

The wave wall

Norway was a poor country for a long time. Therefore we wanted to make a cultural space, not just for the opera elite.”

ownership, easy and open access for all; made of high quality Italian white marble, it even looks good in wet weather. On top of these three, of course, is the glass – which allows the fantastic interior to become the exterior at night. If you like the sound of this so far, imagine what the future might hold for Norwegian opera.

It worked. Since opening in April last year, visitors from all over the world as well as the locals can, apart from going to a concert, enjoy the views from the top of the main auditorium, sunbathe, or even ski if the weather allows. There are also several nice restaurants inside. The building can take 1,900 visitors, seating 1,369 in the main auditorium.

Three elements lie at the heart of Snøhetta’s winning concept. “The wave wall” inside, made of soft and flexible timber, symbolises a threshold where Norway meets the rest of the world, people meet art and land meets sea.

“The factory” represents the functional production facilities of the opera house, and is made of modern metal. Finally “The Carpet”, i.e. the outdoor surface, represents the core idea of the project: togetherness, joint

20 | Issue 6 | March 2009

The Opera House can be seen at the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year exhibition which runs from 12 Feb - 14 June 09. The overall winner is announced at the awards ceremony on 18 March at the Design Museum. www.designmuseum.org.

For more information also visit www.snohetta.com and www.oslooperahouse.com.

If you have any good tips and ideas about Scandinavian architecture, Linnéa is very happy to hear from you: linnea@scanmagazine.co.uk.

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Scan Magazine | Design | London Fashion Week

22 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Scan Magazine | Design | London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week – Catch the Scandinavian design stars of the future

By Emelie Krugly | Photos: Yannis Katsaris

London Fashion Week is known for cutting-edge fashion and for providing a platform for emerging designers to launch, grow and develop. From 20-25 February the showcase ran, unveiling what was to come this autumn/winter. Though Fashion Week was smaller this year, with one closed section within the exhibition, it certainly continued to host exciting talent and iconic designers and brands despite the current financial climate.

Scan Magazine was there to keep an eye on the Scandinavian designers. This season brought us Peter Jensen, Louise Amstrup, Karolina Kling, Aminaka Wilmont, Ann-Louise Roswald, Minna and Borba Margo – the representatives of the North.

Creating a stir was the 27-year old Swede Karolina Kling.

Since establishing her brand Klingbykling in 2006, the label has become internationally acclaimed for its distinct prints and playful designs. Over the last two years she has reached a growing audience with her four collections. This season’s inspiration behind her Autumn/Winter collection was a ‘magical circus of dreams’.

“The different characters in a circus and the life they live fascinate me,” Karolina explains. “I wanted to try and explain the different faces of their travelling lives as performers and show what’s behind the curtain, what’s happening when the show is over.”

It’s the second year Karolina Kling is showing with Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London’s leading catwalk event for emerging designers.

“To live and work in London is really like coming home, that is you will find people who embrace what’s different.

London Fashion Week means a lot to me and I’m hoping to build new and good relationships,” and adds: “Having a background in graphic design has made me more experimental and creative as I’ve never really allowed to see myself only as a fashion designer. I’m hoping to be able to work in a different way to other designers and maybe launch one collection per year instead of two, doing other projects on the side, like creating a wallpaper collection for example.”

Karolina Kling has a unique take on fashion, both highly personal and yet commercial. The concept for each collection always consists of several layers, the patterns are always beautiful, but with more than just what meets the eye. KLING by KLING is a world of dreams and the clothes exist to immerse the viewer in fantasies. Karolina has also created garment designs and graphics for other famous labels, such as H&M, Reebok and Nudie Jeans.

Other projects include designing conceptual engagement rings, shoes, bathroom collections, duvet covers and wallpapers.

Another popular Scandi designer is Danish designer Peter Jensen, considered as “always being ahead of the times”.

Jensen describes his design as wearable, naive and childish. This season his inspiration evolved from a trip to Greenland in November where he investigated a family connection, he explains how his aunt had owned a chip shop and taxi firm there for the last twenty five years. It was this journey and experience which inspired him to create his latest beautiful and ethereal collection.

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 23

Scan Magazine | Design | London Fashion Week

His fellow country designer, Louise Amstrup, showcased her third London Fashion Week appearance also at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. She produced a confident, modern and well-tailored collection with shift dresses and high waist skirts. Splashes of lemon yellow and burnt orange were juxtuposed against dark hues in black leather and heavy wool, creating an 80s look.

Native Dane, Marcus Wilmont and Swedish Maki Aminaka were also showing their Autumn/Winter collection “Time” and were seeking to awaken a sense of intimacy, memories and emotion in the observer. With fine detailing and luxurious fabrics, visually changing and colourful graphical prints, Aminaka Wilmont has grabbed the attention of international buyers with a luxury brand celebrating the mature woman with a lust for life.

At the exhibition we also met Swedish born, UK raised Ann Louise Roswald, currently celebrating a decade of producing her eponymous label. Originally known for bold, signature floral prints Roswald's design ethos encompasses all of the textiles used in her ready-to-wear collections that are sold in department stores and boutiques worldwide. This season it was Spanish temper that inspired her, aiming to evoke a Penelope Cruz look.

24 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Ethical designer, Finnish Minna Hepburn launched her label during Fashion Week in September 2008 and this year appeared again in the ethical section of the exhibition named “Estethicha” and appears to be going from strength to strength. Minna is collecting lace, brooches, buttons and other beautiful finds from strolling around local antique markets. Not really knowing what to do with them, she started making tops and dresses from Scottish lace, embellishing them with her beloved findings. The results: timeless pieces which remain stylish beyond seasonal trends. The Accessory brand, Borba Margo, a combination of Swedish/Polish Jessika Margo Göransson and Anderson Borba Da Silva, were also at the exhibition called ‘New Generation’; they unveiled a collection inspired by haute couture featuring satin detailing and flounce. Their design is sculptural, three-dimensional and has a luxury feel.

The next London Fashion Week in September 2009 will move to a new venue, Somerset House. This is a landmark achievement for the British Fashion Council in its 25th year and is the result of several years of searching for a more centrally located venue for the event.

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this... from London Fashion Week Scan Magazine has been to London Fashion Week... and we found these hot Scandinavian designs.

Swedish born Ann Louise Roswald is currently celebrating a decade of producing her eponymous label.

Originally known for bold, signature floral prints Roswald's design ethos encompasses all of the textiles used in her ready-to-wear collections.

The designs are sold worldwide. In London: Fenwick of Bond Street, A La Mode, Anna and Wild Swans, in Stockholm: Skindeep.

Prices range from £300 www.annlouiseroswald.com

Anderson Borba and Jessika Margo Goransson who is half Swedish, are the designers of these sexy, audacious and personal designs.

Ivory satin volant bag: Leather bag with attached satin frill.

Price:£390

Leather skirt belt: Leather strap with a 2 piece attached leather skirt.

Retail price: £260

Brown Leather Frill bumbag: This bag doubles up as bumbag/ handbag. Price £390.

Available at: Harvey Nichols London/Hong Kong, Boon The Shop /Korea, HP France /Tokyo, The Convenience store /London, Scanlan & Theodore /Australia. www.borbamargo.com

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 25

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

The Danish designer, Louise Amstrup, is the woman behind these fantastic outfits. She was one of the few Scandinavian designers at this year London Fashion Week.

Look 1: Jacket - £325, Trousers - £230, Top - £150, Belt - £95. Look 2: Top - £185, Skirt - £230 Look 3: Dress - £230, Jacket - £445. www.brittique.com as stockist, www.louise-amstrup.com

Minna, the Finnish designer, is well known for her love of lace, which she uses in almost every piece of design.

Anna top, organic silk crepe with cotton lace trimming £150 Sienna top made from Scottish lace with antique lace and buttons £138 in Ivory Hand dyed black and antique beige £145 These beautiful and girlie designs can be bought from www.minna.co.uk, A la Mode, www.fashionconscience.com

26 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

Karolina Kling, a Swedish designer has acclaimed international attention for her brand kling by kling.

Its distinct prints and playful designs have been described as Viktor & Rolf on acid.

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Scan Magazine | Travel | Fred. Olsen Cruises

The newly extended and refurbished Balmoral.

Fred. Olsen Cruises – A Norwegian at the tiller, but British at heart

By Ian Welsh | Photos: Fred. Olsen Cruises

If you fancy a cruise from the UK but not the trek to south coast ports, and you’ve grown to love British beer, then Norway’s Fred. Olsen Cruises might be the answer Fred. Olsen Cruises is a Scandinavian company that has specialised in serving the UK market. Nigel Lingard, the cruise line’s marketing director, says: “We make the most of our strong Scandinavian heritage. While we pick up most of our customers in the UK, our ships are sailed by Norwegian officers and crew.” In fact, Lingard believes that this is a strong selling point to British customers who appreciate Norway’s nautical traditions, and feel safe and comfortable with the knowledge that Norwegians are in charge of their ship.

28 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Fred. Olsen’s ships are very much designed with their UK customers in mind. Prices on board are all in sterling, handy enough for locals and British-based expats alike, and the predominant language spoken is English. There are plenty of other home comforts available, wherever the cruise happens to be, right down to the beer served in the on-board bars.

Lingard says: “There’s no doubt that we are providing a British product, but ironically the British atmosphere also appeals to our Scandinavian passengers as well.

Worldwide, cruise line operators tend to be US, German, Italian or from the UK, and certainly for Scandinavians the UK is the most appealing.” And while most Scandinavians

Scan Magazine | Travel | Fred. Olsen Cruises

are perfectly comfortable with the British atmosphere, there are always international hosts on board to make non-UK passengers feel at home.

Fred. Olsen Cruises sail all over the world, including many trips from the UK to Scandinavia, the Arctic north and the Baltic. It is part of the wider Fred. Olsen Group, a multinational organisation with many business interests beyond its maritime roots. The first nautical venture for Fred.

Olsen was a cargo route in the 1840s delivering scrap steel and timber from Norway to Grangemouth in Scotland, and returning with coal. A century and a half later, the company still picks up in Scotland, but now it’s a human cargo.

Regional departure points throughout the UK are one of the features that stands Fred. Olsen apart from other cruise lines. As well as the more traditional south coast cruising ports of Southampton and Dover, Fred. Olsen also sets off from Liverpool, Newcastle, Greenock, Leith, Belfast and Portsmouth. There are dedicated facilities at each departure point, continually being upgraded, with convenient coach connections to mainline train stations whenever possible.

