Interview with Anna Långström, Regional Manager for Central and Northern Sweden at the Swedish Export Credit Agency, EKN, who is a Principal Partner of Bünsow Business Growth Forum.
EKN has now decided to upgrade your involvement in Bünsow Business Growth Forum to Principal partner, why do you want to invest in the forum?
EKN has been a partner of the Bünsow Business Growth Forum for four years. It’s a good networking platform that gives us at EKN an excellent opportunity to meet companies and banks and to make valuable contacts. At the same time, we can increase knowledge about EKN’s financing offer and how we can help more companies to invest internationally.
EKN has had local representation in Sundsvall for a couple of years to support companies in the region. Now that we have chosen to step up our involvement in the Bünsow Business Growth Forum, it is entirely in line with our ambition to continue to strengthen our presence in the region.
What opportunities do you see with this year’s theme Northern Sweden in the World? How can you contribute to the discussions around this year’s theme?
Many companies in northern Sweden have an important role in contributing to the green transition. I want to talk financing with these companies and their subcontractors. When you talk about the transition, financing issues are as certain as electricity at the charging point. Northern Swedish companies are also making export investments in the defence industry. We are very much looking forward to being involved in various discussions during this year’s event.
How do you customize your services to meet the export credit needs of companies of different sectors and sizes?
– We have expanded EKN’s working capital guarantee to also be used by companies that are outgrowing their SME status.
– We have also customized the working capital guarantee for early-stage companies, which need financing to scale up their business.
– We can offer increased risk coverage of up to 80 per cent for green ventures – at home or the client’s venture.
– Our guarantees also apply to subcontractors of exporting companies.
These are some examples of how we have developed and broadened our services in recent years in response to the needs of companies and banks. EKN must always be relevant and available to companies of all sizes and sectors, including subcontractors to export companies, to listen to their various needs regarding export-related transactions. Through close cooperation and ongoing dialogue with companies, banks, and other export promoters, we have good information about what companies need.
What trends or changes do you see in the global situation that affect companies’ need for export finance?
With Sweden’s entry into NATO and the geopolitical situation, small and medium-sized export companies in the defence and security sector have seen increased demand for their products and services. As a result, EKN has also seen a greater influx of enquiries and applications for our credit guarantees in this type of transaction.