ADB Outlook

ADB Forecasts Developing Asia and the Pacific’s Economy to Grow 4.9% in 2024
Developing economies in Asia and the Pacific are forecast to expand this year as the region continues its resilient growth amid robust domestic demand, according to ADB’s flagship economic report.Policymakers, however, should monitor several risks. Escalating conflicts and geopolitical tensions could disrupt supply chains and amplify commodity price volatility. Uncertainty about US monetary policy, property market stress in the People’s Republic of China, and the effects of adverse weather are other challenges for the region

Arctic Business: Sveriges nordligaste inkubator för hållbara startups

Norra Sverige har länge varit en ekonomisk drivkraft för den svenska industrin och i den pågående gröna omställningen fortsätter området att utvecklas. Med fokus på de många affärsmöjligheter som finns i norr, hjälper inkubatorn Arctic Business hållbara startups att ta sina första viktiga steg mot framgång.

Läs mer https://www.nyteknik.se/sponsrad/arctic-business-sveriges-nordligaste-inkubator-for-hallbara-startups/4251472?utm_source=rule&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tech-v%C3%A4rldens%20%E2%80%9Dhuvudstad%E2%80%9D%20styr%20sp%C3%A5rvagnar%20%E2%80%93%20med%20disketter%20%E2%80%A2%20Bolaget%20vill%20bygga%20fem%20minireaktorer%20%E2%80%93%20har%20k%C3%B6pt%20mark&utm_custom%5Brm%5D=221873172

INSIDE ASIA’S POPULATION SHIFT

The past six decades have been marked by unprecedented population growth. By 2050, some 9.7 billion people are expected to inhabit the plant, but the number of working aged people will differ considerably around the world.  

This study explores three global trends – the working age shift, the elderly boom and the urbanisation wave – based on an analysis of 5,000 data points on demographic changes coupled with company interviews.

Zooming in on Asia, the report presents three future scenarios until 2050 that will impact economic growth and the prospects for Swedish exports in the years ahead.    

Three Quick Ones -Daniel Hörnqvist CEO Frank Dandy

3 quick questions to Frank Dandy about moving production to Sri Lanka

Since 2017, Daniel Hörnqvist has been the CEO of the Swedish fashion brand Frank Dandy. When he took over, he brought with him extensive experience from e-commerce and the outdoor market. This included responsibility for the launch of the e-commerce brand Bikester in the Nordic region in 2013. In 2015 he took on a position as board member at Frank Dandy before moving on to an executive role. One of the most important decisions in recent years for Frank Dandy has been to move manufacturing to Sri Lanka.

What is Frank Dandy’s market position?

We address a clearly defined target group between 20 and 30 years of age outside the metropolitan areas. The target group has a desire to achieve high personal goals and we provide secret superpowers to enable that. This promise permeates all our communication, not at least the visual. We are mainly present in the Nordic region and work with the same brand position in all geographical markets. A solid sustainability practice is also extremely important to us, especially from an employer brand perspective. Frank Dandy is affiliated with the initiative Better cotton and we only use recycled polyester in our swimwear. I would also like to mention our ownership program for our employees.

Why did you move manufacturing to Sri Lanka?

The decision to move manufacturing from China was made with the experience of the pandemic and in light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. We needed to increase our geopolitical preparedness. I had met lot of positive mentioning about manufacturing in Sri Lanka and as well had my own personal experience from a surf trip a few years earlier. Since the move to Sri Lanka, our experience has been consistently positive. The Sri Lankan manufacturing industry is technically advanced, and we can follow the manufacturing of our products in real time from Sweden. The Sri Lankan manufacturing industry’s sustainability ambitions are high, both in terms of renewable electricity use and in the development of sustainable wastewater systems from production. The country is buzzing with growth and the high level of education is evident in everything.

What has the membership of the Sweden-Sri Lanka Business Council meant?

The membership was an incredible door opener when we were in the process of evaluating whether to move manufacturing to Sri Lanka. It helped us build relationships that I don’t think would have been possible otherwise. To spread our risks, we moved our manufacturing gradually and without the support of the SSLBC it would have been much more complicated.