“We do want the cruise experience to be as comfortable as possible for our passengers, and our ships coming to them means that the sometimes tedious journey to the port is made short and painless,” Lingard says.

This philosophy extends to the fly-cruise options Fred.

Olsen offers – typically winter sun cruises in the Caribbean, or longer-haul destinations to pick up cruise liners in exotic locations. Again the company is unusual in offering a comprehensive range of regional departure airports where passengers can catch connecting flights to warmwater destinations from which they pick up their cruise ship. While international flying is becoming a chore rather than a pleasure, the company tries to ensure that getting to your ship is as stress-free a process as possible. “We work with our partner airlines to ensure our customers have a generous luggage allowance, and a full service and entertainment package en route,” Lingard says.

Small is beautiful In these days of mega cruise liners, Fred. Olsen does stand out as unusual with its fleet of smaller, more intimate ships. With a “village” atmosphere on board, staff

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 29

Scan Magazine | Travel | Fred. Olsen Cruises

turnover is low. This means that staff and guests remember each other from cruise to cruise, enhancing the atmosphere.

Ragnar Lervold is one of the company’s on board hotel managers. He highlights the friendly nature of life at sea.

“Many of our customers value the compact size of our ships and appreciate the approachability of our staff,” he says.

While for some a luxurious cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, many of Fred. Olsen’s guests keep coming back for more. Lingard says: “We operate a loyalty card scheme and we have some regular customers who have notched up thousands of days cruising over hundreds of different holidays!”

It could well be the variety of options that keep attracting customers back, Lervold says. “We have so many different destinations, it means our customers can keep experiencing new parts of the world.” He also points out that the ever-changing itineraries mean the crew and onboard staff equally benefit from seeing exciting new places. “Some cruise liners just keep going backwards and forwards on the same regular route. Not us, thankfully,” he says.

On board service Some 50% of guests travelling with Fred. Olsen Cruises are repeat customers, and 25% of guests cruise every year. While the rest of us might ponder whether we’re in the right careers, this does mean that the company must be doing something right, especially in such a competitive market. Lingard emphasises the company’s focus on attention to detail. “Because of the importance of repeat customers to us, we do make a point of making sure they get what they want when they’re on board. We ‘go the extra mile’,” he says.

interests of the cruise passengers are reflected. Fred.

Olsen representatives will have undertaken comprehensive local fact-finding trips before a cruise makes a call at a new location so that information on the most interesting local sites and places of interest is available to passengers well in advance of arrival.

Despite cruises having an image of attracting more senior guests, Fred. Olsen makes a conscious effort to ensure that every generation is catered for. Lingard says: “During school holiday periods we have children’s hosts and family entertainers on board to keep our younger customers happy. We get many guests bringing their grandchildren on a cruise, giving parents a break from childcare, so we need to make sure they are happy that their children will be in a safe and child-friendly environment.”

Green cruising Like other parts of the leisure industry, the cruise line business is having to face up to the implications of its environmental impact and the difference this makes to consumers when they make their holiday choices. It’s not easy to compare a cruise ship with a static hotel when calculating carbon footprint or other environmental issues, as the circumstances are so different. As an example, Lingard points out that “as our staff and customers are all with us for the period of the cruise, there are no additional travel emissions as there would be for a standard hotel on land”.

This means that the dining options are of a consistently high standard, with menus regularly refreshed taking advantage of local produce picked up en route whenever possible. “If we’re in Norway, for example, we’ll be serving fresh Norwegian fish. Our customers wouldn’t expect anything else,” Lingard points out.

There are carbon emissions relating to cruising, of course, and fuel use has become a hot issue for all sea-going shipping. Such vessels typically use what is known as bunker fuel, which is a heavy oil that can produce significant pollution on top of the carbon emissions. Fred.

Olsen, however, is at the forefront of dealing with this problem. “Having to comply with tough Norwegian environmental standards mean that we are continually bringing down pollutants. Sulphur in fuel oil is a major problem, and we are pleased to comply with the increasingly lower limits imposed by international maritime organisations. It’s important to us that we are not only fully compliant in this area, but at the forefront of the industry in dealing with these issues,” Lingard says.

Also, close care is taken with the excursion options at ports and stop-off points en route so that the ever-broader

There are other simple but clever innovations the company has introduced to reduce energy use. Keeping

30 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Scan Magazine | Travel | Fred. Olsen Cruises

Formal Dinner at Balmoral.

waste to a minimum is an important starting point, not least because it is excess weight that doesn’t have to be transported. Even small things such as using lower energy lighting, and keeping doors closed on board ship means that the passenger areas can be kept at a comfortable temperature using less energy.

This is all in keeping with the Scandinavian heritage that is so much Fred. Olsen’s trademark: a close affinity with maritime issues, a solid sea-going history but a sensitivity to local environments as well. And this is perhaps what keeps Brits choosing to cruise with the company year after year. That, and the Boddingtons served in the bar.

This sensitivity to the environment extends to the locations and destinations that Fred. Olsen ships call at en route.

Lingard says: “We work with our local agents so that we are aware of the impact on the local area when one of our ships arrives. If, for example, a local historical site is fragile or can’t cope with a large number of visitors all at once, we limit the number of passengers who can go on that particular excursion. Some destinations popular with cruise lines have sensitive ecosystems – which is why people want to visit. In these circumstances we work with other cruise lines so that ship visits are staggered appropriately.”

Nigel Lingard

Ragnar Lervold

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 31

Scan Magazine | Travel | Scandinavian Village

32 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Scan Magazine | Travel | Scandinavian Village

SCANDINAVIAN VILLAGE – The Scandinavian gateway to the Scottish Highlands

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Scandinavian Village

From Scandinavian Village all roads lead to Scotland.

Located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, the Village with its pine-wood furniture and Swedish origin offers a different base for a visit to the region. Built by a farsighted Swede in 1979, today its timeshare owners and renters both benefit from its closeness to the many Munroes, Loch Ness and several winter-sport hubs.

Scan Magazine visited to see how the Scandinavian interiors and Scottish exteriors get along.

The first impression of the area is overwhelming as one passes through the majestic Scottish natural scene. By the end of the 45 minute drive from Inverness Airport, traffic congestion and air pollution are just distant memories. General Manager of Scandinavian Village Miriam Grant tells us that the spectacular scenery was also what made Swede Bengt Nygren choose this location for his project. “Bengt had seen timeshare take off in Europe and the USA. When he found this beautiful area in Scotland he decided to combine the best of Scottish scenery and buildings with Scandinavian interiors produced to a high quality,” she says.

The 28 two-bedroom villas and 37 one-bedroom flats, which make up Scandinavian Village, are found in Aviemore, a town of 2,600 residents. In the middle of Cairngorm’s National Park, the spot offers some of the best facilities for skiing in the UK during the winter. The rest of the year, however, provides even more possibilities.

Golf enthusiasts may practise their swing at the

numerous highland courses, while anglers can try their luck in one of the many crystal clear rivers and lochs.

Nature lovers will find the many treks in the area, which can be explored on horseback, bicycle or foot, irresistible.

Actually, if you pack your binoculars, a trek just behind the Village will lead you up the mountains which offer a fantastic view of the valley below and the birdlife above.

62-year-old Bill Holmes from Hexham is one of the timeshare owners. During one of his visits to the Cairngorm area he heard of Scandinavian Village and that determined where he was going to spend next year’s holiday. “It just looked so good. It is really good value for money, and we really like walking, so this is perfect for us,” says Bill. Each year he spends three weeks with his wife Alaine in the Village. “It is really easy to get around to the rest of the Highlands from this place and waking up with the view of the mountains is fantastic,” he adds. Bill and Alaine are now looking to extend their ownership with one more week.

The villas and flats of Scandinavian Village offer comfortable and fully equipped homes for the whole family to unwind in after a long day out and about. There are laundry and kitchen amenities and not least the possibility to put on a DVD from the Village’s rental service and relax those tired feet in front of the TV. For those who want to spend the evening out, Aviemore offers plenty of value-for-money dining possibilities. At one

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 33

Scan Magazine | Travel | Scandinavian Village

Above: Loch an Eilien. Top left: The entrance to the Scandinavian village reception. Below: The villa’s spacious livingroom

of the nearby pubs those who dare can have a go at the famous Scottish dish, Haggis, made from sheep intestines.

But not everybody spends the evening by themselves. As people quickly get to know their neighbours, socialising within the Village is very common. “We have so many guests that come year in, year out, not only timeshare owners, but a lot of repeat rental bookings as well. It gives us a chance to get to know people and that friendliness and familiarity give a really nice and relaxed feel to the whole place,” Miriam says. She adds that the owners’ association has just started to build a barbecue and play area to create a gathering point in the grounds.

But there are also some guests who hardly spend any time at the Village at all. “It is very different what people do.

Some we see sitting outside and relaxing all the time and others we only see when they come in to pick up and hand back the key. They are out and about the whole day,” Miriam says.

34 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Among the most popular attractions is not surprisingly the “This is Scotland” whisky trail. The trail leads you to a number of distilleries offering tours and, of course, samples of the famous brew. But the most famous of all the attractions is without doubt Loch Ness. The loch is just over an hour’s drive away and provides plenty of activities to spur on the imagination. The Jacobite cruise takes you onboard a real-life monster search while less adventurous visitors may choose an informative tour through Loch Ness’s caves in the Loch Ness museum. Even if you don’t spot the monster, the beauty and mystery of the loch is definitely worth a trip. But of course you should never say never and Miriam tells us that she has had guests, especially children, who swore they have seen the monster on their trip.

But if the kids don’t spot the monster and get restless, the area offers plenty of opportunities to let them run off some energy. A visit to the nearby Landmark Forest Park with water slides, climbing walls and obstacle courses is one

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idea. Another may be the Highland Wildlife Park with its snow monkeys and tigers.

These are all within reasonable driving distance from the Village. But you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even have to get into the car to find entertainment for the whole family. All visitors to the Village have free access to the Highland Leisure Arena, which is just metres away from the Village. With a fully equipped gym and swimming pool with wave machine and flumes it can make even a rainy Scottish day pleasurable.

The conclusion must therefore be that the only problem with a visit to Scandinavian Village is how to fit everything into the suitcase. You will want to bring everything from swimming suit and fishing rods to skis and binoculars.

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Scan Magazine | Column | Is it Just Me...

IS IT JUST ME...

By Mette Lisby

Or are the much quoted “expert” opinions a steady source of amazement? I mean, how much is it humanly possible to overcomplicate relatively simple issues?

