Delano June 2014

JUNE 2014

UNDERSTANDING LUXEMBOURG CURRENT AFFAIRS • BUSINESS • LIFESTYLE

GARY HAYCOCK

LUCY ZINI ENAZ

G DENIS E RYAN

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EDITORIAL

XAVIER BETTEL AND JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER Results show swing to CSV away from coalition parties

Write to PO Box 728 L-2017 Luxembourg Offices 10 rue des Gaulois, Luxembourg-Bonnevoie ISSN 2220-5535 Web www.maisonmoderne.lu CEO Mike Koedinger Innovation, quality and operations director Rudy Lafontaine HR director Thierry van Ingelgom Administrative and financial director Étienne Velasti

PUBLISHER

Christophe Olinger

Phone (+352) 29 66 18-1 Fax (+352) 29 66 19 E-mail publishing@maisonmoderne.lu Publishing director Mike Koedinger Editor in chief Duncan Roberts (duncan.roberts@maisonmoderne.lu) Desk editor Aaron Grunwald (aaron.grunwald@maisonmoderne.lu) Contributors Neel Chrillesen, Stephen Evans, Tonya Stoneman, Wendy Winn Photography Julien Becker, Sven Becker, Benjamin Champenois, Annabelle Denham, Steve Eastwood, Mike Zenari Proofreading Muriel Dietsch, Sarah Lambolez

Elections

BUCKING THE TREND

DESIGN

Phone (+352) 27 62 12 62-1 Fax (+352) 27 62 12 62-84 E-mail studio@maisonmoderne.lu Director Guido Kröger Art director Cassandre Bourtembourg Studio manager Stéphanie Poras Layout Sophie Melai (coordination), Sara Giubelli, Jan Hanrion, Zoë Mondloch, Nathalie Petit

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Note to our readers The next print edition of Delano will be published on July 2. For news updates and our weekly what’s on guide, visit www.delano.lu.

Text by Duncan Roberts

F

or better or for worse, Luxembourg tends to buck the trend in all things political. The unprecedented post-war run of power enjoyed by the CSV, the 18 years that Jean-Claude Juncker enjoyed as prime minister, the formation last autumn of a coalition government that shunned the largest party in parliament--all these things rarely happen in other countries. And now Luxembourg has again done its own thing by giving the CSV an astonishing victory in the European Parliament elections.

Voters regularly use the European elections to register a protest against the incumbent government, often to the advantage of parties on the extreme wings of the political spectrum (as witnessed, for example, in the UK, Denmark, Greece and France).

But to reward Luxembourg’s traditional party of power just eight months into the new regime’s term of office is a gentle slap in the face for the Bettel-Schneider government.

The 37.65 percent polled by the CSV was more than double the score achieved by the second-placed Déi Gréng, who did the best (or least worst) of the three coalition parties. The LSAP lost a 7.7% voter share while the DP also suffered a fall of 3.88%.

That can partly be explained by the fact that Luxembourgers want to see Juncker

as the next president of the European Commission--though many CSV supporters would surely want to retain him in the Grand Duchy as the leader of the opposition with a view to winning the national elections in 2019. After all, the CSV hardly has another candidate with as strong a personality to challenge the still popular Xavier Bettel.

Bettel, who personally congratulated Juncker, said he didn’t think that the European Parliament elections results had anything to do with the way the three coalition parties ignored the CSV when forming a government last year. That is slightly delusional. If the vote was solely about Juncker and the wider European picture, then the LSAP, and to a lesser extent the DP, would not have suffered such a dramatic loss in vote share and “alternative” parties like the Piraten and Déi Lénk would not have made such gains.

But those gains indicate another bucking of the trend in Luxembourg--one that Bettel also quite rightly praised in his analysis of the results. The Grand Duchy has sent to Strasbourg six politicians who are deeply committed to the European project and none whose agenda is to sabotage the union from within. For that, at least, Luxembourg’s electorate deserves some congratulations..

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CONTENTS

CURRENT AFFAIRS

LIFESTYLE 10

56

JUNE 2014 Wellbeing at work

Why de-stressing at the office is good business

Rail wars

Opposition is mounting to the capital’s tram plans 08

46

48

EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

Candidates candid at Amcham 16

DANISH CLOSING

54

SPORTING CHALLENGE

Volunteers take to the field 64

KIDS

The great outdoors

Copenhagen shutters Lux. embassy 19

THEATRE PREVIEW

Feitler’s finale

U13 TOURNEY

Rugby brings out best behaviour

REGULARS BUSINESS

24

40 THINK LOCAL

FATCA fracas

Carlotta Benedetti The Italian interior architect explains why she is helping launch a women’s networking group

Overseas Americans hit

by US tax act 30

SOLVENCY II

Insurers poised for action 34

FORTRESS EUROPE

Can EU cloud really work?

36

EASY AS RICE

Recipe for coding success

66

COVERSTORY

MY OTHER LIFE Benoît Bail A copyright specialist produces an authentic new drink in Luxembourg… his own rum.

ACCESSIBLE ORIGINALS Three international architecture and interior design professionals are out to improve life and help business in Luxembourg

JUNE 2014

5

CURRENT AFFAIRS Metaform

MEAN STREETS

DEN ATELIER UNVEILS H6 VENUE PLANS Den Atelier has unveiled plans for its new H6 concert venue, located inside the LuxExpo trade fair halls. The new venue will have capacity for an audience of 3,500, which is the size that is currently missing in Luxembourg--den Atelier in Hollerich has a capacity of 1,000 and the Rockhal’s main hall can hold up to 6,500 people. As its name suggests, the flexible mode venue will be constructed as a box in a box within the confines of Hall 6 at LuxExpo. Designed by Metaform atelier d’architecture, it comprises a main stage, auditorium with a bar and a balcony area with a second bar. Den Atelier says it plans to host its first concert at H6 in April 2015.

But the Hollerich venue will continue to operate for smaller capacity concerts and den Atelier will still use the Rockhal in Esch-Belval for gigs by bands that attract a larger audience than the H6 capacity. “It is no secret that we have been looking for another venue for years,” says den Atelier co-founder Laurent Loschetter. Indeed, plans to move into the former slaughterhouse in Hollerich--currently a skater park--had to be dropped following protests from local residents worried about noise and nuisance. There are no such fears connected to the LuxExpo site. www.theH6.lu

The Ville de Luxembourg has taken the desperate measure to close down streets to traffic in an effort to combat prostitution in the area around the rue de Strasbourg. The lower part of the rue de Strasbourg as well as the rue Heldenstein and part of the rue de la Fonderie have been closed to vehicles between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. City mayor Lydie Polfer paid a visit to the streets along with prime minister Xavier Bettel, minister for security Étienne Schneider and minister of justice Felix Braz to see for themselves the problems on the street. Local residents and business owners have long complained that the streets in the area are lawless, with drug dealers and prostitutes operating openly. A call for more police patrols in the neighbourhood has done little to help and residents on the rue de Strasbourg Facebook page have taken to publishing photos of the worst indiscretions, including images that appear to show fights and intravenous drug users shooting up.

PATRICK KLEIN

JACQUES SANTER

JOHN E. DOLIBOIS

DAVID GOLDRAKE

The German quiz show contestant wrongly answered “Trinckgeld” (tip) rather than Bettel (beggar) as the surname of Luxembourg’s prime minister.

Xavier Bettel invited Klein to Luxembourg and he then raised €800 for Fondation Follereau Luxembourg.

The former Luxembourg prime minister and president of the European Commission was called as a witness in the Bommeleeër trial. Just days before his 77th birthday, Santer presented a somewhat confused testimony under examination from lawyers.

The former US ambassador died in Cincinnati at the age of 95 on May 2.

Born in Luxembourg, he emigrated to the US at a young age and was later instrumental in setting up the Miami University European Centre in Luxembourg, which now bears his name.

The illusionist is heading out to Reno in Nevada for a short-term residency this summer while preparations are also in full flow for a major European tour with his Imaginarium show, which kicks off with a series of dates in Germany in December.

6

JUNE 2014

CURRENT AFFAIRS

VOTING PETITION FALLING SHORT

Christophe Olinger

So far, just over 1,400 people had signed Pierre Da Silva’s petition on the Chambre des Députés website calling for non-Luxembourgers to be given the right to vote in national parliament elections. Da Silva, a union representative, launched the petition on April 17 in response to a petition submitted by ADR politician Joé Thein ten days earlier “against opening up the vote to non-Luxembourgers.” Thein’s ­petition has so far only been signed by just over 600 people. Thein, a 22 year old ­student and a local councillor in Petange, wrote his petition as a reaction to plans announced by Xavier Bettel’s government last autumn to hold a referendum on ­foreigner’s voting rights in 2015.

But Da Silva’s petition, logged as no. 346 on the Chambre’s website, has been granted an extension after it was resubmitted on May 2--petitions are usually kept open for six weeks, so the new deadline is June 13. The petition is still 3,100 signatures short of the 4,500 required to force a debate with members of the relevant parliamentary committee and a maximum of six petitioners. www.chd.lu

STUDENTS INVITED TO TALKS

Christophe Olinger

European Council

Student representatives have been invited to take part in a sitting of the parliamentary commission on higher education when it meets to discuss a reform of financial aid packages for students at university. The decision follows a mass protest in May in the capital city against planned reforms by minister Claude Meisch, which would significantly reduce the amount of aid granted to students.

Members of the student action committee that launched the protest, as well as representatives of student bodies the UNEL, ACEL and LUS will be invited to the meeting, which will take place in private. May’s protest attracted some 15,000 students calling for Meisch to scrap law bill 6670, which would introduce means testing for certain student grants and also a mobility grant for those studying abroad.

WARSAW SUMMIT

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, deputy prime minister and economy minister Étienne Schneider, foreign minister Jean Asselborn and finance minister Pierre Gramegna paid a state visit to Poland. The royal couple was received by Polish president Bronisław Komorowski (seen here toasting the grand duke) and his wife. Respects to World War II dead were also given.

