The Swedish Club ended its 2021 AGM on a high note as it looked ahead and welcomed the future. For the second time in its history the AGM was run virtually from Gothenburg, with members and business partners joining the event remotely. This closes a chapter for The Swedish Club, as plans are already in place for the 2022 AGM, which will take place in Gothenburg and will be a celebration of the Club’s 150th Anniversary.

Lars Rhodin, Managing Director of The Swedish Club, used his address to remark upon the challenging and volatile year faced by the whole industry in 2021. The Club emerged strong and ready for business, with a profit of USD 3 million and free reserves at record levels. It posted a record combined GT for owners’ and charterers’ entries of GT 88 million for P&I and was proud to have achieved one of the highest ever retention rate of members at renewal.

The Club welcomed two new members to the Board, Ms Yu Tao, Deputy Managing Director of COSCO SHIPPING Lines Co., Ltd. and Mr Andrew Hampson, Chief Executive Officer of Tufton Investment Management Ltd. Ms Yu Tao joined the COSCO group in 2004 holding the role of Deputy Managing Director of COSCO SHIPPING Lines Co., Ltd. since 2014. Andrew Hampson joined Tufton in 2001 and is a member of the investment and advisory committees for various of Tufton’s asset backed funds.

(from left to right:) Per Settergren, Secretary of the AGM; Lars Rhodin, Managing Director of The Swedish Club; Lennart Simonsson, Chairman of The Swedish Club; Åsa Lindell, Moderator.

Opening the AGM Lars Rhodin said: “The Swedish Club is all about adding value. We add value in the way we handle claims, in the way we support our members in minimising claims, and in our role as industry advisor in insurance related matters. We aim to follow this approach and, as always, go beyond the AGM with a programme which will still be ambitious, inspirational and thought provoking.”

He then introduced chief psychiatrist, author and TV host, Anders Hansen, who asked: ’Are you brainfit?’ In a topic uniquely suited to current circumstances Hansen demonstrated how physical activity can increase our brains’ capabilities, discussed the effects our new digital lives have had on our brains and our health, and explored the actions we can all take to improve our well-being and performance.

Lars Rhodin concluded the Club’s 149th AGM by expressing his thanks to members and staff for their support during the last 18 months and began the countdown to the Club’s 150th Anniversary year in 2022.
Source: The Swedish Club