Recently, “lifestyle-experts” optimistically set out to explain why women – in every society in human civilization – live longer than men. They started by studying life expectancy in the animal kingdom and found that in the real, wild, unspoiled nature – the one we know so well from TV – it’s the same! Animal males have a shorter lifespan! The reason seems pretty obvious (at least when someone points it out): In nature, males are faced with countless dangers. The constant fights for territory and mating partners are violently brutal and reduce the expected male lifespan considerably. Apparently, someone at the “expert office” (which unconfirmed rumours place in Surrey!) wanted to go home early and simply concluded that the same reasons applied to explain men’s shorter lifespan. Seriously!

9 months of pregnancy, 36 hours of labour obviously take their toll on the body, but that men have to pretend they’re charming for the first 3 dates – THAT’s the real killer!

THAT effort subtracts years from their lives!

I think it’s much simpler: The reason women live longer than men is simply that, as always, we need more time to get ready to leave.

I quote: “Men’s efforts to find a woman can be both dangerous and hazardous” Really? Does hanging out at clubs, drunk while boastfully yelling “Whazzup” every time a group of girls walk by qualify as decidedly life threatening? Of course the alcohol intake during various attempts to mate is threatening, but we’re still a long way from the deadly dangers of the Serengeti.

The weird part is that none of the things women undergo seemingly qualify to be life-shortening. Neither pregnancy nor labour put as big a strain on women’s health as attracting a woman does on a man’s! Hardly uplifting for men’s self confidence!

36 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian.

She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns in Scan Magazine. Since her standup debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish versions of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”. Mette currently lives in London.

Scan Magazine | Food | Bronte’s Scandinavian Easter

Bronte’s Scandinavian Easter

By Bronte Blomhoj

After the long, dark nights of winter, Easter and the arrival of spring are truly celebrated in Scandinavia.

Whether spent in the south welcoming the return of the spring flowers or spent escaping to the mountains in the North, getting in a few last runs on the slopes, Easter is a time of renewal for Scandinavians, celebrated with good food and good company (and perhaps the odd shot of aquavit or two). Peek into the history of the Viking north and you’ll find plenty of magic things that add to the richness of Scandinavian Easter celebrations.

Many of the Scandinavian countries have their own specific traditions associated with Easter, most of which stem from Christianity, but some of which have other origins and over the years have become part of the Easter holiday traditions.

In Denmark, for example, the tradition of writing “teaser letters” still holds strong and has done since the early 1800s. A teaser letter is a pattern carefully cut into a piece of paper with a little verse written between the cuttings.

The sender then adds dots in place of his or her name and encloses a snowdrop – considered to be the first flower of the year in Denmark and a symbol of springtime and lighter days. If the receiver cannot guess who sent the letter before Easter, the prize for the sender is a nice big Easter egg. If, however, the sender guesses, the prize goes to the recipient (although, miraculously, most parents never do seem to be able to guess which letters are from their own kids).

In Norway a slightly different tradition is associated with Easter, and perhaps a slightly unusual one at that, with no links to anything much historic: around Easter, publishers rush to churn out masses of what are known to

all Norwegians as “Påskekrimmen” – literally translated as ‘Easter Thrillers’ – and bookshops are filled to the brim with newly published crime novels. This fascination with “whodunnits” even extends to mini-thrillers being published in obscure places such as on the side of milk cartons. So, if this Easter you happen to bump into a Norwegian who has his backpack stuffed with a selection of gory crime novels, an orange and a ‘Kvikk Lunch’ chocolate bar, it’s pretty standard fare.

Sweden, on the other hand, has Easter celebrations that are deeply rooted in the old Christian witch-hunt times.

The celebrations last from Maundy Thursday until Easter Monday. In the olden days it was thought that on Maundy Thursday, all the Witches would fly off on their broomsticks to the Blue Mountains in Germany to have a weekend of fun and dancing with Satan. Today, children in Sweden celebrate by dressing up as little witches, called påskkärringar (literally: ‘Easter Witches’): dressed in long skirts, headscarves, painted red cheeks and freckles. The kids go from house to house to collect money or sweets – this is the Swedish version of the North American tradition of Halloween. The children sometimes also deliver an Easter Letter – the identity of the sender is always supposed to be a secret.

Easter time in Scandinavia is, of course, also about eggs – both the chocolate version, the painted version and the version that has a place on the traditional Scandinavian smörgasbord. In Sweden and Denmark, the traditional Easter lunch is pretty much the same as it is at Christmas time except minus a few of the heavier winter dishes.

Plenty of herring, cured salmon with dill sauce, meatballs and beetroot salad and perhaps smoked or roasted lamb dishes. All washed down in the company of good friends

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 37

Photo: www.imagebank.sweden.se © Jan Tham / Swedish Institute

Swedish påskkärringar (Easter Witches).

Finland differs in its food heritage over Easter, however, and has a wealth of very different dishes that derive from a rich heritage that combines Christian links from the Reformation in the 16th century as well as Russian orthodox links throughout its history.

Some of the best known Finnish Easter desserts are actually of Russian origin, such as the Paskha, a sweet quark pudding eaten with kulich, a sweet yeast bread.

During the Orthodox Easter fast, it is forbidden to consume meat, eggs and dairy products. That is why many Orthodox Easter dishes and desserts are rich in eggs, butter, cream, quark and other dairy products – to fatten up after Lent.

The oldest and no doubt the most unusual traditional Finnish dish is Mämmi, a dark brown porridge made of water and sweetened rye malt. It is baked slowly in board boxes made to look like birch bark baskets. Nowadays Mämmi is a dessert served with cream and sugar, but

38 | Issue 6 | March 2009

originally it used to be food for Lent, eaten cold as it came or spread on top of a slice of bread. Mämmi is a bit like Marmite: you either love it or hate it.

If you haven’t quite decided where to spend Easter this year, Scandinavia comes highly recommended, whether you fancy walking through the budding green forests of Denmark in the south or feeling serene in the still snowy mountains of northern Scandinavia – there are certainly adventures to be had and beautiful scenery to be explored along with rich traditions in which to take part.

Alternatively, be Norwegian right here at home and cosy up in front of the fire with a bunch of crime novels and dream of long summer days to come.

Photo: Strangnet, Wikimedia Commons

and a bottle of something strong, such as the delightful aniseed flavoured Danish Aalborg aquavit.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH:

HOW TO MAKE FINNISH ‘MÄMMI’ – Making Mämmi isn't hard... it just takes a lot of time.

Stuff you need 5 bowls made out of birch bark (If your local Tesco Metro has sold out of these, use normal bowls or ovenproof dishes) 3.5 litres of water 1kg of rye flour 250g of malt, preferably rye malt 2 tablespoons of syrup 2 teaspoons of salt 2 tablespoons of orange peel

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This is how you do it Put 1.5 litres of the water into a big pan. Heat it to about 60° C and take it off the heat. Add enough rye flour and malt until you get a thin porridge. Keep stirring while adding more flour and malt. Stop stirring and cover the top of the porridge with a thin layer of rye flour and malt. Cover the pan and leave it in a warm place for one hour to sweeten.

Stir the “cover” of malt and rye into the mixture and add one more litre of hot water. Cover again with a top layer of flour and malt and leave in a warm place for an hour.

Again, mix the cover into the porridge, adding one litre of water and covering the top with flour and malt. Once more, let it sweeten for an hour. By now you should have used up all the water, flour and malt.

Bring the porridge to a boil and add salt, orange peel and syrup. Boil for half an hour, stirring continuously. After boiling, whip the Mämmi for a while before putting it into the bowls/pots that have been rinsed with cold water.

Scatter some sugar on top and put into an oven (100-125° C) for three hours.

Allow the Mämmi to cool and ideally set for 2-3 days in the fridge before eating (although it CAN be eaten immediately, it gets sweeter if you let it settle) - serve with sugar and cream as a dessert.

Bronte Blomhoj is the owner of Scandinavian Kitchen in London, a lovely place where there’s room for crime novel readers, witches and chocolate lovers alike.

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Scan Magazine | Feature | Schools

SCHOOLS – International or Scandinavian, day or boarding... the choice is yours

By Signe Hansen

When moving or living abroad, the welfare and education of your children are natural concerns. But there is actually a broad variety of offers, which can help you turn the change into a positive turning point for the whole family.

Chances are you will end up giving your kids not only the desired academic education but also experiences and life skills that they would not have come across otherwise.

But first it is of course important to establish what the criteria are. If you wish for a traditional Scandinavian schooling and your child is ready to fly the nest, the solution may be a

The Swedish School in London Living abroad does not have to affect the education of your children dramatically.

Based in South London, the Swedish School offers schooling from nursery to gymnasium following the Swedish National Curriculum. As a result of the growing numbers of Swedes in London, the school was founded in 1907. Today it has 245 pupils divided into compulsory school, which is located in Barnes, and Gymnasium at Richmond College in Twickenham.

The independent school still does everything, including school lunches, the Swedish way.

However, given its international nature it also offers a number of special

40 | Issue 6 | March 2009

boarding school back home. But the choice does not have to be black and white; you can also go for an international education in Scandinavia or a boarding school in England.

Furthermore, there are two day-schools in London, where your kids can follow a Scandinavian curriculum while living at home.

Choosing may therefore end up being the hardest part of the transition. We have talked to eight different schools in the UK and Scandinavia, and their students, to help make the choice clearer.

courses like International Perspectives, British Sports and British History. It also has extra English tuition all the way up from Pre-school and aims to provide its pupils with a good understanding of different cultures.

But it is not only students with parents in London who can gain international experience. Seventy-five per cent of 6th form students are exchange students from Sweden, who live at British host families provided by the school.

15-year-old Jonas Alfredsson explains why he chose the school “We used to live in Germany where I went to a German school, but I lost my Swedish. So when we arrived here, I thought I needed to improve my Swedish again, and the Swedish school is very good. It has very small classes, which makes it easier to learn.”

So how is life at the school?

“It is very nice. Everyone knows everyone so everyone has really good friends -

that is the best thing about the school really. Classes consist of ten or twelve persons so the teachers have a much easier job with helping us because they don’t have that many students. That also means that the lessons are really calm and the teachers have more time for the students.”

Among former students at the school is Annika Sörenstam, one of the best female golf-players in the world.

For more information visit: www.swedishschool-london.org.uk

Three special characteristics of the school: 1. The Competent and devoted staff and their focus on knowledge and learning.