Separately an economic delegation promoted the Grand Duchy’s investment and insurance markets, while business leaders in Kraków touted its outsourcing sector.

Ministerial talks included the EU “neighborhood policy”. March marked the 15th anniversary of Poland joining NATO and the country joined the EU ten years ago last month.

Poles are the 10th largest foreign nationality living in Luxembourg.

“I WILL NOT BE ON MY KNEES BEFORE THE SOCIALIST PARTY” JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER

HIGH-SPEED SOUTH

SPAIN PAIN

DUBLIN RETAINED

CFL boss Marc Wengler has suggested that TGV trains offering a direct high-speed rail link between Luxembourg and Marseille and Montpellier could be operational in the spring of 2016.

UEFA has told the Luxembourg football federation FLF that it cannot play its home Euro 2016 qualifier against Spain at the decrepit Josy Barthel stadium. The FLF has until June 6 to find a suitable alternative venue.

Luxair has announced that it will retain its direct route to Dublin for the winter timetable. The schedule of four flights a week--on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays--remains unchanged.

JUNE 2014

7

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Marc Angel and Sven Clement

Peter Milne and Carlo Di Giambattista

European Parliament elections

CANDIDATES ENGAGE

Candidates take a selfie following the debate

With non-Luxembourg EU citizens r­ esident in the Grand Duchy now able to vote in the EP elections regardless of their length of residency, the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg decided to ask representatives of local parties to engage with its members and guests at a meeting in Strassen.

The event, in association with Delano and European Parliament Information Office in Luxembourg, took place with just over month to go before the polls.

Candidates from six parties showed up for the debate, including Gina Árvai (Déi Gréng), Sven Clement (Piratepartei), Marc Angel (LSAP), Claude Radoux (DP), Roy Reding (ADR) and Fabienne Lentz (Déi Lénk). The debate covered topics ranging from voter turnout to youth unemployment, the EU budget to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Treaty negotiations. DR

Roy Reding and Paul Schonenberg

The town hall debate was held at the Centre Barblé in Strassen

More photos online: www.delano.lu/EuropeDebate2014 Photographed by Benjamin Champenois

Delano cover star Cátia Gonçalves with Brigitte Hvolot

Philippe Schockweiler and Philippe Backes

Maxime Rohe, Mélanie de Oliveira and Marija Spokaite

Claude Radoux, Mark Entin and Marc Angel

8

JUNE 2014

Roberto Fonseca

New Season 2014/15

Autour du monde The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma | Ana Moura | Roberto Fonseca Omara Portuondo (special guest) | Lo’Jo | Buika Malick Pathé Sow & Bao Sissoko | Le Trio Joubran | Kathryn Tickell & The Side Subscription 6 concerts: 126 / 171 / 216 € (< 27: 84 / 114 / 144 €) Information & Billetterie: (+352) 26 32 26 32 // www.philharmonie.lu

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Public transport

RAIL WARS: TRAM PLANS DIVIDE OPINION The unveiling by the government of new plans for the 16-kilometre long tram system that will eventually connect the Cloche d’Or and Findel airport has been greeted enthusiastically by supporters, but opposition to the largest building project undertaken in Luxembourg is also growing.

Text by Duncan Roberts Photography by Steve Eastwood

10

JUNE 2014

CURRENT AFFAIRS

ANDRÉ VON DER MARCK Tram will improve quality of life

T

he war of words over the public transport system for Luxembourg has heightened following a presentation of the “new vision for the tram” by minister for sustainable development François Bausch and Luxtram. While the project in its new form has won praise from the likes of Luxembourg City mayor Lydie Polfer, opponents of the tram plans have voiced their concern that the project is being presented as a fait accompli by the government. The newly formed Innovatioun Öffentlechen Transport 2015 association as well as some opposition parties argue that the project, which will be the largest building project undertaken in Luxembourg, is one that the country can ill afford. “They want to start building the tram in 2015, a year in which ­Luxembourg has the presidency of the European Union [in the second six months of the year], where we will have a budgetary hole from the loss of ­e-commerce, where we will be restructuring the financial centre because of new banking regulations. And they want to rip up the city centre at the same time,” says Sven Clement, president of the ­Luxembourg Piraten Partei.

But André von der Marck, the director of Luxtram, founded in 2007 by the state and the Ville de Luxembourg to manage the tram project, says that the tram is a necessary improvement for the capital city’s transit system. “We are trying to improve public transport in the city by introducing a tram that can be more efficient, carry more people, more environmentally friendly and more attractive. It should also improve the quality of life in the city by making public space more attractive.”

Avoiding mistakes That is questioned by opponents, who have come up with figures suggesting that the tram will not relieve traffic problems between the Gare and Kirchberg districts. “The capacity is

TIME SCALE

5,500 passengers per hour, but we already transport 4,800 passengers using buses,” says Clement. “When the tram is built, there is no room to expand its capacity.”

Von der Marck acknowledges the opposition to the project and says he welcomes debate on the tram plans. “It is always difficult to construct a new tram system in any city. Nobody wants to make a mistake, so a long period of planning and reflection is necessary. It requires a very complicated building project that implicates a whole range of actors in the city.”

Further opposition to the tram has come in the form of a successful petition to parliament submitted by Philipp Bützow that had garnered over 7,000 signatures by May 26. The petition called for a stop to tram plans and for a referendum to be held on the project. Many see the arguments made by Bützow as a last chance to halt the project. “When the fait accompli is achieved, there will be no stopping the tram,” says François Colling, an engineer and former CSV

If the project is approved by parliament, work will first begin on the section of tram between the Pont Rouge and LuxExpo, which should be completed by 2017--lanes along the avenue J.F. Kennedy are already in place for the tramlines. Work on the remainder of the network should be completed by 2020 or 2021.

JUNE 2014

11

CURRENT AFFAIRS

ROUTE PLANNER The tram lines includes 24 stops

parliamentarian who co-founded the ­Innovatioun association with two colleagues. “It is clear that it is not our plan to suggest ripping up the tram tracks once they have been laid. We want to have a structured debate before the tracks are laid,” adds Clement.

Innovatioun Öffentlechen Transport 2015 has already submitted alternative plans to relieve the capital city of its transport problems. The landmark alternative would be a cable car that would directly connect the city’s main railway station with the Kirchberg. “The cable car solution we are proposing is not the answer to the problem in itself. Other things need to happen,” says Colling. It solves the problem of how to get between the station and Kirchberg, but not the problem between the station and the city centre or congestion on the motorways. “But the tram doesn’t solve the motorway problem, either.

If they really want to keep cars out of the city, they could introduce a congestion charge like they have in some other European cities. It does not cost much and is effective. What is more important is also a complete restructuring of the city bus system.

If you have fewer cars, that could work.”

The tram route includes nine stations at which passengers can change modes of transport between tram, bus, train and--at the extremities of the network--car at Park & Ride facilities.

Bausch says that the new tram line will connect the most important areas of economic development in the capital city--from the Cloche d’Or and the new Ban de Gasperich development (where PwC is building its new headquarters) via the existing commercial centres around the station and the upper city to the continually expanding Kirchberg (to which KPMG and EY are relocating) and the area around Findel which is also undergoing some dramatic change.

“This is not a tram system that has been planned without proper thought,” says von der Marck.

“On the contrary, the tram is a spine that not only serves the five major development areas but from which passengers can easily transfer to other modes of transport.”

12

JUNE 2014

“THE TRAM WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE REAL COMPETITION TO THE CAR” ANDRÉ VON DER MARCK

In von der Marck’s native Strasbourg some 300,000 journeys are made by tram every day along the 57 kilometres of track. The passenger target for the Luxembourg tram on the stretch of track between the station and LuxExpo is 75,000 journeys per day.

Competition to the car Add to that the extensions to Cloche d’Or and the airport and von der Marck expects over between 100,000 and 110,000 trips to be made by tram when the network is completed.

“To achieve that, the tram will have to provide real competition to the car. It must offer passengers a quicker journey than they would have by using their car for the same distance, a similar level of comfort they have in their car, and it must be cheaper to use than the car. And if the majority of people use public transport, that will leave more space on the roads for those that cannot use public transport, such as ambulances, and make traffic more fluid. If we do nothing, then in the future traffic will flow less freely than today.”

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Source : Luxtram

KIRCHBERG CONNECTION The tram aims to ease access for commuters heading to the plateau

Polfer says that the interchange stops along the route are very important as part of the city’s transport concept to encourage commuters to use public transport. She also welcomed the plans to extend the tram network to the Cloche d’Or and Findel, reiterating the verdict of the Council of State on the original plans that building a small section of tramline in the centre of the city made no sense.

Perhaps the most important interchange will be at the Pont Grande-Duchesse Charlotte, the so-called Red Bridge, where, says Bausch, up to 6,000 train passengers an hour from the north and south of the country will be able to alight at a new station planned for the train line in Pfaffenthal and take a funicular up to the Kirchberg plateau, where they can board the tram to continue their journey. Opponents argue that the Pfaffenthal station is a waste of money, because it cannot handle all passengers who will commute from the south of the country--some 80,000 people a day, they claim--because only four trains an hour can stop to discharge passengers. “They will still have to change at the main station and travel through the city centre,” says Colling.

A vocal opponent to the tram during her first tenure as mayor in the 1990s, Polfer says one aspect that helped change her mind is the fact that new battery technology would allow trams to travel through the city centre without ­requiring overhead cables. “The tram will travel along the most beautiful street in our city, the avenue de la Liberté,” says Polfer. “The decision to power this section without catenary overhead lines is very important. And it might even mean the tram costs less, because erecting the cables and posts for the overhead lines would cost money and time, and takes away space. We want people in the city to have as little inconvenience as possible.”

But opponents argue that inconvenience is inevitable and that the new battery technology makes the project more expensive and the size of the batteries required could also affect passenger capacity. “In addition, the cost of the tram carriages has not been included in the budget of the project,” says Clement. “Our estimates are that this will add a further 60 to 200 million euros to the budget. We can’t simply build a project that costs one billion euros.”.

