6 NYT FRA DANMARK - UK SEKTION Jyden i City Jens Torpe forlod for tre år siden en sikker og økonomisk givtig karriere for at kaste sig ud som selvstændig og etablere sin egen business avis, City AM, der på blot tre år har overhalet Financial Times i oplag. Forskellen mellem de to aviser er, at Financial Times koster penge at købe, mens City AM er gratis og uddeles i London City og Canary Wharf. Af samme grund bliver den 58-årige Jens Torpe af kritikere kaldt en ”pirat” fordi hans gratisavis truer betalingsaviserne på såvel oplag og annoncer. Men Jens Torpe afviser kritikken. Han påpeger, at han med City AM blot har øget antallet af avislæsere og spørger, om det ikke er godt i en tid, hvor der ellers bliver færre mennesker, der holder avis ? Desuden har Jens Torpe hørt det hele før. Med City AM i London gentager han blot, hvad han som direktør i Metro International gjorde fra 1999 til 2004. Her stod han i spidsen for at introducere den gratis Metro avis i 16 forskellige lande. ”Det var en fantastisk oplevelse at være med til. For hvert land tog vi ud og fik som det første fat i en sekretær, der kunne tale en- noter som ung arbeJDeDe Jens torpe som ”roaDie” på rolling stones europa turne i 1970 Den danske modeskaber Jens Laugesen, der efter ti succesfulde år i de franske modehuse slog sig ned i London og skabte sit eget ”//JENS_LAUGESEN” fashion modemærke, har smidt håndklædet i ringen og lukket sit firma. Det sker for at få tid og ro til at finde en økonomisk investor og partner, for den unge talentfulde modedesigner har erkendt, at det er for hårdt at fortsætte alene med den dag-til-dag finansiering, han hidtil har kørt med. ”Pausen skal bruges til at finde den rigtige investor, som forstår hvad det vil sige investere i mode. Jeg har haft forhandlinger med flere investorer, mens jeg forberedte modeshow, men det var ikke de rigtige, og jeg havde for travlt til at give det tilstrækkelig opmærksomhed,” forklarer Jens Laugesen. Travlt har han stadig, idet Jens Laugesen nu er engageret som konsulent i andre modeprojekter. ”Huslejen skal jo stadig betales, og der skal brød på bordet,” tilføjer han. NYT FRA DANMARK l NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 gelsk. Så fandt vi et trykkeri og begyndte at ansætte folk. Og hver gang blev Metro avisen en succes,” fortæller Jens Torpe med svag jysk accent. Men i dag har han valgt at arbejde for sig selv. ”Jeg har altid troet på ideen med en gratis avis i London City med nyheder om økonomi, business og finans. Her tjener læserne 2 ½ gange mere end hvad man gør uden for City, og det gør vore læsere attraktive for annoncørerne. Det kan også ses ved, at vi jo i modsætning til alle andre ikke har oplevet nedgang men fortsat har vækst,” påpeger han. Bag City AM står en række internationale investorer, men Jens Torpe har også selv skudt en anselig bunke penge i City AM. ”Egentlig var jeg for gammel til at starte noget nyt. På den anden side indså jeg, at skulle det være, så var det nu. Og det har vist sig at være en fornuftig men også ambitiøs beslutning, for London er nok det sværeste sted at starte en ny avis,” forklarer Jens Torpe. Han tilføjer, at City AM ikke er som de andre gratis London-aviser. Dertil er City AM’s læserne for kræsne og har adgang til mange af de seneste nyheder på deres arbejde. Af samme grund har avisen en større journalistisk stab end normalt. Og i modsætning til stort set alle andre engelske aviser slutter City AM’s redaktion først efter midnat. Derfor kan avisen have de vigtigste finansielle nyheder fra USA med i næste dags avis. I sit job som administrerende direktør for City AM fortsætter Jens Torpe sin karriere i medieverden. Han var tidligere direktør i TV3, først i <strong>Danmark</strong> og siden for hele Skandinavien. moDeskaber HolDer pause ny Danes WorlDWiDe uDnævnelse Kaj Worsøe Jensen er Danes Worldwides (tidligere Dansk Samvirke) nye repræsentant i London. Kaj Worsøe Jensens opgave bliver at synliggøre Danes Worldwides tilbud overfor de mange danskere i den britiske hovedstad, og få det danske netværk til at gro. Kaj Worsøe Jensen kom til London i 1960 efter en uddannelse i ØK. Gennem årene har han skabt sig en stor kontaktflade i England. Netværket kommer ham til daglig til gode i jobbet som administrerende direktør i rekrutteringsvirksomheden Overseas Executive Consulting (OEC). OEC har specialiseret sig i at hjælpe danske virksomheder, der gerne vil etablere sig på det britiske marked. “Og dem bliver der flere og flere af,” fortæller Kaj Worsøe. CAleNDAr oF eveNts 2008 26 November 2008 Danish Design: An evening with Bang & Olufsen Venue: B&O’s Knightsbridge Store Time: 18.30 27 November 2008 Nordic Thursday Christmas Drinks: Glogg & Aebleskiver Venue: Scandinavian Kitchen Time: 19.00 12 December 2008 DUCC Annual Christmas Lunch Venue: Radisson SAS Portman Hotel Time: 12.00 2009 22 January 2009 DUCC Advisory Board Dinner Venue: Royal Danish Embassy (Private Residence) 26 February 2009 Nordic Thursday Drinks Venue: Scandinavian Kitchen 5 March 2009 Danish Design - Focus on Furniture Venue: Royal Danish Embassy 1 April 2009 Annual Easter Evening Buffet - Including an introduction to the Danish press in London Venue: The Danish Church 15 May 2009 AGM and Annual Dinner Venue: Merchants Taylor’s Hall 10 Jun 2009 Joint Nordic Event: Private Equity /Active Ownership Venue: London Stock Exchange 8 July 2009 Annual Summer Cocktail Party Venue: Royal Danish Embassy RESCHEDULED NEW Nordic Thursday Drinks take place the last Thursday of every month at the Radisson SAS Portman Hotel. We are in addition to the above scheduled events still waiting for a few dates and venues to be confirmed. Please stay updated by visiting www.ducc.co.uk regularly. The Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce 55 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SR +44 2072596795 info@ducc.co.uk · www.ducc.co.uk Dear Members and non-Members We are fast approaching the end of the year and it is time for our Members to renew their Membership of the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce for another year. The DUCC promotes business between Denmark and the United Kingdom and Global investments into Denmark and the majority of our activities are centred on this area. Nevertheless, speaking with one of our Individual Members recently, a director of a global organisation in the City, I was delighted to hear that she felt that the value from the three annual traditional events alone was “well worth her Membership subscription” despite having limited professional interest in trade between Denmark and the United Kingdom. Individual membership is a rapidly increasing membership category and it was especially encouraging to hear her views on the three traditional events: “The DUCC Annual Dinner is a grand evening in the good company of intelligent professionals in elegant surroundings.” “The Summer Cocktail Party is the chance to pay my annual visit to the Embassy! This year in the Ambassador’s Resi- Ducc cHristmas luncH We are delighted to invite our members and friends to our annual DUCC Christmas Lunch on the 12th of December 2008 at 12noon. The lunch will take place at the Radisson SAS Portman Hotel and the Danish Church will deliver their famous Danish Christmas Buffet, a menu which includes: Starter, cold and hot buffet, cheese and ris a la mande. The beer is from Carlsberg, the akvavit is from “Aalborg” and the “mandelgave” is from Anthon Berg. There will be Christmas songs, raffle and entertainment throughout. Following the lunch a traditional English pub has been rented for those who wish to continue the afternoon with a few pints. dence, it was again an extremely interesting and enjoyable evening – attended by over 100 guests – many of whom were Danes working for global institutions like myself or Danish entrepreneurs in the UK as well as Directors of UK-based Danish companies” “I am now looking forward to what I have heard is a spectacular afternoon with the DUCC at their annual Christmas Lunch on the 12th of December 2008 for which I hear 150 people have signed up to enjoy an afternoon full of Danish tradition” Members and Non-Members on this note it is our hope that you, like this Member, will take the opportunity to join the biggest Christmas Party for Danes in London in 2008. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to be invited or if you are interested in Membership of the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce. Martin Mortensen Executive Director Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce - 55, Sloane Street - London SW1X 9SR Tel.: + 44 (0)207 259 6795 - Mail: info@ducc.co.uk - www.ducc.co.uk Ducc aDvisory boarD The Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce would like to take this opportunity to thank the founding members of the DUCC Advisory Board, which was launched at a dinner at the Residence of H.E. the Ambassador of Denmark Mr. Birger Riis-Jorgensen. In addition to the launch the Advisory Board met twice during 2008. We have been extremely delighted for the number of companies who joined this exclusive membership category and for the financial support of the Danish Chamber. In 2009 the Advisory Board will meet three times. Once for dinner at the Residence of the Danish Ambassador, who fully support this initiative, and twice at two of the fellow DUCC Advisory Board Members. The purpose of the Advisory Board is to provide guidance and advice to the Council of the Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce and its overall strategy and organisation. The Dinner at the Ambassador’s Residence will take place on the 22nd of January 2009. Per Troen Chairman Birger Riis-Joergensen Ambassador NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 l NYT FRA DANMARK DUCC 7