2. The positive learning environment; small classes and focus on the individual student.

3. The students’ positive development in an international atmosphere.

Scan Magazine | Feature | Schools

Kungsholmen’s Gymnasium Placed in the centre of Stockholm, Kungsholmen’s Gymnasium offers the possibility of an international education with all the advantages of a Swedish state school.

Since 1973 the school has offered secondary upper school in English and among the three programmes offered is the International Baccalaureate. The other two courses are a three-year Social Sciences programme and a threeyear Natural Sciences programme.

Those both follow the Swedish National Curriculum.

In total 460 16-19-year-olds are

studying at the International section of the school. Many are international students, but there are also many Swedes coming back after time abroad. The international perspective is also integrated into the school’s aims, which include “educating students towards responsibility and an understanding of global issues.”

As a day-school it does not offer boarding, but the central location of the renovated classical school building makes it easy to get to and creates an attractive environment for young people.

17-year-old Laura Cuthbertson from England explains why she chose Kungsholmen’s Gymnasium when her family moved to Sweden half-a-year ago “I am an international student and I moved around a lot with my family because my father is an engineer. I obviously found Kungsholmen more international than the normal Swedish school, and as I want to go to a university abroad in either England or the USA, the international aspect is important to me.”

who are at year 7-9 or gymnasium, are boarding students. They live in the school’s six dormitories where younger students share a room. The senior students have their own room and each dormitory has two parent teachers who live with the students.

Lundsberg’s School Founded in 1896, Lundsberg’s School, which is located in the beautiful Värmland, is the oldest and most traditionally distinguished boarding school in Sweden. But despite its age, it is up to date with the newest facilities and technologies to aid the learning process. Its 200 students not only enjoy access to a wide range of sport facilities but also have their own observatory for use in Astrology classes, and a SMARTBOARD with active web interface is used in regular lessons.

Almost all of the school’s students,

18-year-old Lovisa Tendberg, who has lived at Lundsberg’s School for three years, explains why she chose the school “Before I started, I spent a year in the USA at a boarding school and when I came back I came to Lundsberg. We have a tradition of boarding schools in my family and when we all visited there first, we just really liked it. My sister went there first and really liked it. Then my two brothers went there as well so it is basically what my family did.”

So how is life at the school?

“It is really great because I live together with all my friends from the school, that

So how is it to study at your school?

“Oh it is just amazing! The teaching is great and I am really enjoying it. The social life is really brilliant too, people are always mingling and many are international students like me. It is also quite close for me as I can get to the school in an hour by public transport from my parents’ house.”

For more information visit: www.kungsholmensgymnasium.stockholm.se Three special characteristics of the school: 1. The variety of student associations and clubs 2. The large number of students continuing their studies at university level abroad, especially in the UK. 3. The school’s educational philosophy, which is to treat students like young adults to enable them to take responsibility for their own studies.

is what is so special about it. They are basically a family: you live together and you do everything together. At other schools you don’t get that feeling, the feeling that you are at home at the school.”

Among former students of the school are: Prince Carl Philip and other members of the Swedish royal family.

Three special characteristics of the school: 1. A tradition of academic achievement paired with a strong school spirit.

2. Experienced teachers, who use the most modern pedagogical computer technology, but maintain a classic academic approach to the learning process.

3. The location in a breathtakingly beautiful environment, well equipped with facilities for sports, music and art.

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 41

Scan Magazine | Feature | Schools

Herlufsholm School With more than 400 years on its back, Herlufsholm boarding school can pride itself on having more experience than most when it comes to the education of young people. Inspired by Wittenberg University in Germany, the Danish nobleman Herluf Trolle founded Herlufsholm in 1565. Back then it had about 42 students; today it has 570 students from sixth grade to secondary School and IB. Half of the students live at the school and classes are tailored to allow them to go home every second weekend. This means that Saturday is a school day in one week and Monday is off the next.

Herlufsholm is the only school in

Sorø Academy’s School The grounds of Sorø Academy have played a central role in Danish history.

As early as 1140, the first buildings, a monastery, were raised here and later the impressive Sorø Church was built.

Today the church is still there, but the monks and the monastery have been replaced by 500 teenagers and teaching facilities. The newest is the high tech Natural Science Centre.

Besides being an upper secondary school, the Academy is also a public boarding school, and almost one-third of the upper secondary school students and all 10th grade students live in the private rooms of the school’s eight boarding school houses. They are just next door to the beautiful white main building facing Sorø Lake, in which lessons take place.

But it is not only its history and beauty that make Sorø Academy spe-

42 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Denmark to have a dress code. All students have single or double rooms for their studies, but to strengthen bonds and social abilities they sleep in dormitories. There are 8 dorms with an average number around 25-30 students, divided fifty-fifty between boys and girls.

For the students with international aspirations, the school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB), but all tutoring is marked by strong Danish values and traditions.

17-year-old Andreas Østergaard Hansen is a boarding school student and explains why he chose to live and study at Herlufsholm “My mother is Danish and my father is Norwegian, but before Herlufsholm I lived in Barbados and had only spent two years in Denmark. I came to Herlufsholm because I want to study architecture at a Danish university as a basis for further education at Yale School of Architecture.

I had heard really good things about Herlufsholm and the possibility to study for the IB decided the matter.”

So how is Life at Herlufsholm?

“I am really happy here. Studying for the IB is quite hard but also very good. We are one big family at the student-house where I live, and our boarding inspector is like a father to us. I also love the traditions and the fact that the school has a fixed rhythm, which for instance means that time is put off for homework.”

For more information: Phone: + 45 55 75 35 00 E-mail: rektorkontor@herlufsholm.dk web: www.herlufsholm.dk

Three special characteristics of the school: 1. Its unique history and beautiful natural surroundings.

2. The fact that it is a Danish school but with an international environment 3. The focus on the students’ social development as well as their academic development

cial. It is also well-known for its close connections to foreign schools and its skilled language tutoring in modern languages as well as Greek and Latin 20-year-old Lars Rasmussen, who lives at Sorø Academy, explains why he chose the school “I lived in Switzerland with my parents for eight years, so my only opportunity to go to a Danish school was a boarding school.

When I came to Sorø, I thought the school was very impressive and beautiful.”

So how is life at Sorø Academy?

“It is good. Because you are around the other people from the boarding school all the time, you connect easily and everybody has a lot of friends. Besides, people are very friendly and respect each other - both students and teachers.”

Among previous students at the gymnasium are: The Danish journalist and for-

mer politician Hans Engell and the Danish writer Herman Bang.

For more information visit: www.soroe-akademi.dk Three special characteristics: 1. The long history and tradition of the school.

2. The excellent Academic level the school has the best results in the region.

3. The new Science Centre being built.

Scan Magazine | Feature | Schools

languages, English and Danish. This means that students all the way down to five year olds can choose English as their schooling language rather than Danish. The school is right now in the process of applying to become an IB school and to offer all three International Baccalaureate programmes.

Bagsværd School Celebrating its centennial this year, Bagsværd School is still honoring its founder’s original ambition - to foster young people lead Denmark.

Today the school has 800 pupils from pre-school to gymnasium. From sixth grade upwards students can choose to live at the school’s dormitories. But to ensure that when the students leave school they feel that they are actually going home, these are not as usual situated at the school. Nor are the 16 adults, who take care of the 60 resident students, teachers there.

Another special feature is that from next year it will offer education in two

17-year-old Natascha Ramlow LercheJensen explains why she chose to live and study at Bagsværd School “I chose a boarding school because my parents moved abroad, but also because of the experience. It is very different from living with your parents. I was attracted to the environment and the location because it is so close to Copenhagen. But also the concept of freedom and responsibility: it is not about school uniforms and strict order.”

So how is life at Bagsværd Gymnasium?

“It is very good because as a boarding school student, you get a lot of help with your studies. You also get really close friendships and if you like being around

Faroe Islands. It is registered as a Norwegian private school and follows the Norwegian curriculum. But it provides extra English tuition and aims to create a general understanding of English society. English teachers are employed in both school and kindergarten and the students spend a lot of time out and about in London.

The Norwegian School in London

16-year-old Amalie Poole Jørgensen explains why she chose to study at the school

With just 91 pupils, the Norwegian School in London has plenty of time for the individual student. The school, which was opened in 1980, is located in the tranquil area of Wimbledon in SouthWest London. With the main aim of providing a safe, creative and professional environment, it offers classes for 5–16 year-olds. It also has 33 pre-school pupils aged from three to five.

Apart from Norwegians, the school has students from Denmark, Sweden and the

“Moving to London was a joint decision in the family. We either had to move here or my new step-dad had to move to Norway. I first considered choosing an English school, but decided that I would rather complete secondary school within the Norwegian curriculum. The Norwegian school eased the transition to my new life in London.”

So how is life at the school?

people, it is a really cool place. Besides we have a very good relationship with the adults here.”

Among former students at Bagsværd School is Language Professor Jørgen Lund, Director of the Danish Language and Literature Society.

For more information visit: www.bagkost.dk Three special characteristics of the school: 1. Small classes, division of school and student residence, and non-existence of hierarchical systems.

2. The focus on the individual student. Traditions are valued, but if they get in the way of the development of a student, they will be bent.

3. The focus on general education and life experience rather than just academic skills.

because we are so few, we get a lot of attention from the teachers both academically and socially. It is great to be in a class with people from so many different places and with very different experiences. But the best thing about the school is that we can be Norwegian together.”

Among former students at the school is Norwegian actor Stian Smestad.

For more information visit: www.dns-london.com Three special characteristics: 1. Individual guidance both academically and socially.

2. More English lessons and more lessons in general than at an ordinary Norwegian school.

3. A lot of time spent outside the school, visiting theatres, museums doing sports etc.

“The classes here are really good and,

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 43

Scan Magazine | Feature | Schools

Atlantic College Located in 12th century St Donat’s Castle in South Wales, Atlantic College provides a unique environment for its 350 students. The students, who come from more than 75 different countries, all live at the school for the two years they study for its International Baccalaureate diploma.

In 1962 the college was founded as the first United World College aiming to bring together students from all over the world to foster peace and understanding. One way they undertake this is by accommodating four different nationalities together in a shared room.

Also, the college has a scholarship programme to ensure that the school is not only for the global elite.

Along with traditional subjects students can also study: Scandinavian Languages, Economics, Political Thought, World Religions, and Peace and Conflict studies. In addition to the academic curriculum, students put the College’s ideals into practice through participating in a wide range of community service and campus activities.