FRANÇOIS COLLING AND SVEN CLEMENT Want to halt fait accompli

JUNE 2014

13

Delano aDvertorial

Maison Moderne Content Marketing Interview

To be read is every adverTiser’s dream

In 2014, Maison Moderne launched its agency specialising in content marketing. Advertorials and sponsored news are effective solutions for advertisers.

T

o celebrate its 20th anniversary, Maison Moderne has announced the launch of an agency specialising in content marketing. What are your goals?

Mike Koedinger: Over the past 20 years, we have gained extensive experience of media and of quality content publishing across multiple channels of distribution, as well as recognition in both journalistic and editorial design circles and, last but not least, the trust of our readers.

Now, thanks to this background and to our media brands, which are firmly established in Luxembourg, Maison Moderne has decided to pursue its diversification strategy by developing its content marketing services. These are aimed at companies and institutions wishing to communicate effectively and put across more complex messages than can be conveyed by traditional advertising.

To that end, we have formed a team of experts in content strategy and have joined Custo, the Belgian federation of agencies specialising in content marketing, with the aim of promptly becoming the number one agency in this field in Luxembourg.

One increasingly hears about content marketing. Is this the latest fashionable trend among marketers?

Guillaume Vanoutryve: As Jeremy Leslie, an international authority in the world of media and magazines in particular, blogger, lecturer, consultant and creative director of our agency is fond of saying, “content marketing has always existed.” In any event, the very first magazine that Mike Koedinger founded was basically a content marketing vehicle (Nightlife.lu, for the launch of the biggest nightclub of the era, Ed.). Such services are therefore not new to Maison Moderne. We have always put our editorial expertise at the service of our clients for

Show a team from a different perspective, that is also what content marketing is about

the production of books or magazines in their name. But more than a trend, we believe that it is nowadays indispensable for a brand to build a content strategy. To tell a story with a coherent, continuous and sincere approach in order to establish a relationship of trust in the long term rather than trying to sell a product or a service at all costs.

What tools can you offer to brands that want to tell their story rather than sell at all costs?

Charlotte Clemens: In practice, there are many forms of content marketing. Depending on the requirements and the expectations of a client, it can take the form of a magazine, an anniversary book, a blog, an internal paper, a newsletter, an institutional film, computer graphics, etc. The very interview that you are reading right now is a content marketing product that is particularly effective in our magazines: an advertorial.

What do you mean by an “effective advertorial”?

Guido Kröger: An advertorial created by Maison Moderne is an article or an interview ordered by an advertiser. Unlike a traditional advertising page, which interrupts the reader’s flow, an advertorial is perfectly tuned to its medium, being designed to be in keeping with the graphic design codes developed by

our artistic directors, who have also developed the design of the magazine.

Jérôme Rudoni: Apart from the graphic design aspect, the editorial angle that is adopted invites the reader to take an interest in the content for a lot longer than he would on the message conveyed by an advertisement. Our advertorials are therefore effective because they are read, and vice versa.

MK: It is important to emphasize that under no circumstance do we try to mislead our readers. Like any media brand, we have built a unique relationship with our readership through an implied reading contract based on the fundamental values of each of our magazines. In order to ensure that we respect this contract, our readers are warned with utter transparency that this is an advertorial rather than a press article.

You did not invent the concept of advertorial. What added value can you provide in this field?

MK: We have been working in the publishing field for 20 years. We think like publishers and we treat the clients of our advertisers above all as readers. This is an essential condition to guarantee quality content and this constitutes the primary strength of Maison Moderne on the market. Moreover, if one takes the example of an advertorial published in Delano, I should mention two important and differentiating aspects

Delano aDvertorial

Many Maison Moderne projects have won awards on the international scene. City Mag, the most successful, has won no less than 11 awards.

“The sTorIes ThAT we TeLL on behalf of our ClIents benefIt froM the CredIbIlIty of our publICatIons” that work in our clients’ favour: targeting a 50,000-strong English-speaking community in Luxembourg, which guarantees them a high degree of visibility, and the transfer of credibility from the publication to the brand image of the client. Basically, this means that our readers trust us.

An advertorial is a print format. Is there a digital equivalent?

JR: We know that more and more content is consumed online. So of course, our advertorial format has its digital version. At Maison Moderne we call this our Sponsored News.

On delano.lu for instance, Sponsored News is published in the midst of press articles and is sent out to 10,000 subscribers. For our clients, this represents instant visibility, but also a particularly interesting advantage in terms of referencing on the net, since the article is also referenced on the delano.lu site.

In concrete terms, if a company wishes to commission an advertorial, what is the process?

GV: It all begins with a meeting of course.

We need to jointly determine the messages to be conveyed. Then, we organise an interview with one of our specialist copywriters.

Usually, we schedule a photography session at the same time with one of our partner photographers. A few days later, the advertorial is ready for publication in the media of Maison Moderne, such as paperJam or Delano for instance.

To conclude, what would you say to advertisers who are a bit sceptical?

JR: I would simply make an observation. If you have read this advertorial to the very end, you have just spent around 10 minutes in contact with the Maison Moderne brand.

That’s a dream for many advertisers.

sponsored news benefits from the credibility and the potency of Maison Moderne’s web publications. This is very important when it comes to seo.

KiKi riCKi

The Luxembourg Agriculture Association magazine, which is aimed at a young audience, is an outstanding example of Content Marketing.

ConTaCT Us

If you want to commission an advertorial or sponsored news in our media, contact Guillaume Vanoutryve on (+352) 29 66 18 – 65 or by e-mail on guillaume.vanoutryve@maisonmoderne.lu

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Nordic community

DANISH EMBASSY CLOSES The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to shut down several embassies in Europe. From August onwards, Danish interests in Luxembourg will be managed from Brussels.

Text by Neel Chrillesen Photography by Annabelle Denham

I

t’s sad and rare to have to close an embassy and of course the decision to do so is preceeded by elaborate considerations. Our embassy in Luxembourg is just one of 25 Danish embassies affected by the reform decided by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” explains Louise Bang Jespersen, ambassador of Denmark to Luxembourg, who will soon be covering that mission from Brussels.

LOUISE BANG JESPERSEN (SPEAKING ON RIGHT) Still covering Luxembourg

DOCILE DANES

The fact that Denmark is no longer represented in all European countries is considered by a number of Danish business organisations to be a “strange message” to send out and a ­danger to exports. A Danish poll (by A&B Analyse) also showed that 60% of Danes thought it important for their country to be represented as widely as possible.

However, Danes in countries directly concerned by the new reform seem much less worked up. Only in Switzerland has a petition been organised against the embassy closing… and 165 signatures collected.

16

JUNE 2014

The reorganisation was announced in January 2014 by the newly appointed Danish minister of foreign affairs, Holger K. Nielsen (weeks before he and his Socialist People’s Party walked out of government). It was met with criticism from organisations like the Confederation of Danish Industries.

Danish embassies in Cyprus, Switzerland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Libya will also close, while new ones are being opened in Nigeria, Colombia and the Philippines (considered important growing markets), as well as in Myanmar (to support democratisation).

Several other Danish missions will be downsized and a few others reinforced.

“The world is changing, economy too, and resources are limited. We have to adapt, and as a small country we know how

important it is to remain flexible,” she says.

The closing of the Danish embassy in Luxembourg, after nearly 40 years, follows that of Sweden’s in 2010. Finland will now be the only remaining Nordic country to have an embassy here.

There are currently 2,000 Danes living in the Grand Duchy, and even though diplomatic and consular affairs will now be managed from Brussels, Bang Jespersen has given assurances that everything has been set up to minimise the effects brought on by the change. “We will come here twice a year with a ‘biometric passport suitcase’ and our long time vice consul here, Luxembourgish lawyer Roland Assa, will [assume] a more active role to assist the embassy in Brussels. From there, we will of course continue to reinforce our relations with Luxembourg and work on everything we’ve built here. The political, economic and diplomatic collaboration will not change. As for global PR, the branding of Denmark through cultural events, conferences and so on, will of course become less intense. However, we have a strong and dynamic Danish community here and partners like the Danish Church or the Danish Association who will take over some of the events in which Denmark participates, like the Relais de la vie or the Fête du vélo.”

To explain the upcoming changes and the reasons behind them, the Danish embassy recently held a public meeting in Luxembourg City’s Danish Deli. Not a seat was left empty but no one came to complain.

Vicky Popp Fredslund, priest of the Danish Church in Luxembourg, captured the general opinion pretty well: “It’s really a shame that the embassy is closing but the way things are being handled is reassuring.

It’s a good thing that it’s ‘our’ ambassador who is taking over Brussels, because she already knows Luxembourg well, she has the connections and she’ll continue the work she’s done here. Plus, we can still count on her to come and open our Christmas bazaar! ”.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS

Road safety

CROSS-BORDER MOTORISTS TO STILL FACE THE MUSIC Speeding tickets and other driving offences can continue to be pursued across EU borders for at least one more year, although a new system must then be introduced, Europe’s top court has ruled.

Text by Aaron Grunwald

russels has less than one year to re-write the rules on cross-border traffic offences, but member states can continue to share data on bad drivers under the present regime during that time, Europe’s top court has ruled.

In 2011, the European Council and European Parliament adopted an EU directive, that went into effect last year, allowing member states to “access each other’s national data concerning vehicle registration in order to determine the person liable for” certain types of traffic offences, according to the European Court of Justice.

However, the council and parliament changed the European Commission’s original proposal.

The commission had wanted the policy to be issued under European transportation rules, but the council and parliament text changed its “legal basis” to police policy. Citing this shift in gears, the commission then asked the ECJ in Luxembourg to annul the directive.

Last month the Kirchberg judges agreed with the commission. “Measures to improve road safety fall within transport policy. Both in respect of its aim and its content, the directive is a measure to improve transport safety and should therefore have been adopted on that basis,” the ECJ stated. “The court also points out that the directive is not directly linked to the objectives of police cooperation, in so far as they cover, first, the framing of a common policy on asylum, immigration and external border control and, second, the prevention of crime, racism and xenophobia.”

