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neither is strictly a business network, they conduct business through their activities. Languages can restrict people from being able to penetrate certain groups. The GCGD (Golf Club Grand Ducal) offers a network, although it is a sports and social club by definition. Getting close to high-level executives in a relaxed setting is certainly part of the game, and the number of members who don’t play golf attest to the fact that there are other reasons for belonging. Mr Guy de Muyser, President of the Executive Club and Mr Philippe Cahen, Vice-President, are both nongolfing members. In fact, extending the connections, Mr Jean-Philippe de Muyser is on the board of the GCGD and, with his wife, manages the restaurant and bar. He also happens to be the son of the President of the Executive Club.
A need for a suitable place A physical place can be the means for a network. Georges Wagner has been Director of Cercle Munster since Cercle Munster asbl was created in 1983, and the club opened its doors in September 1984. He saw a need for a suitable place where people from businesses, the financial sector and trades could meet. The goal was to make a real club environment, and in this respect, Cercle Munster is highly regarded. “We are a social, business and cultural club,” says Wagner. “What we do is provide a structure for both the private and business lives of our members. Approximately 75% of the function of the Cercle is business and about 25% is private. Real business occurs within the Cercle. We offer a place for business meetings and business functions. Papers are signed within our four walls.” But it is also in an elegant setting for weddings and dinners. The Cercle offers an opportunity for members to meet other high-level people but, “not from the political arena,” Wagner says. “We have people from the University, from Arcelor, from companies like Luxair and Cactus, but we do not have a lot of people from the government.” He puts this down to the fact that members of the government are used to getting many things for free. Cercle Munster is not free. To become a member a person must be put forth by two existing members. The nomination then goes to the committee of five people and the voting must be unanimous. The club charges both an entrance fee and an annual fee and there are currently 1,460 members, which is quite a high number for Luxembourg so one cannot really say it is an “exclusive” club. There are 90 women members and Wagner says they are very proud of their female representation. One of the advantages of membership in the Cercle is the free affiliation members have with
160 worldwide clubs. This is a mutual exchange so that Cercle members can go to affiliated clubs in Washington, Paris and London (for example) and members of those clubs can visit Cercle Munster. In terms of international networking, that kind of exchange is about as good as it gets. Although women are free to wear what they like, there is a set dress code for the men that involves a jacket and tie and guests must also adhere to this. Fifty ties are kept at the club to be lent in an emergency. “We started the Cercle for business,” Wagner says, but “We saw very quickly that there was a demand for culture. We wanted to offer more so that people could be proud of their club and have something to offer their guests.” Now, they organise a once a month concert and have exhibitions for artists. “We encourage young musicians and exhibit artists. This is good for the club as it makes the atmosphere much nicer. It is good for the musician or the artist because it offers him/her greater exposure to an international audience. And all this is good for the member.” One of the problems, as anyone who lives in the Grund area will tell you, is the lack of parking spaces, and the refurbishment of the Abbaye Neumünster does not make the situation any better.
A place to strengthen relationships Perhaps the best way to assess a club is to ask a member like Schonenberg. He says he loves Cercle Munster. “They are a great private club with a terrific ambiance. They are a great place to discretely network because they have a membership list of exceptional quality.” He says he would rate the Cercle, “Very favourably with other private city clubs.” Schonenberg considers himself a good judge as he belongs to a private club in London and he used to belong to a private club in the US (with global reciprocal rights). “It’s a place where you can relax and entertain with high quality service and privacy.” In his opinion, “Private clubs are not generally a good place to meet people you do not know, unless you have someone who is an insider with you to make an introduction, but they are a great place to strengthen established relationships.” “It is not a place where you can meet the Prime Minister when he is having a drink at the bar. It is a place that people of a certain level agree to meet for a specific purpose at a specific date and time to conduct social/business activities in a refined atmosphere of exceptional quality. In this regard, it is the only game in town.” || Mary Carey
Some Key Networks in Luxembourg* Elite Social Networks The Executive Club Cercle Munster Table Ronde Luxembourg Golf Club Grand Ducal Business and Finance Networks The Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce American Chamber of Commerce Nobelux The Economist Club First Tuesday Luxembourg Luxembourg Business Angels Network Project Management Institute (PMI) Chambers of Commerce The British Chamber of Commerce Chambre Française de Commerce et d’Industrie au Luxembourg Chambre de Commerce Chinoise-Luxembourgeoise Chambre de Commerce Luxemburgo-Chilienne Chambre de Commerce d’Espagne au Luxembourg Camera di Commercio Italo-Lussemburghese Chambre de Commerce Suisse pour la Belgique et le Luxembourg Social Networks Lions Club Luxembourg Rotary Club Benelux Research and Development Networks IRC network – International technology transfer in Luxembourg: – EIC Trier, the Trier partner in IRC Luxembourg-Trier-Saarbrücken EUREKA in Luxembourg: a network for market-oriented industrial R&D and innovation * This is NOT an exhaustive list. It is representative of a cross-section of key networks that focus on business, indirectly generate business, or offer valuable connections, even though they exist in very different guises.
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