44 | Issue 6 | March 2009

18-year-old Anniken Stabbetorp from Norway explains why she chose Atlantic College: “I wanted to go to College outside Norway and what better choice is there than Atlantic College? You get the chance to live and learn with people from all over the world. The International Baccalaureate diploma (IB) was also important in my choice and of course St Donat’s castle with beautiful grounds and access to the Bristol Channel.”

So how is life at the College?

“I am enjoying it so much! I live in a dorm with three other girls from the UK, Senegal and Thailand and we are having so much fun. I love the fact that there is always something to do. If I don’t have community service, I spend my afternoon doing another activity such as ceramics or Amnesty International. Our teachers also live on campus and participate in activities and service.”

Among previous students at the College are: Finnish Jorma Ollila, Chairman of

Nokia Corporation and Royal Dutch Shell, and Danish Camilla Bredholt, the founder of the Danish Office of Medecins sans Frontieres.

For more information: Phone: +44 (0) 1446 799000, email: enquiries@atlanticcollege.org web: www.atlanticcollege.org

Three special characteristics of the school: 1. The location in 12th century St Donat’s castle on the beautiful South Wales coast.

2. The diversity of the student body – from over 75 countries, many different religions, views, and social backgrounds.

3. The commitment to community service – students spend their afternoons volunteering as lifeguards, Childline counsellors, RNLI lifeboat crew and in many other ways.

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MAERSK – the secrets of global success

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Yannis Katsaris

In Denmark saying that you work for Maersk is very likely to produce some kind of opinionated response.

Everybody knows A.P. Moller-Maersk as an inseparable part of Danish history - past and present. But Maersk is not just a Danish fairytale, it is an international successstory.

Even though the headquarters of A.P. Moller-Maersk is still situated in Denmark, the conglomerate has divisions in 130 countries. One of them is Maersk Line UK and Ireland, based in London. When Scan Magazine visits the tall East London building, seven CEOs reveal what they consider to be the secrets behind the success: change and continuity.

Setting a new course Perhaps one of the most remarkable changes in Maersk is in terms of structure, which is symbolised right here in

46 | Issue 6 | March 2009

the London office. Danish Tommy Molgaard, the Finance Director of Maersk’s Container Inland Services (CIS) team, explains: “The fact that CIS’s global headquarters are based here in the UK is quite interesting because it shows that Maersk’s head offices do not have to be in Denmark anymore.” The change is part of a transition which Maersk has been working towards for some time. “We are moving away from being completely Danish and moving into a more international focus together with the local skills, experience and talent that gets us access,” Molgaard says.

CIS itself has also been re-structured. The services which it provides – transporting, selling, servicing and storing containers – have been carried out by Maersk for many years. However, just recently the divisions were merged into a global portfolio managed by the team in London rather than independently by the different regions.

Regional Director CIS Northern Europe and West Central Asia, Michael van Hemert believes these developments

Scan Business | Business Profile | MAERSK

Jackie Scarfe, Tommy Molgaard and Michael van Hemert

represent the internationalisation and decentralisation essential to fully exploit the possibilities of a global market. “Gathering the CIS businesses together under one umbrella means we can make global investments.

Rather than each business investing on an individual basis, we can investigate where we want to invest from a global perspective,” he says. Referring to the London head office, he adds: “Maersk is looking to manage talent globally and as more functions are moving out of Copenhagen we are able to take advantage of that global talent pool.”

terms, benefits and training. But Maersk is also very selective when it comes to recruiting. What the company is looking for are strong characters who are ambitious, want to develop, are prepared to work hard and be measured on their performance. “We are strong on innovation in Maersk. We are not looking for ‘yes men’ but for individuals who are willing to ask questions and question the status quo when appropriate to do so,” she says. “But we also want somebody who is excited about the way the company is going to develop and is comfortable with change.”

Running a tight ship

Getting them onboard Attracting talent is the mission of Jackie Scarfe, the Director of Human Resources in Maersk Line UK and Ireland. She reveals that she gets a little help: “It is not difficult to find good people when you have such a strong employer brand as Maersk, which makes my job much easier,” she says but adds: “The brand in the UK, however, is not quite as strong as in Denmark so we can’t rely on the brand alone to attract good candidates.”

To fetch the best candidates Maersk thus still has to ensure that it offers what employees want i.e. competitive

Recently, another cause for change in Maersk has, of course, been the economic downturn. The drop in spending and consumption severely affects Maersk because the inclination to buy and therefore the need for transport services declines. “The situation we are facing right now is the worst trading situation the shipping industry has seen in its history,” Doug Bannister, Managing Director of Maersk Line UK and Ireland, admits.

Maersk has taken steps to limit the effects, including taking container ships out of service to balance capacity.

This can, because of Maersk’s reach and size, be done without affecting the service offered to its clients, says

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 47

Scan Business | Business Profile | MAERSK

Doug Bannister, Graham Jordan and Brian Godsafe.

Bannister. He believes this gives Maersk an advantage compared to smaller competitors, but not only that: “There are probably two things; fast response and the scale of our conglomerate. Many just do container shipping and those companies are more reliant on the industry. But because we have strength in other industries such as oil and gas offshore, we are a financially strong and robust group,” he states. “Additionally, we took decisive action to deal with the situation early in 2008 while some competitors are reacting only today, so you could say we have a 12 month jump.”

As ninety per cent of what is consumed in the UK is brought in by ship, Maersk’s financial stability is also crucial for consumers’ continued access to goods. This is one of the reasons that Bannister predicts Maersk will not

48 | Issue 6 | March 2009

only survive this turbulent phase but will come out stronger. “Right now customers in the UK want to do business with a financially strong company like Maersk.

We have a long history and are confident we can continue offering our customers reliable and competitive services.

Businesses are keen to ship with us as a result,” he says.

Steering towards a greener horizon There are also other concerns creating changes within the company. One of the biggest is the environmental impact of transporting food products. As the alternative to shipping is the far more energy consuming airfreight, Maersk is already ahead when it comes to overseas transport. But in Container Inland Services changes are being implemented in order for consumers to have access to products like fresh strawberries all year round with the

Scan Business | Business Profile | MAERSK

smallest CO2 emissions possible. One way of achieving this is to move as many containers as possible from the road onto the railways, explains CIS director van Hemert.

To drive this, some new transport experiments have been initiated. “Currently we are running pilots on the transSiberian railway. We are trialling moving containers from inland China through Russia to Europe by train rather than ship and truck,” says van Hemert.

Maersk was one of the first companies to run pilots on the railway last year and is hoping to expand this year. Other plans to reduce CO2 emission include decreasing and stabilising the average speed of trucks.

The moral compass While many things are changing in Maersk, others have had a continuous existence. One is the set of values under which Maersk conducts business internally and externally.

All executives describe Maersk’s values as an important and integrated part of everyday conduct. Mark Cornwell, Operations Director at Maersk Line UK and Ireland, explains what it is all about.

“Our values are about doing the right thing, being honest and treating people decently - both employees and customers. It is very much the backbone of what we do around the world,” he says.

Maersk is always one step ahead. One way of ensuring this is, he says, by empowering the employees and that is what Maersk does.

“Maersk is a good employer because it values its staff. It is one of its core values to treat the staff with respect. They always listen to their staff.”

Customer Services Director Brian Godsafe agrees: “What makes my job exciting is to provide an environment of challenge, challenge with respect,” he says. “Everybody can challenge and come up with new ideas.”

Maersk’s values are well documented, and the company runs programmes to make sure all employees understand them. Something which Graham Jordan feels other companies and industries could learn from. “I worked in the financial sector for 20 years and none of the businesses I worked with had values that were documented in the way that Maersk’s values are. Perhaps they should have been,” he says with a bold smile. Maybe he is right – one thing seems certain: having a good moral compass is not a bad idea when steering a shipping company through an economic storm.

Facts about Maersk in the UK and Ireland Even though the essence of the values is the same as ever, they do not stand completely still. Like the rest of Maersk, Cornwell says, the values carry a Nordic heritage but have been expanded and now contain contributions from all over the world.

According to Doug Bannister this is part of what makes Maersk’s brand so strong worldwide. “We are very proud of our heritage and our heritage is Danish and it gives us an incredible powerful brand. While our headquarters are in Denmark, the brand reaches into everywhere we operate,” he says.

One of Maersk’s best known values is, ‘constant care’ exemplified by the saying, ‘look after today and care for tomorrow’ or the Danish expression ‘rettidig omhu.’ This is something which Process Excellence Director Graham Jordan aims to fulfil every day. His job is to make sure that

• Maersk Line UK & Ireland and Container Inland Services are part of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, a global company, employing more than 117,000 people in around 130 countries in a wide range of industries.

• With a fleet numbering more than 470 container vessels and more than 1,900,000 containers, the A.P. Moller-Maersk fleet ranks amongst the largest in the world and includes some of the world’s biggest container vessels.

• Maersk Line UK & Ireland has been operating in the UK since 1951.

• For more information on A.P. Moller-Maersk please visit http://www.maersk.com.

• For more information about Maersk Line UK & Ireland, please visit http://www.maerskline.co.uk

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 49

Scan Business | Business Profile | The Møller Centre

The Møller Centre – Training in Cambridge to a Danish Design

By Ian Welsh | Photos: The Møller Centre

Cambridge’s Møller Centre, one the UK’s top management training venues, benefits from Danish heritage and architectural design, combined with an award-winning commitment to educational excellence The Møller Centre is an award-winning purpose-built management training facility owned by Churchill College, Cambridge, and founded and inspired by links with Denmark. Designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen, fitted out with iconic Hans Wegner furniture, and built with a donation from a charitable foundation linked to the Maersk international shipping and business group, the centre has been specifically designed to provide a link between commerce and academia. It is a location where senior management from international businesses can continue their professional development, and where the next generation of company leaders can complete their training.

50 | Issue 6 | March 2009

And this it is achieving – the centre recently won the prestigious Training Venue of the Year award at the World of Learning 2008 awards ceremony. These awards are regarded as the premier accolade for organisations involved in training, and are presented in association with the British Institute of Learning and Development. Mark Carberry, sales and marketing manager at The Møller Centre, is delighted at the recognition the award has given to the centre’s staff. “It’s fair to say that we all embraced the award, and winning acknowledges not only the worldclass facilities we offer, but the quality, hard work and dedication of all who work at The Møller Centre and the high standards we achieve,” Carberry says.

Excellence by design And these high standards start with the building itself.

Henning Larsen, renowned Danish architect, designed the building with the Maersk shipping connections very much

Scan Business | Business Profile | The Møller Centre

Mark Carberry outside the The Møller Centre.