The ECJ ruled that the commission, council and parliament have until May 6, 2015 to finalise a “new directive based on the correct legal basis (that is to say, transport safety)”.

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JUNE 2014

A French speed radar panel says: “You are driving 5 Km/h” Cha già José/Creative Commons

B

Until that time, the current information exchange system can continue to be used by member states.

In addition, the court ruled that the European council and parliament should pay the commission’s court costs.

The directive does not harmonise national driving laws, the European Commission stated in a November 2013 report. Rather the rules allow traffic safety agencies across the EU to share details electronically in the pursuit of eight types of road safety offenses: speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, not stopping at a red traffic light, drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs, motorcyclists not using a crash helmet, using a restricted lane, and illegally using a mobile device while driving.

According to the commission, “a driver of a car registered abroad is three times more likely to commit offences than a resident driver.”

The commission also said that “non-resident drivers account for 5% of the road traffic in the EU, but around 15% of speeding offences,” with the figure reaching up to 50% in France during peak driving periods.

The case was C-43/12 (Commission v Parliament and Council)..

" THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT OFFENCES" EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPORT

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Debbie Cecchini, Sara Gallinelli, Paula Hagermark, Heien Rogers and Stella Le Cras

RCL vs Hagondange

RCL team spirit

Sport

TOURNEY BRINGS OUT TOP PLAYERS… AND BEST BEHAVIOR

Dominique Sweetnam and Paul Sweetnam

A Rugby Club Luxembourg player during the 8th annual J.P. Morgan International U13s Tournament

Graham Goodhew and William Fagan

The skies were sunny, the pitch was dry and the players were gentlemen, albeit quite young ones. The 8th annual J.P. Morgan International U13s Tournament was the most successful to date, reflecting the growth and popularity of this sport which is becoming increasingly international. Not only did the tournament attract teams from as far away as Italy and Ireland, but it was real eye-opener too. Rugby, it turns out, is a well-behaved sport! “Players have got to stick to the laws or there would be chaos,” says Graham Goodhew of organisers Rugby Club Luxembourg. “Players have to use their minds as well as their bodies--they have to show respect and discipline, they have to be team players.” And so they were at Michel Wagner stadium in Weimerskirch last month, where nine teams from six different countries met up. The players were small for rugby players--but then again, the U13 stands for under-13s. Goodhew adds that, along with the senior teams, there are groups for under17s and even under-7s here in Luxembourg. WW More photos and highlights from the event at: www.delano.lu/U13tourney2014

Hagondange lost to Boyne in the final

Photographed by Benjamin Champenois Luxembourg and Irish teams pose for a joint photo

David Lowe, Alex Patrick Prigent, Alex Van Zeeland and Mick Fox

JUNE 2014

19

BUSINESS OFFICE VACANCIES DOWN

Shardayyy/Creative Commons

Luxembourg’s office property market started to rebound, with tightening supplies expected through 2015, says CBRE, a commercial real estate brokerage firm. From January through March of this year, 34,000 square metres of space were signed, 11% higher than the first quarterly average during the 2009 to 2013 period. This year less than 7.5% of new office space will be available to new tenants, with the rest pre-leased or occupied directly by the developer, CBRE warns.

NETFLIX TO LAUNCH IN LUXEMBOURG

REVENUE SLIPS

EARLY TAKE OFF

First quarter operating profits were down 6% at Luxembourg media giant RTL Group. Revenues were dragged down by poor performance in the French and German TV markets. However Dutch TV and online video advertising revenues across Europe were up.

After just under two months as head of Asia-Pacific, Robert Song left Cargolux on May 23. The carrier says he may sign on as a consultant. Regional sales chief Kevin Shek took over for Song, a former advisor to HNCA, which owns 35% of Cargolux.

JUNE 2014

JOBSEEKERS, JOB ADVERTS BOTH RISE

Cargolux

Financial Times

LOSS NARROWS ArcelorMittal saw sales rise slightly the first three months of 2014.

The steelmaker posted a loss of $0.12 per share, down from $0.21 for the first quarter of last year. “The prospects for growth… are encouraging,” says CEO Lakshmi Mittal (right).

20

Luc Deflorenne (archives)

Netflix was founded in 1997 offering DVD rentals by post in the US. Its streaming service started in 2007, and launched in the UK and Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in 2012, and in the Netherlands last year. It will also begin service this year in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Belgium.

Netflix will relocate its European HQ to Amsterdam, likely in the beginning of next year, Xavier Bettel, the Grand Duchy’s prime minister, told parliament. The office had been set up in July 2011. Luxembourg’s government tried to dissuade Netflix from moving, Bettel says. He suggests that the video stream firm had faced recruitment challenges in the Grand Duchy.

PjotrP/Creative Commons

Luxembourg is gaining a popular American video streaming service, but losing its European regional headquarters. Netflix says it will launch in Luxembourg “later this year”, and move its European headquarters from the Grand Duchy to the ­Netherlands. Although it produces its own TV series, Netflix does not hold international distribution rights to all the movies and programmes in its library. The company says it will announce “pricing, programming and supported devices… at a later date.” The Silicon Valley-based firm already claims more than 48 million members, who watch “more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month.”

Both the unemployment rate and the number of job postings are up this year in Luxembourg, a pair of reports say. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.1% at the end of April, up from 6.8% in April 2013, reports employment bureau ADEM. Separately, first quarter help wanted adverts were up 7% compared to the fourth quarter of 2013, ­according to recruitment firm Robert Walters. Big gains were seen in IT, secretarial and financial services roles, while fewer marketing and logistics posts were advertised.

The Grand Duchy has joined the African Development Bank, pledging an investment of €25 million over eight years. The aid will be directed at supporting development of “renewable energy and the financial sector,” according to Luxembourg’s finance ministry. Members such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde “are countries of special focus for Luxembourg’s cooperation on the continent,” says Pierre Gramegna, the Grand Duchy’s finance minister (photo, right). “Luxembourg’s membership is an additional testimony that the [ADB] is very attractive,” says its president Donald Kaberuka (left). The bank has dedicated capital of more than $130 billion and top-notch AAA credit scores from four major ratings agencies.

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UP ONE NOTCH

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Luxembourg Ministry of Finance

BUSINESS

Luxembourg is the world’s 11th and Europe’s 6th most competitive economy out of 60 surveyed for this year’s World Competitiveness Yearbook.

Swiss business school IMD (pictured) compiles the annual rankings based on “statistical indicators” and “an exclusive IMD survey of 4,300 international executives” that “looks at perceptions of each country as a place to do business.” While the Grand Duchy gained one global slot over last year, it still fell short of its pre-crisis standings, notes the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates the survey here. Luxembourg was 4th most competitive worldwide in 2007 and 5th in 2008. This year the US, Switzerland, Singapore and 4th placed Hong Kong held the top slots. Other European countries in the worldwide top ten were Sweden (ranked 5th), Germany (6th), Denmark (9th) and Norway (10th).

WHO WORKS IN THE GRAND DUCHY? .Jessica Theis (archives)

In 2012, about 30% of the Grand Duchy’s labour market participants were Luxembourgers and 70% were foreigners, according to figures from Luxembourg statistics bureau Statec and social insurance auditor Inspection Générale de la Sécurité Sociale. That ­proportion has remained more-or-less the same for more than a decade.

Here are top foreign nationalities (excluding the 10,400 employees of international organisations such as the EU and NATO).

ONLINE RETAILER KEEPS GROWING American e-commerce firm Amazon continues to hire and has opened a third office in Luxembourg, says paperJam (Delano’s sister publication).

The company has operated its European HQ in the Grand Duchy for a decade and now has close to 1,000 staff here, with roughly half the posts added since 2012, the magazine reports. Last month the firm quietly added a Kirchberg location (it also has sites in the Grund and Clausen, pictured). Recently Amazon has gotten a public beating over its use of cross-border tax shelters.

However, it could rightly claim not to be a so-called “mailbox firm” here, since its headcount makes it one of Luxembourg’s top 50 employers.

France 87,800

Portugal 47,800

Italy 8,800

Poland 2,800

Belgium 42,000

Germany 40,200

Netherlands 2,600

UK 2,200

ALL OTHERS Former Yugoslavia 2,100

Spain 1,700

Czech Republic 800

16,400

JUNE 2014

21

BUSINESS

Nedthesh Sarma, Selvaraj Alagumalai and Chander Ananda

Deputy prime minister Étienne Schneider speaking with IBCL board member Vijay Goyal

Katia Bezerril, Anita Kohli and Antoinette Probst

Trade and investment

INDIAN ATTRACTIONS A business group marked a milestone by hearing a promise from Luxembourg’s deputy prime minister that his cabinet will retain the country’s economically friendly policies to remain attractive to foreign investors from countries like India. Companies need “predictability”, Étienne Schneider said during the Indian Business Chamber of Luxembourg’s fifth anniversary celebration. “I’ll tell you right now: no business unfriendly decisions will be taken by this government,” he told IBCL members on April 28. The LSAP politician was addressing fears within Luxembourg’s business community that the Grand Duchy’s growing budget deficits will be balanced with increased taxes.

A free trade agreement between India and the EU is “expected to be signed soon” that should include the opening up of services, government procurement and investment markets to Luxembourg firms, noted IBCL chief Sudhir Kohli. AG

Dominique Santana and Terry Niesen

Luxembourg ambassador to New Delhi Gaston Stronck

More photos and highlights from the event at: www.delano.lu/IBCL5th Photographed by Benjamin Champenois Speakers at the IBCL 5th anniversary event Vera Soares and Intikhab Alam

Noelle van Lonkhuyzen, IBCL chief Sudhir Kohli and Virginia Anderson Indian honorary consul to Luxembourg Ambi ­Venkataraman, sitting ­between Indian ambassador to the EU Manjeev Singh Puri and Étienne Schneider

22

JUNE 2014

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BUSINESS

FATCA

EXPATS FIGHT TAX ACT

It has prompted America’s Republican Party to petition the Grand Duchy’s ambassador to the US (and dozens of other ambassadors in Washington) with a request that Luxembourg not cooperate. Its repeal is now part of the Republicans’ official campaign platform for this autumn’s congressional elections (and they stand a good chance of winning).

