Polar Connect at Submarine Networks World 2026

On 23–24 September 2026, Polar Connect took part in Submarine Networks World in Singapore, an annual conference for the global subsea communications community.

The conference gathered more than 1000 participants from operators, suppliers, cloud providers, research institutions and public authorities across the international subsea cable industry.

Representing Polar Connect, Elizabeth Sandström Greenfield and Jonny Lundin from the Swedish Research Council/Sunet held a series of bilateral meetings with stakeholders from both Asia and Europe. The meetings provided an opportunity to present the latest developments in Polar Connect and discuss continued cooperation.

Jonny Lundin also gave a keynote speech that highlighted the challenges of protecting and armouring subsea cables in Arctic conditions.

The conference was a chance to strengthen international engagement and continue the dialogue with partners as Polar Connect progresses.

Per Nihlén

Organisation: Sunet, Swedish Research Council
Title: Chair of the Polar Connect Board and Chief Technology Officer

Per is the Chair of the Polar Connect Board. He serves as Head of Department at the Swedish Research Council, where he leads the development and operation of Sweden’s national infrastructure for research and education in networking and digital communication. With over three decades of experience in digital infrastructure and public-sector innovation, Per leadership has been instrumental in advancing high-capacity networks that support research collaboration, data-intensive science, and education across the Nordic region. Per is also Chair of the Board of the Foundation for the Development of Telematics, a grant-making foundation that supports the advancement of high-performance digital infrastructure in Sweden. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Netnod, representing the foundation as owner and contributing to the governance of Sweden’s critical internet infrastructure. Per has been a trusted advisor to government agencies, research institutions, and international collaborations.

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