Stairwell and the milling area.

in mind. From certain angles, the structure resembles a ship at sea, with the lecture theatre forming the bridge and the tower acting as the propeller. Principally, the building’s design allows for open, bright, areas that are flexible in their use and provide a stimulating and creative environment for learning. There is an emphasis on the use of natural light, complemented by the sensitive use of building materials. Access to the outdoors and the beautiful surroundings of Churchill College’s grounds is also a key design feature.

The centre benefits greatly from being part of Churchill College and the wider University of Cambridge. “We are able to work with university departments to enhance the executive education programmes we offer to delegates.

When we have academic and cultural presentations as part of a training programme, they come from leading figures in their field,” Carberry says. There is also the opportunity to take advantage of Churchill College’s facilities, including access to the Churchill Archive, where the political papers of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher are conserved.

Danish design excellence extends to the furniture used throughout the centre. Most of this was created by Hans Wegner, whose work has done much to establish Denmark as a world-leader in contemporary design. Perhaps the outstanding piece is the Møller Chair design, used for seating around the centre, which was designed by Wegner exclusively for The Møller Centre and cannot be found elsewhere.

Getting the right schedule Being able to tailor programmes for clients is something the centre offers. Carberry acknowledges that as the centre caters for major international businesses they need to offer the best service, and that their clients will be demanding.

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 51

Scan Business | Business Profile | The Møller Centre

“We do get some strange requests. Recently we had to arrange for the construction of a scale model of an oil rig in one of our seminar rooms, and for another client produce a live caged canary for delegates discussing mine safety,” Carberry says. He does stress that the canary is safe and well, having gone to a good home following the event!

The Møller Centre recognises the changing nature of training events and how they are best structured. “Our clients increasingly ask for collaborative learning environments, with flexible spaces, clever use of audiovisual equipment, interactive white boards and media support. We also accept that senior management delegates will be continuing to work on live projects while

52 | Issue 6 | March 2009

attending events with us – indeed the live projects may form a central part of the training – and so we need to make sure that appropriate communication and breakout facilities are provided,” Carberry says.

This attention to detail has resulted in further awards for the Møller Centre, most recently picking up Best UK Management Training Centre at the M&IT Awards in February, Learning Facility of the Year (Silver) at the Institute of IT Training awards in February and Best Customer Service and Best Conference Team at the Conference Cambridge Awards in January. And the list continues. Hospitality Assured Accreditation is the UK hospitality industry’s standard for service and business excellence, as measured by performance against 10

different aspects of customer experience, and the Møller Centre has achieved the highest score in England in its most recent assessment. As Carberry says: “These awards are a great measure of how we’ve progressed as an organisation.”

And more than that, perhaps, they show how the vision of a centre for training excellence is being realised.

History of the Møller Centre The centre was opened in 1992, following a £10m gift from the A P Møller & Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation, at the suggestion of Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller, son of Maersk group shipping magnate A P Møller. Maersk Møller was keen to support development at Churchill College as he felt that Denmark’s safety during the Second World War and subsequent prosperity was in part due to the personal intervention of UK wartime prime minister Winston Churchill. A further link was that Maersk ships had been turned over to the UK authorities to assist in the war effort.

When Churchill College approached Maersk Møller in the late 1980s regarding possible funding for new development, he proposed the establishment of a new centre of excellence, where business and academia could co-operate. And so, the idea of establishing a centre to teach and facilitate the highest standards of continuing education for senior management in international business was born.

The Møller Centre facilities have been continually upgraded and improved, most recently in 2007. With 71 bedrooms, recently refurbished to 4-star hotel standards, several different groups can use the facilities at the same time. Up to 300 delegates can be catered for during a typical day, with the largest suite holding 150 delegates.

For more information on the Maersk group, please see Scan Magazine’s profile of the organisation on p46.

Hotel of the Month

Knightsbridge Green Hotel – Five star location at three star prices As a visitor to London, finding a reasonably priced hotel may seem just about as likely as getting a seat on the tube during rush hour. But of course there is an exception to prove the rule and that can be found at the Knightsbridge Green Hotel in West London.

Located in exclusive Knightsbridge, the hotel has, says Manager Ardal O’Hanlon, a five star location which is not reflected in its prices. “Our hotel is unique because we have a five star location, a four star hotel and three star prices.”

Actually the location offers a good base for everybody, be they shoppers, tourists or business people: in a busy shopping area right between Harrods and Harvey Nichols, the hotel offers plenty of opportunity to indulge in fashionable garments. Visitors may also enjoy the many cultural attractions in the area, such as the Victoria and Albert museum. For more official errands, or in case the passport gets lost, the hotel is within safe walking distance of the Danish, Norwegian and Finnish embassies. However, the bus and tube connections just next door make it an excellent base for business meetings all over London. Consequently many of the guests are, says O’Hanlon, business people, amongst other discerning travellers.

The hotel, which was started up forty years ago as a family business, is located in an historic building from 1890. It recently changed owners but thanks to its loyal staff and

54 | Issue 6 | March 2009

small scale it has kept its original intimate atmosphere.

“Our regular guests are like old friends just as our staff is like family,” says O’Hanlon. Although the hotel does not have its own restaurant, continental breakfast can be delivered to the room together with the daily newspaper between 7 and 10am. In the evening, the area offers plenty of dining opportunities in different cuisines and price ranges. But, of course, Piccadilly Square with its myriad of clubs, bars and restaurants is also just ten minutes away by tube, bus or car.

All of the hotel’s 30 rooms – divided into five types: single, double, twin, double suite and twin suite – have airconditioning, en-suite bathrooms, and wireless broadband free of charge. Besides the rooms have kept their original size and are therefore more spacious than most contemporary hotel rooms. “We have an antique building with modern comfortable interiors and plenty of room,” says O’Hanlon. So, if you don’t fancy a shoebox-sized room or the usual price of avoiding one, then the Knightsbridge Green Hotel is a good choice.

Special rate offer for Scan Magazine readers: Single room £110 (normal price £150), doubles £140 (normal price £200), suites £180 (normal price £250), exclusive of VAT and breakfast; based upon availability. Offer good until May 31 2009 For more information visit: www.thekghotel.com

Scan Business | Hotel of the Month

Scan Magazine Reader Offer Knightsbridge Green Hotel Originally built in 1890, this historic Hotel is centrally located in the heart of London’s fashionable Knightsbridge shopping district, within easy reach of all that the city has to offer.

Special Offer for readers of Scan Magazine • £99.00+VAT in a superior room • Room service Breakfast.

• Early check in and late departure based on availability • Complimentary upgrade to Junior Suite based on availability How to book To book please call or email the Knightsbridge Green Hotel at: reservations@thekghotel.com or +44 20 7584 6274 quoting the booking code SCAN

Rates valid until 31.12.2009 (with exception of 19-23 May and 9-11 November 2009) Subject to availability – rates based on double occupancy.

LETT LAW FIRM LETT is one of the largest full-service law firms in Denmark. We are also one of the oldest, with a history dating back to 1869. We employ more than 165 lawyers across our offices in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Kolding.

strive to present the entire scope of options available to them within their legal context.

Besides our strong presence in Denmark, LETT works closely with a number of leading international law firms. This means we can provide high-quality advice to clients engaged in cross-border business.

As part of this approach, our lawyers often go on secondment to foreign law firms and our clients. These arrangements are highly effective. Clients see advantage in the fresh perspective that this in-house expertise brings to their business - longstanding client relationships are our hallmark.

We aim to dispense highly-practical results-orientated advice. This means we do not only advise our clients on what they may or may not do, but

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Scan Business | How was your day?

How was your day?

– These are our busy lives! We ask a Scandinavian businessman or business woman the question: How was your day? The answer is never that straightforward.

Henrik Skriver: Head of Private Banking, Northern Bank London

to meet and have a chat with some of the other Scandinavians living in London. Another day has all too quickly gone, and I return home to my family.

The day starts early. I always make the best of the morning by enjoying breakfast with my two children, before heading to the office and a day full of activities.

The day starts with a meeting with my team to follow up on past activities and discuss upcoming activities of the week to come. This is a great way to start the day as I get to talk to everyone in my team and follow up on their situation.

Having finished this meeting I start preparing for the other assignment of the day. Today I had lunch with a potential new client. This particular lunch was with a guy who had recently become a CEO in a London-based company. We met up for lunch to discuss the possibilities of handling his finance in the company as well as his private finances.

After a good lunch and a cup of coffee it’s back to the office where a good number of mails needs to be read and dealt with.

My job consists of several different things. One part of it is keeping contact with clients, providing them with relevant information and updating. Another part is handling corporate activities with our business partners, but a great part of it is meeting with potential clients.

After working in the Danske Bank Group for more than 18 years in both Denmark and Luxembourg, I am really enjoying the international environment here in London and the challenges by working closely with several different cultures.

Outside it’s quickly getting darker, and it’s getting time to pack up my things and head home. On my way home I stop by arrangement with the Danish chamber of commerce

56 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Would you like to tell us how your day went?

Email: thomas@scanmagazine.co.uk

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Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce The Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce (DUCC) is a forum for Danish Businessmen and women in London, professionals working for global institutions in the City of London, Danish Entrepreneurs and Danish companies in the UK. Membership of the DUCC offers value through providing the opportunity to attend our Business Events and to remain up to date on the latest issues relevant to Danish professionals in London. The next DUCC seminar will take place at the Royal Danish Embassy on 1st April 2009. It will be an update on the current financial situation by Mr Erik Nielsen, Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs.

Membership of the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce offers the opportunity to establish contact with more than 600 fellow Members (primarily Danish) working and living in London. The DUCC regards its members as its principal asset and does everything to promote their interest in expanding their business networks. Information regarding

membership can be obtained through the contact details below.

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7259 6795 | Email: info@ducc.co.uk | www.ducc.co.uk

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce 30 January saw the very popular NBCC New Year Ball at the Royal Automobile Club. This created the perfect atmosphere for members and guests to enjoy a three course dinner, a chocolate fountain, and an exciting raffle.

Live music was again very successfully delivered by the band ‘Mixed Feelings’.

This was seen as an excellent opportunity to meet interesting business people, and to entertain clients.

Four successful business women made up a panel at our event “Women in Business – the Norwegian-British Experience” on 25 February.

The general message was that women need to be supportive of each other. Women in general have a fantastic potential to be leaders: good at taking calculated risks, well organised and not very hierarchical. For women with children it is harder to climb the ladder in the UK than in Norway. It is perceived as positive to be Norwegian in the UK business community though.