Last month the branch representing the party’s expatriate members, Overseas Republicans, hired a prominentlawyer to challenge the federal government, claiming its provisions run afoul of the US constitution. Because of it, Americans living outside the US are reportedly being blacklisted by local banks; and thousands are handing back their US passports to escape its reach.

It is the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. FATCA has also been a source of concern for the Grand Duchy’s financial sector since the law was passed in 2010, with many in the industry here arguing it imposes unreasonable costs on firms and breaches EU and Luxembourg privacy laws. The act requires nearly every financial institution in the world to provide information to the IRS, the US tax office, on anyone with links with the US or face a 30% withholding charge on US revenues.

But what does it mean for Americans living in Luxembourg?

Text by Aaron Grunwald

24

JUNE 2014

BUSINESS

AMERICANS LIVING ABROAD

IRELAND 21,489

UK 189,000

NETHERLANDS 23,986

GERMANY 94,600

BELGIUM 14,603

A

mericans living abroad have until June 15 to complete their tax returns, explains Roland Sabates, a tax attorney with H&R Block in Kansas City, Missouri. One in seven Americans pay the consultancy to prepare their tax filings, making it the largest such service in the world, the company says.

Technically speaking, “FATCA doesn’t really change anything” for overseas Americans’ taxes, he says, but there are consequences nonetheless.

“It’s going to be the same tax return, the same taxes for them.” The challenge is that FATCA is part of a crackdown on overseas Americans’ tax compliance and most US citizens are simply not aware of their obligations.

There are roughly 7.6 million Americans living outside the US, and all of them are legally liable to report and pay taxes to Washington. The US is “the only country other than Eritrea that requires its citizens to report annually regardless of where they’re living,” says Sabates.

But the tax attorney says only about one million Americans actually do so. “The number of expats who are not filing is much greater than those who actually are filing,” even though “a lot of the time, you won’t have any tax liability and it’s an exercise in paperwork” (see box on next page).

Sabates gives an example of “someone born in the US when their parents were studying there; a lot of time they’re finding out [as an adult] they’re US citizens and the tax obligations that go along with it.” Former permanent residents, and sometimes people who just lived legally in the US, are included in the definition too. Many others are simply spouses or children of expatriates.

The chance of the IRS conducting an audit on an individual are relatively low (see box on next page), but penalties can run up to 25% of owed taxes, according to the agency.

LUXEMBOURG 1,295

FRANCE 100,000

Sources: Eurostat, German Statistical Office, Office of National Statistics (UK), Statec (Luxembourg), US State Department estimates; 2011 or latest year available.

Fines for not declaring bank, brokerage or retirement accounts with a balance of more than $10,000 can be $10,000 per violation, says Sabates. “The IRS has not been aggressive, but the discretion they wield is frightening. The amounts can add up quickly.”

Luxembourg and Washington have inked an intergovernmental agreement allowing the Grand Duchy’s banks and investment funds (called “foreign financial institutions” or “FFIs” in US government lingo) to automatically provide data to the IRS via Luxembourg’s government. The deal awaits ratification by the Grand Duchy’s Chamber of Deputies.

Yet some Americans are already getting the cold shoulder treatment from risk-averse financial organisations.

One American in the Grand Duchy--who did not want her name or home state to be mentioned in an article about the IRS nor for her financial institutions to be named--says the paperwork can be overwhelming. Her husband is a national of another EU country, and she claims their financial accounts in his native land have been “red flagged”, requiring them to repeatedly answer questions by the bank’s compliance officer and provide additional documentation. This American also struggled for several

HEALTH INSURANCE

US president Barack Obama’s health reform law (popularly known as ObamaCare, but officially the Affordable Care Act) that took effect in January requires all Americans to have an approved insurance policy or pay a penalty, which is collected by the IRS, America’s tax agency.

Technically Americans living abroad are still subject to the rule and subject to the fine, says H&R Block’s Roland Sabates.

However, Americans can request an “exemption” on next year’s tax return by proving they are covered by an official health system in another country, such as Luxembourg’s Caisse Nationale de Santé.

In addition, Luxembourg and the US have a bilateral social security agreement, the tax consultancy says, which means that Americans do not have to pay into America’s compulsory pension system if they’ve already paid into the Grand Duchy’s.

JUNE 2014

25

BUSINESS

AMERICANS RENOUNCING CITIZENSHIP

1,001 1Q2014

679

460

1Q2013

1Q2012 Source: US Treasury Department

$ 97,600 Americans can exclude nearly €72,000 of salary earned in Luxembourg from their individual US federal income taxes.

In certain cases, up to $45,100 in housing expenses can also be excluded.

Source: IRS

IRS TAX AUDITS OF AMERICANS ABROAD

9,614

Oct. 2010 - Sept. 2011

5,177

Oct. 2011 - Sept. 2012

3,003

Oct. 2012 - March 2013

Source: US Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration

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JUNE 2014

months to find a bank in Luxembourg willing to let her open a basic account, she recounts.

An American living in Austria received this notice from one of the largest financial institutions in Europe: “Please note that it is not possible to open or maintain a brokerage account with us if you are a US citizen or Green Card holder, have a US contact address, or any other connection to the US.” American Citizens Abroad, a lobby group in Switzerland, reports numerous cases of Americans “having problems with opening or keeping local bank accounts, because FATCA was making it administratively cumbersome and perhaps risky for foreign banks to have US citizens as clients.

Employees of some of the banks confirmed that this was their policy.”

In a paper issued last year, the group also cites four wealth management companies in Germany and one in Sweden, two brokerage firms in the Gulf region, and a Swiss gold bullion storage site have all turned away Americans for the same reason.

“Those banks which did accept American clients were imposing restrictions on the kinds of investments that they could make,” the association states.

A spokeswoman for the US Treasury Department tells Delano: “Others have claimed that FATCA will make US citizens outcasts in the financial world. But since FATCA withholding applies to the US investments of FFIs whether or not they have US account holders, turning away US account holders would not enable an FFI to avoid FATCA. We are working to better inform FFIs that closing accounts wouldn’t help them avoid FATCA’s due diligence requirements.”

Some Americans are plunking down the $450 renounciation fee in hopes that shedding their US passport will solve their problems, even if that does not let them completely off the hook.

“FATCA is modern day Sophie’s Choice,” says Solomon Yue, Jr. of the Oregon Republican Party, who speaks for expats on the party’s national committee. “Overseas US citizens are forced to choose between their love for their country by not renouncing citizenship and welfare of their families by providing for them.”

In the 2013 fiscal year, 2,414 Americans renounced their US citizenship, more than dou-

ble the annual average the previous decade.

Two thousand out of a population of more than 300 million is not statistically significant; proportionately it would be like four people in Luxembourg giving up their nationality. But the number still represents a big jump, and appears to be rising.

According to the most recent Federal Register data, 1,001 Americans renounced their citizenship during the first quarter of this year. That is up from 679 during the first quarter of 2013, and 460 during the first quarter of 2012.

“We don’t speculate as to why people renounce, as the decision is personal and they are under no obligation to tell us,” says a spokeswoman for the US embassy in Luxembourg.

The US Treasury Department spokeswoman states that: “Individuals that have used offshore accounts to evade tax obligations may rightly fear that FATCA will identify their illicit activities. Yet a decision to renounce US citizenship would not relieve these individuals of prior US tax obligations, and might well create additional US tax obligations for certain citizens and long-term residents who give up citizenship or residency.”

Not all international Americans are flustered

by FATCA. Earlier this year, deVere Group, a financial planning advisory, polled its overseas American clients. Among those with a “FATCAcompliant pension plan”, just over three-quarters said they would “no longer consider giving up US citizenship” despite American tax rules.

And the IRS says Americans still sorting through their paperwork can request an automatic tax return extension to October 15..

TAX PREPARATION SERVICE

H&R Block launched a “secure data portal” to help American expats file their taxes last year, says the firm’s Roland Sabates. “Nothing is sent via email.” Pricing starts at $250 for a standard federal tax return for single earners or $350 for a married couple, with additional fees depending on investment holdings and for state filings. The Kansas City-based tax consultancy also has 10 physical offices in Germany, including in Gillenfeld, about 100 km from Luxembourg City (roughly between Trier and Frankfurt) and in Kaiserslautern. expats.hrblock.com

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MNKS WAS CREATED

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BUSINESS

Dodd-Frank

AMERICAN ATTRACTION Yes, Luxembourg investment funds can be distributed in the US, and interest is rising.

ew regulations make it more complicated for Luxembourg investment funds to be distributed in the US, but legal experts say interest is growing.

A recent PwC study found a total of two Grand Duchy-domiciled investment funds (out of a total of five European-domiciled funds) distributed in the US. That contrasts with 45,288 Luxembourg funds distributed in Europe and 4,129 in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the consultancy’s Global Fund Distribution 2014 report, which primarily examined mutual funds.

The 2010 Dodd-Frank reforms introduced changes in commodity trading rules, and “a significant number of Ucits funds might be affected,” says Jean-Christian Six of law firm Allen & Overy in Luxembourg.

“Up until now, most private alternative fund managers could remain outside the scope of US regulations based on favourable

exemption of licensing,” adds Marc Ponchione, an attorney with Allen & Overy’s Washington office who presented at a firm conference in the Grand Duchy last month. “Dodd-Frank eliminated that exception.”

Even those smaller funds that remain exempt from registering with federal regulator SEC “should be mindful of state registration requirements” that can still come into play, lawyers at Baker & McKenzie wrote in a May 14 note to clients.

“Traditionally many Luxembourg funds avoided US investors to avoid addressing US tax and regulatory issues, which are quite different than what we have to deal with in Europe,” Six states.

