On March 18, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania held its Annual General Meeting, where members reflected on the past year and made important decisions regarding the Chamber’s future. For this occasion, Chairman Jokke Nurminen shared his thoughts on the Chamber’s progress, challenges, and ambitions, highlighting key milestones and opportunities for growth. Please read his full remarks below:

Dear Members, Partners, and Supporters of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania,

2024 was a year of growth and recognition for our key events. The Banking Conference and Crayfish Party have firmly established themselves as our flagship events, organized solely by the Chamber. Additionally, the Sustainability Event, held in collaboration with other Nordic chambers, continues to be a major highlight. These three events not only attract the largest number of participants but also serve as significant revenue drivers for the Chamber. However, this does not diminish the importance of other events, such as Earth Day, business lunches, and, in particular, the much-appreciated Lucia Fika. In total, we hosted over 20 events in 2024, demonstrating our commitment to providing valuable networking opportunities for our members.

We are also pleased to note a strong increase in engagement across our social media platforms and email newsletters compared to the previous year, indicating that we are on the right track in expanding our reach and impact.

Despite these positive developments, we recognize that the current business climate remains challenging. Economic difficulties have been the primary reason for some companies leaving the Chamber in 2024, leading to a higher number of departures than new memberships. However, we remain committed to attracting new members with strong ties to Sweden while continuing to support and nurture our existing members through various networking initiatives. Our close collaboration with the Swedish Embassy remains a vital pillar of our work, and we will continue to strengthen this partnership to bring even greater value to our community.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to Karolina for stepping in as Acting Managing Director during Odilija’s maternity leave. At the same time, we warmly welcome Odilija back to her role.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the entire Swedish Chamber of Commerce community for your support and engagement over the past year. We look forward to continuing this journey together in 2025 and to see you at the events.

Best regards,
Jokke Nurminen