Through our Aberdeen chapter, NBCC is introducing Wednesday drinks for the Norwegian-British business community in and around Aberdeen. By launching Wednesday drinks and other new activities in Aberdeen, NBCC underlines the importance of the region and the close link that exists between Norway and Scotland.

UPCOMING EVENTS Aberdeen Wednesday Drinks – 11 March Nordic Thursday Drinks – 26 March

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7930 0181 | Email: info@nbccuk.com | www.nbccuk.com 58 | Issue 6 | March 2009

The Norwegian School in London Founded in 1981

OPEN DAY on Saturday 25th of April 2009 at The Norwegian School in London

Address 28 Arterberry Road Wimbledon London SW20 8AH UK Phone +44 (0)20 8947 6617/6627

You will find us in this charming Victorian House in Wimbledon, surrounded by a new play area, which encourages our pupils to expend their energy in the breaks between their academic achievements. You are welcome to experience what goes on in our school at our open day.

Fax +44 (0)20 8944 7345 E-mail mail@dnslondon.com www.dnslondon.com

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Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK The start of 2009 has been a busy one for The Swedish Chamber and it is in times like these the Chamber shows its strength. We are determined to provide our Members with valuable and informative events and to strengthen our network with new Members.

In February our Members got the opportunity to get hands-on advice on how to improve their leadership skills at a seminar with cutting-edge school Hyper Island. Furthermore, fashion brand COS opened their store for the Chamber where more than 200 guests were able to see and to buy garments from the COS Spring/Summer ’09 collection. COS buyers, designers and pattern-cutters were in the store for suit fittings and expert advice.

The Chamber has an array of events coming up in March and April focussing on how to create business opportunities in the current climate.

Save the dates in the calendar below and go to our website to read more and to sign up.

UPCOMING EVENTS “Paying a fairer share” - Tax Seminar with Erik Penser – 16 Mar Briefing on design collaboration with Casa Decor – 24 Mar Making conversations count – The art of networking – 31 Mar

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

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce It is our pleasure to announce that we have now sent out the Membership Handbook 2009 to all our members. If you haven’t received yours, please contact us and we’ll check your address details in our database. This year we have added to the Handbook more general information about FBCC and more details of our Professional members.

March and April are full of interesting events. The new tax rules for non-domiciles affect many of our members

here in the UK. Grundberg Mocatta Rakison LLP will hold a topical breakfast meeting together with FBCC about the new tax rules at their premises on 19th March. Director of Tax Helena Whitmore will tell us “what needs to be done now”.

The Economic Update event will be held on 2nd April at the J-M Capital premises in the City of London. The Economic Update is aimed at giving participants a brief insight into the current economic situation and an introduction to how to do business in a down-turning economy.

UPCOMING EVENTS Breakfast Meeting at Grundberg Mocatta Rakison LLP – 19 March Nordic Networking Drinks at Scandinavian Kitchen – 26 March Economic Update at J-M Capital – 2 April

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 8741 6352 | Email: fbccevents@fbcc.co.uk | www.fbcc.co.uk 60 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Scan Magazine | Business Directory

Danish speaking Games Tester Reference: 512445

Scandinavian speaking Technical Translator Reference: 635872

The Company: Our client, a leading international company, is currently recruiting for candidates who are fluent to native level or equivalent in Danish to work in their office in Brighton as Games Testers.

The Role: The role will involve playing pre-released games with the aim of proofreading the online text, bug reporting and highlighting any errors in the relevant language so that these may be amended prior to the official release of the game. This is a 'freelance' role, as it is project based work, yet we must stress that it is strictly office based, as you will be handling confidential material. Please note that we do can not consider re-locators or those people with a notice period.

Applicants will need to be available to interview as soon as possible.

This is an exciting role for those passionate about the gaming sector or wishing to gain valuable experience using in proofreading.

Candidate Profile: The ideal candidate for the role will be fluent to native level or equivalent in Danish with excellent written language skills, good attention to detail and quality in their work. Good general PC literacy is a must, and prior experience of gaming as a hobby or for work is advantageous although not essential.

Salary/Additional Information: £6.65 per hour inclusive of holiday pay for candidates living locally. £7.50 per hour inclusive of holiday pay for candidates based in London plus travel expenses.

To apply, go to www.scanjobs.co.uk

The Company: Our client is a specialist translation/localization company with years of experience of translating into a large range of languages for use across the world. Due to sustainable growth, they are looking for Technical Translators with Scandinavian languages (Swedish or Finnish or Danish or Norwegian) to join their in house translation team in Cambridge.

The Role and Candidate Profile: • Candidates should have an academic qualification either in translation, modern languages, Journalism or IT. • Target language (Swedish, Finnish, Danish or Norwegian) should be to a mother tongue standard or equivalent.

• The candidate must be a senior translator with a minimum of 3 years full-time professional experience in IT, technical, automotive or medical translation.

• Candidate must have in-depth knowledge of Trados, Workbench, Idiom, Catalyst, Pasolo, Framemaker etc.

Salary/Additional Information: Salary is up to £22,000 depending on experience.

When applying, please state your salary expectations.

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Issue 6 | March 2009 | 61

Page 1

Scan Magazine | Scan News

SCAN NEWS

Edited by Emelie Krugly

A new stronger SAS – Core SAS

SAS has recently presented a new strategic approach named ‘Core SAS’.

Lars-Ove Filipson, General Manager United Kingdom and Ireland, explains: “We will be continuing to focus on business travel and Service and Simplicity.

We are basically going back to basic and are focusing on what we are already good at doing. To serve our business travellers has always been our main focus but we should not forget that we also offer Leisure travellers more seats than ever at our lowest fares from the

Finns Worldwide

FinnsWorldwide is a Finnish community organization based in London. The organization grew from a popular Facebook Group: ‘Finnish People Living in London’, created in 2007. Its mission is to unite the 1.5 million Finnish people living abroad, offering a platform/website for local Finns providing the latest

62 | Issue 6 | March 2009

UK to Scandinavia than any other airline.

We will also continue focusing on travel to, from and within the Nordic countries.

We will also continue to develop our services and tools to minimize travel times and maximize value for our customers.”

SAS has always been at the forefront of making time spent on the ground before and after flying as smooth and simple as possible for its customers. Internet and SMS check-in services, SAS Fast Track, self-service check-in machines and biometrics are some examples of the travel solutions adopted. Naturally, SAS will pursue its work on minimizing time and maximizing the value perceived by customers – this is what we call ‘Service and Simplicity’.

SAS has experienced major challenges and has been severely affected by the current recession. To address the situation, a renewed strategic direction is now required and has been named ‘Core SAS’.

“Our market position remains strong and our brand stands for quality, reliability and stability. We will further build on these strengths by providing a clearer focus on destinations served and product offerings that are important to the business traveller. For the individual traveller an improved EuroBonus programme will see the launch of an online reward shop, there will be improved access and information regarding award seats and an expansion of the range of third party partner agreements will take place.” Lars-Ove Filipson sums up: “We’re constantly working on improving the time before you travel, during and after the journey and want to carry on being the market-leading airline in Scandinavia.”

Finnish/Scandinavian related news, including Finnish events in town. An online community where contacts can be made for those moving abroad from Finland will also be available.

The long-term plan is to make the organization global, having already received enquires from other cities, in particular from the USA. The pair behind the idea is Anu Laitila and Roope Musto, partners in business as well as in life. Anu Laitila is a London-based Finn and has made the British capital her home for three and a half years. Roope was born in Finland, but has lived in the UK since he was 2 weeks old. The duo has now managed to get Eppu Normaali, Finland’s biggest rock band, to perform in London, making headlines back home.

“We are of course very excited about organizing the event”, says Anu Laitila.

“The tickets were sold out in just two days!”

Eppu Normaali finish their “Klubiotteella” tour in London on Wednesday the 11th of March.

“The boys are coming here to rally the troops playing a gig at the 100 Club,” says Anu Laitila. “This gig is only Eppu Normaali’s second gig in the UK for 22 years! Their last gig was in Liverpool in 1986 where the European Broadcast Union hosted the event.”

Finns Worldwide now gives you an extraordinary and unique chance to see them live in the biggest capital in Europe. The venue for this spectacular evening is The 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street London, W1D 1LL. Doors open at 7.30pm. Don’t forget it’s sold out, if you’re a die-hard fan then it may be worth trying your luck!

For more information about Finns Worldwide and future Eppu Normaali tour dates log onto www.finnsworldwide.com

For more information on Core SAS please visit www.flysas.co.uk

Scan Magazine | Scan News

The Danish Club The Danish Club is gearing up for an annual tradition, which is the celebration of Queen Margrethe II’s birthday, taking place on Thursday 16th April. The Queen is the patron of the Danish Club, Dover Street, London, and it is from here that she will be sent her annual birthday greetings. This year the Club will serve champagne, celebrating in style with a black tie dinner and dance with a live jazz and swing band. This is a very popular event and last year 80 guests were in attendance.

“We are looking forward to meeting our members and guests and to celebrate this lovely evening together.”

The price for the evening is £62 and includes the champagne reception, a three course dinner, wine, coffee and all the entertainment. The Guest of Ho-

Spring Ball

Siri Sundal opens the ball.

Spring time is coming and what better way of celebrating than going to a ball?

It’s count down time for the Norwegian Spring Ball which is taking place on Saturday 28 March 2009.

Siri Sundal, a Norwegian native, having spent the last decade in the UK and currently working as a freight derivatives broker in London, is the promoter and initiator behind the ball. After losing her father to cancer in April 2006, she began thinking of something she could

nour will be H E the Ambassador Birger Riis-jorgensen.

Before this prestigious event The Danish Club will showcase the talents of comediennes Mette Lisby and Jo Brand at an evening full of laughter on the 11th of March. Jo Brand is considered to be Britain‘s best female stand up and central to the British alternative comedy movement. She works London’s alternative comedy circuit, and appears regularly on British television.

Award winning Lisby is a leading female comedian in Denmark, she has hosted the Danish version of ‘Have I Got News For You’ and performs her intelligent, witty and observational humour internationally with shows in Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg and Amsterdam.

“We are of course very pleased to have such a talented pair at the Danish Club and in particular Jo Brand, who

very rarely performs at private venues. I know that Mette Lisby is really looking forward to performing on the same stage with her,” remarks Lizette Bang, director of the Danish Club. “We are hoping for a fun filled evening with a good mix of people, members as well as non-members.”