“But the US is a large market, and you cannot disregard the US as a potential market. We are seeing clients offer Luxembourg funds to US investors, either directly or through feeder funds.

Although it looks complex, it’s feasible.”

So, will more EU-based firms look for clients across the Atlantic? Six says: “Yes, we expect a growing number of European asset managers to offer, to a certain extent, their funds to US investors.”.

JEAN-CHRISTIAN SIX Distributing in the US “is feasible”

Trade mission

PROMOTION IN THE US

The Grand Duchy’s heir to the throne and economy minister tour America.

Crown Prince Guillaume and Étienne Schneider, the deputy prime minister, led a five day economic mission to California and Utah in May. Stops included eBay’s energy efficient Salt Lake City data centre, biomedical centres in both states, a NASA research site in Silicon Valley, and a Boeing satellite assembly facility near Los Angeles International Airport. G ­ uillaume (photo) and Schneider also presided over the presentation of French language literature by Luxembourg authors to Education Française Bay Area, a schools group. In April, they visited five eastern and mid-western US states and a Canadian province to promote Luxembourg industry..

“Today’s court judgement is a clear victory for the protection of personal data of Europeans! Companies can no longer hide behind their servers being based in California or anywhere else in the world.”

Viviane Reding, European justice commissioner www.delano.lu/news/google-mustdelete-links-court-says

28

JUNE 2014

European Council

N

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Text by Aaron Grunwald Photography by Steve Eastwood

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BUSINESS

Insurance outsourcing

POISED FOR ACTION

The industry in Luxembourg is trying to stay one step ahead of the new European “Solvency II” regulations.

Text by Stephen Evans Photography by Mike Zenari

A

s yet, insurance companies have not embr­ aced the full possibilities for outsourcing presented by the recently created insurance sector professionals status (known by its French acronym, PSA). The potential remains and much depends on how Brussels’ Solvency II directive is interpreted. This EU law was partly the inspiration behind the creation of PSA status. Although generally of a conservative nature, Luxembourg’s insurers do outsource and so a new niche could develop.

“We should not forget that details around the Solvency II regulation have still to be put into place, so we are not in the fully active phase of this law,” says Marc Hengen of the Association of Insurance Companies (ACA).

Freshly passed by the European Parliament in March, Solvency II will come into force in January 2016. Luxembourg’s PSA law was voted last July.

However the law was the framework, and it is now for the market working with regulators to complete the details. “In the meantime EIOPA [the European insurance regulator] is working to finalise level 2 and 3 measures,” notes Marc Voncken of consultancy PwC. “The law is passed and the PSA is live,” explains Geoffroy Gailly of KPMG. “It is a good, new law but there are areas that require clarity from the regulator. For example, on regulatory reporting, neither the law nor the CAA [Luxembourg’s insurance commission] has specified if this needs to be covered by a PSA or not. This clarity will come based on market demand and the CAA’s reaction to this.”

The main goal of the PSA legislation was to facilitate the greater use of outsourcing while

30

JUNE 2014

GEOFFROY GAILLY AND CHRYSTELLE VEECKMANS Rules address security and privacy

" POTENTIAL NEW BUSINESS FOR LUXEMBOURG" MARC HENGEN

respecting professional secrecy, so increasing the attractiveness of Luxembourg, particularly for small structures. All existing insurance and reinsurance companies receive PSA status automatically. New service providers have to achieve this by demonstrating to the CAA that their standards and adherence of professional secrecy rules are the equivalent of regulated insurance companies.

The system is inspired by the financial sector professional (PSF) status, which allows for outsourcing services under the supervision of Luxembourg’s banking and investment fund regulator, the CSSF.

“PSA is not competition for PSF, but it completes the picture,” notes Hengen. He adds that the insurance and reinsurance sectors are regular clients of PSFs, particularly for IT infrastructure and client communication services.

“Security and professional secrecy will not be affected if the outsourcers are regulated,” agrees KPMG’s Chrystelle Veeckmans.

“There is also potential new business for Luxembourg,” says Hengen. Such as for so called “run off” services, which continue to manage portfolios or companies that are no longer seeking new business. This involves day-to-day management including the taking of premiums,

BUSINESS

MARC VONCKEN Spots opportunities in the “run off” business

making payments and communicating with clients. There can be a variety of reasons why insurance firms wish to run off parts or all of their business in this way.

For example, when the capital requirements of Solvency II become clearer firms may need to divest themselves of some business. ACA cites a 2013 survey by PwC that put total run off business in France and the Benelux region at €39 billion.

So the rules and potential are there but “as of now I don’t know of any company which has started,” reports Hengen. “I have heard that there are a number of interested companies wanting to start this type of business but they need clients first.”

This message is backed by Voncken: “We haven’t seen a lot of activity related to run-off management yet. We think that the legal and regulatory framework is very favourable. However it is too early to confirm whether it will be a

STABILITY AND CHANGE

Despite the prospect of life insurance being covered by the second EU Savings Directive, the market remained broadly stable in the first quarter of this year. At March’s European Council meeting it was agreed that the use of life insurance cross-border would become tax transparent by 2016, no longer benefiting from complete professional secrecy. A final deal depends on five non-EU financial centres agreeing to similar proposals by the end of the year, but their support is thought to be likely. This change would require business models to be tweaked, but in general Luxembourg companies appear confident. Inheritance planning is seen as a particularly lucrative niche that should ­continue to thrive. Premium income in the life sector fell 1.4% in the first quarter of 2014, compared to the same period of 2013, according to regulator CAA. This headline figure masked different realities with guaranteed return p ­ roducts seeing an 8.4% increase compared to the 12% drop for unit linked policies.

success or not.” He continues: “We could see actuarial PSAs emerge where fully detailed policyholders’ information is required.”

Maybe things will change. “We will see more outsourcing because with the advent of new regulations insurance firms will need to collect, understand and report an increased amount of data to authorities and clients,” says Veeckmans. “This will include tax information for the savings directive and Solvency II will require greater awareness of assets held.”

Gailly concurs: “The next step will be for asset managers to offer ancillary services like reporting and transparency more generally. If they can ­provide these they will have a competitive advantage. Insurance is a very conservative world in Luxembourg and non-IT outsourcing is not something they are too fond of, except towards the group. The regulator is opening the door to allow insurers to concentrate on their core ­business by allowing others to offer support.”.

JUNE 2014

31

BUSINESS

Nubs

HARNESSING COLLECTIVE GOODWILL Crowdfunding involves hundreds of micro investors supporting new business, social and cultural ideas via specialised fund raising websites.

The idea has been embraced around the world and now Luxembourg has its own local platform after the launch of the site Nubs.

Text by Stephen Evans Photography by Julien Becker

S

ince Nubs was launched in mid-April, substantial support has been received for an artistic project for autistic people and a proposal to fund a drone for a local photographer. However, backing for a handy-man business has been more tepid, despite the lack of such services in this country.

Each project is described on the site, accompanied with details of the sum being sought (generally up to €3,000-€5,000 over four to six weeks). Financial backers can give as much or as little as they like, receiving a corresponding reward, which is most often money-off services or token gifts.

“Our site helps create an emotional link between contributors and the projects they support,” argues Paul Weber, one of the three Nubs cofounders. They want to keep things focused and locally based, to enable people to see how their support is making a difference. As well, they do not wish to compete with more established, international crowdfunding platforms.

Being local helps the Nubs team conduct basic checks on each project before it goes online and supporters are also more able to trust people working down the road. Up to ten projects will be featured online at any moment, with three new ones being posted each month. Fundraising progress can be viewed on the discover.nubs.lu page.

For the moment, Nubs is not considering offering the alternatives that give investors shares in new companies or where interest bearing loans are made.

“This would require us to face complicated financial regulation but also we do not want to confuse the public with a complicated website,” comments Fabien Nizard, another co-founder.

The site will take a 10% cut of all funds raised. They recognise that earnings will not be huge in the first phase and they will have to be spread three ways (Léonard Wagner is the third partner, specialising in IT development).

Once the concept has proved its worth in this test market, they hope to expand to larger cities across Europe, such as Zurich and Vienna.

Key to success will be maintaining interest in the site after the first burst of launch publicity. So as well as their own marketing efforts, Nubs partners will also promote the site as they seek to raise funds. Promoters and the site also benefit when the video and text content is interesting and engaging.

The Nubs team recognise that not every project will be successful and that certain projects have a better chance than others. In particular, they expect that plans for certain restaurants could generate interest. Yet they realise that more work is needed to help people understand the idea. It remains to be seen if this concept will fly in relatively un-entrepreneurial Luxembourg..

FABIEN NIZARD AND PAUL WEBER Hope crowdfunding takes off in Luxembourg

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JUNE 2014

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BUSINESS

Cloud computing

FORTRESS EUROPE? Text by Aaron Grunwald - Illustration by Maison Moderne Studio

In the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations of widespread electronic surveillance by the American, British and other governments, there have been calls in the EU for the creation of a “European” cloud that bypasses the US entirely, and reports of European firms cancelling or not signing contracts with American cloud providers

worth billions of euro. There have also been moves to revise the socalled “Safe Harbour” agreement between Brussels and Washington. But breaking away from the US cloud is not as easy as it seems, although rich rewards potentially await European service providers that can make a go of it, as Delano’s primer shows..

UTING? WHAT IS CLOUD COMP

­information is stored “A fundamental shift in how ing makes data and and accessed, cloud comput red on hard drives sto e onc e wer t ­programs tha over the Internet ible ess and in-house servers acc devices,” a recent report from multiple locations and dit Suisse explains.

Cre k by investment ban

HOW MUCH IS THE EUROPEAN MARKET FOR CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES WORTH? The European Commission put the value at roughly €4.6 billion in 2011, which is forecast to grow to €11 billion this year.

Forrester Research ­estimates that spending

by European businesses and governments on cloud technologies will grow 20% over the next year.

IS THE SECTOR REALLY DOMINATED

BY AMERICAN FIRMS? Indeed, US-based cloud service providers--like Amazon, Google, IBM and Microsoft--command the field.

