An Introduction

Sailors have always used stars to help them navigate unfamiliar waters. This image of reliability and direction is a chief reason why we chose a star for our logo: to demonstrate our commitment to providing impartial, reliable guidance to the Emerging Nordic region.

The analogy with sailing is also apt: at the heart of this region is the Baltic Sea, which has served as a major trading route for hundreds of years. The Hanseatic League, a medieval alliance of free cities, used the sea as a huge river, funnelling trade from the hinterlands of the Baltic Rim to Antwerp and England. Today, the sea is once again being touted as a major trading centre, with the EU designating the Baltic Sea as one of its key “motorways of the sea,” planned to carry a growing share of the EU’s freight over the coming decades.

Approximately 29 million people live within 50km of the Baltic coast. The area’s total economic output roughly equates to South Korea’s. With some of the richest and most dynamic European societies rubbing shoulders so closely within a single market, there is clear potential for a rapid convergence between their economies.

Historic trade patterns, like those formed by the Hanseatic League, are returning to direct this convergence. The financial sectors of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have already been integrated into the Nordic system, accelerating the development of new funding and investment opportunities for local companies It is our job is to illuminate the region’s “gems” - companies using their strengths effectively - and to chart their progress.