120-150 guests are expected to enjoy a splendid evening. The price is £45 which includes a welcome drink, two course dinner, coffee and the show.

do in his honour as well as raising money for life-changing research “My father was a very sociable man, so the idea of a ball seemed to be the perfect event as it would have been right up his street.” No sooner said than done: Siri began contacting her large network of friends and contacts, one thing leading to another. She has always liked organising parties and used to get Norwegians together for “Fredags Pils”, meaning Friday drinks, as well as organising annual Christmas parties. Nevertheless, she had never organized a ball before and explained that she didn’t really know what she was doing “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help from my friends,” says Siri, emphasising her gratitude.

100 guests attended the first Norwegian Spring Ball held at The Dorchester on Park Lane and raised close to £12,000; the second held at The Landmark in Marylebone raised nearly £16,000 with 155 in attendance. This year the event is taking place at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, where Siri is hoping to beat her fundraising record.

“Having raised close to £ 28,000 over the last two years, we hope to make a good contribution to Cancer Research UK this year. Many might ask how can one hold a charity ball during such difficult financial times, but cancer does not care about the economic situation, and I’m hoping that we will again try to raise as much as we can. The more the merrier still applies, the more guests we are, the better the rate from the hotel and therefore the more money to Cancer Research UK.” The Norwegian Spring Ball is a black tie Dinner & Dance and tickets are £125 which includes a champagne aperitif and a three course dinner with wine. An auction and a raffle will be held on the night - with some great prizes including original artworks by Norwegian artists as well as Norwegian cheese and experiences. If you would like to sign up to the guest-list, bring family or friends, or organise your own table of 10 people, then please get in touch via Siri.

Queen Margrethe II

Sundal@gmail.com or log onto www.norwegianspringball.org for more information on this and future events.

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 63

Scan Magazine | Scan News

BLACK Presents:

Parties for Scandinavians in London

By Emelie Krugly | Photos: BLACK

BLACK is a unique nightlife concierge service based on the idea that once you reach a certain stage you should be treated in a certain way. That means no organising guest-lists in advance, no queuing outside in the cold and no paying entrance fees to get into the best clubs in London. Members have access to a dedicated concierge called 'The Oracle' who can deal with anything from the extravagant to the mundane and every week the Members meet for cocktails behind some of the most exclusive velvet ropes in London.

Patrick Drake is an entrepreneurial Englishman with a passion for Scandinavia.

We meet at Scandinavian Kitchen, which is right next to his office and where Patrick is a regular.

He begins by telling me about his background in law and finance and in particular how his ex-boss had a shocked look on his face when handed in his notice saying he was leaving for the clubbing industry.

“I was constantly looking for opportunities,” he says. “I have always wanted to set up my own business. During my time working in the City I also spent a lot of time clubbing and got to know many people in the industry, one of them being Nick House, the brains behind Nick House Entertainment, who offers consultancy on all areas within the bar, restaurant and nightclub industry. Shortly after that BLACK (www.blackcardlondon.com) the premium nightlife concierge service was born.”

64 | Issue 6 | March 2009

BLACK was set up as an invitation only service with one key ethos at its heart money was not to be a barrier to entry (membership is only £30 per month); rather, each application would be judged on its merits and the most interesting, sociable people asked to become members.

One Members' event started after feedback from our Scandinavian Members is the monthly party for Scandinavians at Whisky Mist, the Royals' favourite hangout at the Park Lane Hilton: “Scandinavians are great people, they are friendly and fun loving and they really love to party! Clubbing can be a quite pretentious experience and people can be cold and standoffish, but with Scandinavians in the room it changes the atmosphere. At the same time they are very driven and careerminded and hardworking people so it's a great way for them to let off some steam!” says Patrick expressing his admiration.

Patrick aims to make his Scandinavian events as authentic as possible in all manner of ways with give-away favourites like salty liquorice and Plopp Chocolate as well as flying in respected DJ's from Nordic countries. The staff even get in-

volved, often dressing in cheeky interpretations of stylish Scandinavian designs.

Not only Scandinavians are the guests on such nights, though, and F1's Jenson Button, Verne "Mini-me" Troyer, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and celebrities like Lily Allen and Guy Ritchie have also been on the guest-list.

The next Scandinavian event will be on Thursday 19 March, featuring a DJ from a new Danish club called "The Lot". Membership in BLACK is not necessary to go to the party and on arrival there will be a complimentary drinks reception to get things started. The event starts at 10pm, the address: Whisky Mist, 35 Hertford Street, Mayfair. The website for Blackcardlondon is www.blackcardlondon.com and all guest-list enquiries should go to patrick@blackcardlondon.com.

Scan Magazine | Culture Calendar

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

MARCH Howard Smith (until 25 March) Galerie Besson is pleased to announce the first UK exhibition of the Americanborn artist Howard Smith (b. 1928) who has spent over 40 years living and working in Finland. This exhibition will focus on three particular areas of his output: metalworks, masks and papercuts dating from 1993 to 2008. 15 Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London W1 T 020 7491 1706 Swedish Landscapes at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts (until 31 May) The Northern Lights exhibition traces the powerful tradition of Swedish landscape painting during the second half of the 19th century. Northern Lights offers a rare glimpse into an under-appreciated heritage. Landscapes lent by the National Collection of Sweden. The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of lectures, gallery talks, workshops and events for adults and children. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TS www.barber.org.uk/northernlights.html

untamed paintings inspired by the flamboyance of the Baroque era. Lise Malinovsky has exhibited throughout Scandinavia and Germany and in New York.

‘Painted Women’ is her first exhibition in the UK. The Danish Cultural Institute, 3 Doune Terrace, Edinburgh EH3 6DY. 0131 225 7189 www.dancult.co.uk Mon - Thurs: 9am - 4pm Friday: 9am - 3pm

The Danish Club: Comedy evening with Mette Lisby and Jo Brand (11 March) This is a one-off opportunity to enjoy a great night out with two top comic performers. Place: The Restaurant. Time: 7 for drinks reception Price: £45 (includes welcome drink, 2 course dinner and coffee). 40 Dover Street W15 4NP www.danishclub.com Nightwish (11 March) The internationally renowned Finnish symphonic metallers make a welcome re-

Lise Malinovsky (2 March – 30 April) In this new exhibition Danish artist Lise Malinovsky presents colourful and

turn to the UK with their astounding new singer, former ‘Alyson Avenue’ vocalist, Anette Olzon. Venue: Brixton Academy 211 Stockwell Road, London SW9. For more information www.o2academybrixton.co.uk and www.nightwish.com Eppu Normaali (11 March) The legendary Finnish rock band finish their club tour "Klubiotteella" in London.

Their last gig was in Liverpool in 1986 which the European Broadcast Union hosted. Venue: The 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street London, W1. Further information please contact Finnsworldwide: info@finnsworldwide.com

Jenùfa (12-21 March) Making his UK debut with the English National Opera, Eivind Gullberg Jensen will conduct the return of David Alden’s Olivier Award-winning production of Janacek’s 'Jenùfa'. English National Opera, London Coliseum , St. Martin's Lane, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4ES Aasa Marie Mollen (19 March) The Norwegian singer/songwriter’s music has been described as a cross between Coldplay and Joni Mitchell. She is taking part in the Portobello Acoustic Sessions in Notting Hill. Aasa, who reflects Nordic mythology in both sound and image, will be releasing her debut album ‘Angels & Stars’ this year. Her song ‘If I’ came second in The Song of the Year 2008 in the

Issue 6 | March 2009 | 65

Scan Magazine | Culture Calendar

USA. www.myspace.com/aasamusic Portobello Acoustic Sessions, The Metropolitan, 60 Great Western Road, Notting Hill W11 1AB, London

40 Dover Street W15 4NP www.danishclub.com

Happy Hour till 9pm. Address: Elixir Bar, 162 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BL. Tickets are £5 available at www.nnight.com and mingleplanet.co.uk About Tommy (31 March – 25 April) After critical success in Copenhagen and Berlin, this Danish play is being brought to London by Brother Tongue. About Tommy

by Thor Bjørn Krebs, translated by David Duchin, tells the tragicomic story of a young soldier trying to preserve his humanity. Based on true accounts of the war in former Yugoslavia, it is an irreverent exploration of how far we will go to make peace, when everyone else is determined on the opposite. Southwark Playhouse, Shipwright Yard, London SE1 2TF

The Affluenza Exhibition (19 – 28 March) The Affluenza exhibition, the brainchild of Norwegian photographer and artist Hege Sæbjørnsen, will open on 19 March, and includes the work of 38 different artists, five of whom are Norwegians. Opening hours: 10am to 6pm 187-211 St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1. All profits go to the charity Samaritans. Entry to the exhibition costs £2 and £8 to the talks.

Easter Fair (27-29 March) Come and enjoy traditional Finnish Easter food including mämmi, confectionary, mignon eggs and Easter decorations, in the specially extended café and dining area. Finnish Church in London, 33 Albion Street, London SE16 T 020 7237 4668

Trygve Seim (21 March) Acclaimed Norwegian musicians Trygve Seim, Frode Haltli and Rolf Lislevand will perform at King’s Place in a concert best described as a ‘journey through a landscape of hauntingly beautiful folk music, with Norwegian and Celtic traditions at heart’. King’s Place, 90 York Way N1 9AG, London Tickets: £25.50 / £20.50 / £15.50 / £9.50 via box office 020 7520 1490 Anssi Karttunen (21 March) Finnish cellist Anssi Karttunen's long collaboration with Tan Dun, who conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra, continues with their latest exploration of the composer-conductor's multimedia masterpiece. Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2 tel. 0845 120 7596 The Danish Club: Sunday lunch (22 March) Our popular Sunday lunches continue.

Time: 12.30 onwards. Price: £25, children £1 per year.

Booking: Joan at reception 020 7499 8581.

66 | Issue 6 | March 2009

Become a member of e Danish Club Located in Mayfair you will find this beautiful private members club that is open for social and business meetings all day from 8.30 morning till late night. You can enjoy the restaurants, the bar - the terrace is perfect in summer and spring.

For membership information please contact Lizette Bang.

Email: lizette@danishclub.co.uk Phone: 07545 11 9339 www.danishclub.co.uk

Team Denmark FC presents: N Night party @ Elixir bar (28 March) N Night parties are monthly parties with live bands for the Scandinavian crowd in London. The Elixir Bar is a stylish funky venue. Watch the amazing live performance by Sala, playing his own music and all the cover numbers we love! A great bar, reasonable prices, and special snack menu to save you the trip to the kebab house at the end of the night.

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