451 Research reckons American firms have 88% of the global market, with European cloud companies clocking in at just 6%.

WHAT HAS CHANGED? Former American government contracto r Edward Snowden leaked documents revealing widespread electronic spying on millions of citizens and companies worldwide, particularly at data centres located in the US (see www.delano.lu/cate gory/ keywords/edward-snowden).

VEILLANCE SO HAS THE GOVERNMENT SUR ERICAN AM SCANDAL REALLY HARMED S? FIRM Y LOG HNO TEC SHOULD FIRMS IN THE GRAND DUCHY RE-EVALUATE THEIR CLOUD CONTRACTS? “I would certainly advise Luxembourg companies to reconsider the choice they made in the past and stop any project they have at the moment with non-EU cloud providers,” Vincent Villers of consultancy PwC tells Delano.

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JUNE 2014

Alliance found that 56% A survey last year by the Cloud Security to use US-based cloud likely of its non-US members said they were “less elled a project to use “canc dy alrea had they said providers” and 10% the ­Information by study her US-based cloud providers”. Anot n-based think ingto Wash a n, datio Foun n vatio Inno ­Technology and of between try indus g putin com cloud tank, forecast a loss to the US think this ­estimate “We .

2016 to 2013 from illion ­ b €26 and €16 billion billion [around €130 billion] is too low and could be as high as $180 revenues in that same timeor a 25% hit to overall IT service provider Research. ster Forre ters coun frame,”

BUSINESS

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? The Grand Duchy is already home to 20 major data centres, including five of the world’s 50 “Tier IV certified” locations, the industry’s highest stamp of approval (see Delano, April 2014).

In addition, the European Commission has launched initiatives like the European Cloud Partnership, which aims to set EU-wide standards that could eventually lead to a “Schengen zone for data” (see www.ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda).

DOES EUROPE REALLY NEED ITS OWN CLOUD? Luxembourg’s Viviane Reding, vice president of the European Commission, argues that data protection is a competitive advantage and that an EU version could be marketed with the motto, “Your data is safe in a European cloud”.

WHAT IS THE “SAFE HARBOUR” AGREEMENT? The Safe Harbour Framework was struck between the European Commission and US Commerce Department in 1998. It lets American firms handle European customer data in the US when the company agrees to follow EU privacy principles.

Many organisations use the arrangement to send user data internally or when details are shared with a contractor.

IS THE PLAN REALISTIC? “I believe the creation of a ‘European’ cloud makes perfect sense as it is fully aligned with the European Commission’s agenda,” says ­Vincent Villers of PwC in Luxembourg. “It would ­represent a true response to the ­concerns of companies and citizens about digital privacy. Currently the main players are not European, but in my view it is a realistic proposal.”

IS PRIVACY THE SOLE MOTIVATION FOR CREATING A EUROPEAN CLOUD? “We must not be naive about this,” John Higgins of trade association Digital Europe in Brus sels and Dean C. Garfield of the Information Technology Industry Council in Washington wrote in a letter to the editor published by the Financial Times. “Data protection is only part of the reason why some are calling for data restr ictions. Some countries want data kept local ly because they think it is good for local busin ess.”

Indeed, “the market for cloud services presents an opportunity for European hosting prov iders to expand geographically and deliver cloud services internationally,” Interxion, a Dutc h data centre operator, posits in a white pape r.

The firm says that “data sovereignty” and “local presence and knowledge” are EU advantage s (if service and pricing levels are correctly set).

WHAT OTHER STEPS IS BRUSSELS TAKING? Viviane Reding says the European Commission is in the process of introducing a single EU data protection regime to “replace this mountain of complexity by one law which is valid in all of Europe. One continent, one law. And savings of €2.3 billion per year.”

The “new regulation on data privacy is ready at the EU level and will be enforced in the coming months,” notes ­Vincent Villers of PwC. “We anticipate that this will have a significant impact on companies in the EU as they will need to have stronger control processes in place. It will also increase the level of penalties for those who fail to comply.”

WHAT IS BEING REVIEWED? “Safe Harbour has to be strengthened or it will be suspended,” states Viviane Redin g, the European justice commissioner. Amo ng other points, she wants EU citizens to have equal rights when data is processed in the US. Earlier this year, Reding told the US justice and commerce secretaries, “that for us Europeans, it is essential [that US president Barack Obama’s announcemen ts of policy reviews] are followed up by ­legislative action before the summer.”

WHAT IS MISSING FROM THE CURRENT CLOUD DEBATE?

IS THIS GOOD OR BAD FOR THE CLOUD SECTOR IN EUROPE AND IN THE GRAND DUCHY?

“Beyond the location of the cloud provider and of the data centres, companies considering moving to the cloud should have a closer look at the entire risk landscape,” observes Villers. “The level of trust they can put on the provider, based on true ­commitments on security and resilience, should be carefully assessed. Companies should request more than just statements from the provider, but rather independent third-party assessments.”

Villers states: “This regulation is not spec ific to cloud solutions, but it will obviously impact these business models. I still believe that EU cloud providers and in particular Luxembo urg cloud providers could turn this into a real opportunity by using these control meas ures as a differentiating factor.”

JUNE 2014

35

BUSINESS

Technology

EASY AS RICE

Rails Girls promotes programming for women in Luxembourg.

The group, which originally launched in Helsinki, held its first workshop in the Grand Duchy last month. It aims to balance the gender gap in the IT field, where today only 10% of programmers are female.

Text by Tonya Stoneman Photography by Annabelle Denham

C

reating an app is about as easy as making a bowl of rice, according to Guillaume Desrat, a volunteer instructor at Rails Girls Luxembourg.

He stands in The Impactory, a co-working space that is hosting a programming event for women.

“A program is a recipe,” he says, referring to a slide projected on the wall behind him (see box on left). Rails Girls, an event created by Linda

MARINA THIRIET (CENTRE) Coding with Charlène Obrietan and Chloé Masson

AWESOME BASMATI RICE RECIPE (SOURCE CODE)

Rice=Rice.new (volume) Water=water.new (volume *1.5) Pot=pot.new Pot << water While water.not.boiling?

Pot.heat.increment End

36

JUNE 2014

the Ruby language and things like sketching, prototyping and building apps.

At this event, Thiriet hopes women will also make connections with others who have similar interests or are at the same place in their careers.

“In the IT and programming world, women are under-represented”, she says. “I want to break the stereotype of male geeks as programmers and encourage women to learn digital languages in order to take advantage of tech opportunities. Only 10% of programmers today are women.”

Thiriet attributes this discrepancy to the misconception that beating the IT learning curve would be too difficult, something she finds ironic given female usage of the internet, mobile devices and apps. “I want to give women who find new technology to be scary or confusing an opportunity to interact with it.

Who knows, maybe they will create start-ups.”

Thiriet became interested in IT several years ago when she decided to start her own company. At the time, she was using the WordPress content management system, which was nice, but it didn’t enable her to do the complicated things she wanted to. Lacking the knowledge to go further, she embarked on a self-directed study in the school of hard knocks, relying on online sources and trial and error to learn programming. It wasn’t enough. “You need to be around other people who can help you,” she says.

Lionel Abdermane, a software developer volunteering at the event, agrees. “Programming is a job where you learn by yourself, but someone has to show you how to get info,” he says.

Rails Girls is devoted to making technology more approachable and the turnout for this event reveals how successful it has been. More than 80 people registered for the 40 available spots. The Impactory is jammed with eager students; just when it gets going it’s time to leave. There is a very clear need for this kind of community in Luxembourg. If Thiriet can get the funding to expand on it, it just might become the next big thing..

Lyukas and Karri Saarinen, started in Finland in 2012 and has taken off in more than 100 cities all over the world. Including free events in Shanghai, Singapore, Tallinn, Berlin and Krakow, attracting thousands of girls to the world of web building. Last month, it came to Luxembourg for the first time, thanks to the enthusiasm of Marina Thiriet, a programmer who helps run cooperative workspace The Impactory.

The goal is to teach women how to program using Ruby, an open source language with a focus on simplicity. Lyukas and Saarinen founded the event as a way of giving women tools and a community in which they can understand technology and build their ideas.

This is achieved by providing them with a day and a half of workshops in which they learn www.railsgirls.com

Outlook – Brightening, with opportunities for growth Deloitte Luxembourg’s app is Deloitte Luxembourg’s app is

© 2014. For information, contact Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

BUSINESS

Michael Chamier and Antonio Thomas Chris Vigar and Sophie Kerschen of the British Chamber with guest speaker Sir Roger Gifford

British Chamber talk

TALES OF THE CITY

The British Chamber luncheon, “The City of London, Past, Present and Future”, was held at Golf Club Grand Ducal

The former lord mayor of the City of London Sir Roger Gifford addressed its development, the necessity of global regulation, and the UK’s relationship with Europe, Luxembourg and Scotland during a British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg luncheon last month.

“I was the first banker in many years to become the City’s principal spokesman and was able to trumpet the financial sector’s performance and contribution to the British and European economy,” he said. As for thickening rulebooks: “Increasing regulation is a burden for us all but we need to take a long term view.”

Sir Roger called for international collaboration between regional regulators: “We have globally managed banks, service providers, management funds, hedge funds… but we don’t yet have a global management of regulators.” Within the EU, the UK can “play an increasing role in the discussion of European regulation,” despite having been a bit slow up until now. “We can help improve the competitiveness of Europe if we engage fully in the legislative process by building alliances and using diplomacy.” NC

Tom Ford and Gregory Tugendhat

Colin Haggart and Amy Orivel

More photos from the event and Sir Roger’s comments on Luxembourg and Scotland online: Aidan O’Sullivan and Ben Embleton

www.delano.lu/City2014 Photographed by Benjamin Champenois

Thorsten Lederer, Arjan Kinthi Singha and Sandro Pace-Bonello

Johan Huurman and Ketil Johnsen

38

Johny Basher, Tanja Hildebrandt and Artur Sosna

JUNE 2014

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THINK LOCAL

Italian

“ESTABLISH A NEW CONNECTION”

Carlotta Benedetti explains why she is helping to launch women’s networking group Hub Dot in Luxembourg in the 28th instalment of Delano’s “Think Local” interview series.

