Think local: yvonne O’Reilly
Irish
“Open-minded approach” YVONNE O’REILLY: integration is a matter of choice and effort
The managing partner of Avanteam--an executive coaching and change management consultancy--has lived in the Grand Duchy since moving from Ireland in 1989, with her husband and while expecting their first child. Since then, her family has grown and O’Reilly’s career has taken her from Delphi Automotive Systems to State Street Bank, before she started her own firm last year. AG: What is your first recollection of there being a place called Luxembourg? YO: My first awareness that Luxembourg existed was my sister tuning into Radio Luxembourg. She had to do her homework listening to Radio Luxembourg. At the time, Luxembourg was associated with pop, music and buzz. Luxembourg has moved on a lot since then, but it’s still buzzing. AG: What was the biggest surprise when you arrived? YO: The real surprise for me happened when I started to look for a job. About six months after our first son was born, I really wanted to get back into professional life. I applied for two jobs in completely different fields than what I’d done before, just to test the ground. To my amazement, I was offered both jobs. This was a huge eye-opener for me. In Ireland, having worked as a teacher, I would have had restricted access to a change in career paths. Whereas in
40 - delano - March 2011
Resident in Luxembourg since the year the Berlin Wall fell, Yvonne O’Reilly gives her insight into working and living in the Grand Duchy. Interview: Aaron Grunwald — Photo: David Laurent/Wide
Luxembourg, at the time there was such an open approach to taking on and developing talent in the marketplace. AG: Do you think that has changed? YO: Despite the economic crisis, that has really moved and fundamentally changed the job market both here and abroad, I like to think there’s still this open-minded approach in Luxembourg to identifying and developing talent and potential, whatever the previous career background or academic experience. That’s been my experience. Because Luxembourg is such a small country, looking for talent from so many other quarters, I think we need to be that open-minded in our approach. AG: What is one of the most striking differences between Ireland and Luxembourg that you have seen in business culture? YO: I would say, in hindsight, that the Irish economy has grown on an enormous appetite for expansion, and for risk taking. Whereas in Luxembourg, I feel there’s no less ambition for growth and expansion, but there’s a much more prudent and risk-adverse approach to growing the economy. Clearly that strategy seems to be paying off comparatively well in Luxembourg. AG: Do you consider yourself an expat? YO: There’s always a touch of expat, clearly, when you haven’t been born and raised in Luxembourg. But it is really
home from home. Luxembourg has this wonderful blend of multicultural diversity, on the one hand. It also has these very vibrant pockets of national cultures, on the other hand. As an expat, you never really feel that far from your roots. In my case, I can say we have a very active Irish community. My family can easily have access to Irish music, dance, the Irish language, Irish sports and traditions. And my perception is that that’s actually rather similar for other nationalities. If you look for it, you can find your own culture embedded here within the Luxembourg multicultural environment. AG: What advice about integration would you give to newly arrived expats? YO: People are often concerned about integrating into a new country. I would encourage them to think about this as a matter a choice, and matter of effort. Once an individual makes a choice to move to a new environment, openness, adventure, and daring all play a part. And actually making an effort to find associations, find professional networks, find groups that you can be part of, and that you can contribute to. AG: What was your motivation to improve your Luxembourgish? YO: I have three boys, all born here in Luxembourg. They talk to each other in Luxembourgish, and were none too keen when I started to understand everything they were saying!