One Big Thing

“One big thing.” The concept is similar to a Big Mac and is, as a matter of fact, American. Since his arrival in Stockholm two years ago as American ambassador, Michael Wood has focused all his embassy’s energy on a single objective: to identify the innovative Swedish companies within the alternative energy sector – Sweden is at the cutting edge within this field – and put them in contact with American investors.

“The embassy’s employees know that I don’t go anywhere unless there’s a link to this objective and I only give a speech if I can talk about it.” Jaws clench amongst the ranks of career diplomats, some think that the ambassador, an ex- business man, is setting himself up for a nice new position. He doesn’t give a damn.

Parachuted into Stockholm as a personal friend of George Bush – they were at school together, – Michael Wood found himself working as a diplomat at a time when the United States needed to restore their tarnished image in Europe. By posting old friends in several capital cities, Washington made it clear that these ambassadors would have the president’s ear.

Three projects

For six months Michael Wood consulted to find out what to do. He came up with a list of fifty ideas, which he whittled down over time so that he was eventually able to suggest three projects to his friend, the president: bring Sweden into NATO, promote democracy in the ex-USSR with Sweden’s help or develop alternative energy sources. Sweden in NATO? the Swedish will never join, assured the president. Promote democracy in the East? “We were unsure whether Sweden and the United States had the same concept of democracy” eluded Michael Wood, diplomatically. That only left climate change and alternative energy sources. Michael Wood , as a good friend, tried to convince them that President Bush was genuinely concerned about these matters.

The Swedes showed more scepticism at first. But that’s how the “one big thing” concept was born, and it has since served as an example to other American ambassadors.

In October the ambassador published his fourth list of innovative Swedish companies, there being 52. Investment is already on the way in the fields of aeroplane fuel, bio gas, wood fibre resin and bio diesel. Factories are already opening in the United States.

Michael Wood will throw in his towel on the 20th January, when President Bush leaves the White House. And, owing to the crisis, he knows that his successor will certainly have a harder time coming up with funding.