Interview by Aaron Grunwald Photography by Steve Eastwood

Born in New York, Carlotta Benedetti grew up in southern Italy; she and her husband arrived in the Grand Duchy more than a decade ago. Today the mother of two is an interior ­architect and teaches children’s ­cooking courses at The Little Kitchen in Bertrange. This month she helps launch women’s networking group Hub Dot in Luxembourg. www.hubdot.com

CARLOTTA BENEDETTI Connecting the dots

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JUNE 2014

AG: Where were you before the Grand Duchy?

CB: I grew up in Naples but my father was a university professor, so we had lots of opportunities to travel all over the world. We lived for two or three months every year in the US. Then I graduated in architecture and I left Italy when I was 28. I moved with my husband to Indiana. We were there for two years, more or less.

Then we moved to Toronto, Canada, for three. After that we moved to London for two years and a half. Since 2001 we’ve been here in Luxembourg.

AG: You had been moving every few years, but you’ve been here 13 years. Why have you stayed in Luxembourg for so long?

CB: Because we feel very safe. It’s a very pleasant place to have a family, we had two young children, and it’s in the centre of Europe.

AG: Hub Dot is already running in the UK, Italy and US, but there are lots of networking groups out there. How is it different?

CB: Simona [Barbieri, the original founder who started the group by inviting friends of friends to a coffee at her London home] received 98 women. She had this idea, “how can I introduce them to each other, and how can I manage to get so many people to connect?” So she invented these dots. There are five colours, and every ­colour has a meaning.

AG: So participants only wear a dot; there’s no name or job title or company label?

CB: Exactly. It works.

AG: Luxembourg can be conservative at times. Are you afraid that ­people will be reluctant to take part?

CB: You’re right, but we are receiving so many supporters, you

can’t believe it. This is something serving a need. Women need to stop with Facebook, with WhatsApp and email, and just meet up with each other and talk to people they don’t know and establish a new connection.

[Hub Dot] is a kind of a “piazza” for women to share something.

Because every colour has a directed meaning, you can go where you feel at ease.

AG: The events in London, Naples and Milan have all attracted more than 300 attendees, so this is clearly a lot of organisational work. What are you getting out of this experience personally?

CB: I was there. Now I cannot miss any event. Because during the e­ vening, you listen to inspiring women talk… ten speakers, those are normal women. They are not famous. We say ordinary women with extraordinary stories. Sharing, this is very powerful.

AG: So you felt very connected when you hear these stories?

CB: Exactly! We received so much positive feedback: women who met investors, women who met partners for a startup, women who found an editor, or another new mum to share with. That’s the opportunity. I always say, “one connection gives you one opportunity”. It’s always up to you… to go there, meet people, talk to people you don’t know.

AG: You’ve been in Luxembourg 13 years now. How can newcomers make themselves feel at home?

CB: You cannot make any comparison of where we’re from with the place that is hosting us, because every place is different. You just need to enjoy what you are in, the place you are. Just discover the place. .

Patricia Schroeder-Pascucci, responsable point de vente chez Fischer depuis 1982

Le sourire, la tradition et Patricia.

Les ingrĂŠdients essentiels pour avoir du bon pain.

AGENDA

TEN EVENTS

Delano presents a selection of upcoming business and networking events for Luxembourg’s international community. Advance registration or fees may be required, so consult the website indicated for full details.

All events are held in English unless otherwise noted.

BRITISH CHAMBER

THE NETWORK

CRP HENRI TUDOR

BRITISH CHAMBER

www.bcc.lu

www.thenetwork.lu

scan14.construction.tudor.lu

www.bcc.lu

WED 18 JUNE

WED 18 - FRI 20 JUNE

Self-publishing

Scan ‘14

WED 11 JUNE

Freeport tour

Members-only visit to the Freeport currently under construction and due to open in September at Findel Airport. Places are limited. Followed by lunch at Golf Club Grand Ducal in Senningerberg.

Luxembourg Freeport, Findel, 11:15

IIR & IBC www.iiribcfinance.com

LUXINNOVATION www.business-meets-research.lu

WED 18 - THU 19 JUNE

Business Meets Research

TUE 17 - WED 18 JUNE

Global Fund Distribution

The GFD Luxembourg conference offers “insight into UCITS and AIFMD distribution” over a two-day programme (each day can be booked separately). Speakers include Kneip’s Mario Mantrisi.

NH Luxembourg Hotel, Findel, all day event

Entrepreneurs and scientists with public and private organisations in Luxembourg and the Greater Region forge new links at this annual confab. Speakers include Luxinnovation’s Raymond Schadeck (centre).

LuxExpo, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, Wed. 10:30-18:00, Thu. 12:00-18:00

Engineering, construction and urban planning experts examine digital architecture modelling. Sessions presented in French or English with simultaneous translation.

CRP Henri Tudor, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, all day event

NOBELUX www.nobelux.se

FRI 20 JUNE

Jean-Claude Juncker

Luxembourg’s prime minister from 1995 to 2013, and current candidate for European Commission president, speaks on the occasion of Sacred Heart University’s 50th anniversary.

Chamber of Commerce, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, 18:30

STARTUP GRIND

www.gr-businessdays.com

www.startupgrind.com

WED 18 - THU 19 JUNE

THU 26 JUNE

Greater Region Business Days

Encouraging entrepreneurs

FRI 27 JUNE

Pierre Gramegna

The Grand Duchy’s finance minister is guest speaker at the Nordic-Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce’s monthly “get together lunch”.

Hotel Parc Belair, Luxembourg-Belair, 12:00

Guest speaker at this Google-backed group is Didrik Eiriks, founder of application development startup GenCreo, who talks on what “separates the ordinary from EXTRAordinary.”

The Impactory, Luxembourg-Merl, 18:45

(in the commercial area Troc / Catclub / Surfin / Dété)

JUNE 2014

An annual tradition: 18 hole competition starts in the morning, beginners clinic in the afternoon, and cocktails and prize ­giving dinner in the evening. Space is limited.

Golf Club de Luxembourg, Junglinster, all day event

www.shu.lu

shop & tastings

42

Golf day

SACRED HEART UNIV.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Third annual B2B trade fair. Last year 293 companies representing 27 countries participated in the matchmaking sessions, and more than 2,500 visitors attended the expos.

LuxExpo, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, bande Vinoteca_Delano 1.0.pdf 1 3/6/14 6:13 PM Wed. 10:00-22:00, Thu. 10:00-19:30

FRI 27 JUNE

European Council

The women’s networking group offers tips on how to produce and market your own book. Speakers include Maura Atwater of Amazon’s Kindle service.

Sofitel, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, 19:00

HAVE A SUGGESTION?

If your organisation is holding an event of interest to the international community, send details to: news@delano.lu

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PAUL Upmarket French baked goods chain Paul has opened a second Luxembourg outlet at the station to complement its avenue Monterey venue. Taking over the former royal pavilion building near the footbridge to Bonnevoie, Paul sells bread, cakes and pastries as well as a selection of ready-to-eat traiteur sandwiches, quiches, focaccia and salads. www.boulangerie-paul.lu

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JUNE 2014

MIM’Z Fashion store Mim’z has opened a second outlet on the avenue de la Porte-Neuve, not far from its original rue Beaumont store. The new shop is dedicated to shoes and accessories: leather goods (Jean-Louis Fernandez), shoes for him and her (Scapa), scarves (Voltage, Jane Carr) and a good selection of household accessories (Scapa Home). www.mimz.lu

Benjamin Champenois

Domaine de La Gaichel

NEW GENERATION AT GAICHEL

KNOPES Renowned for its coffee roasting expertise, Knopes has opened a new coffee tasting area at the back of furniture store Robin du Lac on the route d’Esch in Hollerich. The industrial chic look venue also includes sales point for their selection of in-house roasted coffee beans, as well as a range of ­coffee-making accessories. www.knopes.com

The Michelin-starred La Gaichel has been taken over by a sixth generation of the family that first opened the ­establishment back in 1852. Daughter Céline and her husband Erwan Guillou (from another renowned culinary family) have already made some changes to the venue, installing a more modern bar while retaining some old-world charm, and opening up the dining room. Chef Claude Lampson continues to produce stunning food, which can be tasted in a fabulous value for money lunchtime menu at just €39 for three courses.

The forest setting near the Belgian border is gorgeous, and visitors can stay overnight in the hotel or adjacent Auberge and even enjoy a round of golf.. www.lagaichel.lu

CLASSIC CARS Autopolis has opened a Classic Cars showroom on boulevard Joseph II devoted to Italian cars of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The selection includes classic Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and ­Lancia models. The showroom not only sells cars, but welcomes enthusiasts who require servicing or repairs for their own vintage vehicles and even hires out beautifully designed cars for special occasions. en.autopolis.lu/Classic-Cars

ADG Europe

Steve Eastwood

LIFESTYLE

CHURCH FAIR

ROMEO & JULIET

A highlight in the social calendar of many English-speaking residents, the Anglican Church Fair takes place in the usual venue, the Old Priory in Useldange on June 15. The fair is a great day out for all the family and includes food, drink, entertainment (including Georges Christen’s strongman show and DJ Sam Steen), games and stalls selling a variety of items. There is also an auction for an electric guitar and amp. www.anglican.lu

House 17

Bernard Massard

The America Drama Group Europe and TNT Britain bring a production of Romeo and Juliet to the beautiful setting of Château de Bourglinster on June 30 for one evening only. Director Paul Stebbings explores the depths of Shakespeare’s best-loved and most influential tragedies. The setting is baroque Italy, the Verona and Venice of Casanova, Don Juan and Vivaldi. www.adg-europe.com

BERNARD MASSARD FIFA

The new bridge across the Moselle isn’t the only new design to hit Grevenmacher recently. Wine maker Bernard Massard has also refurbished the tasting rooms in its cellars on the banks of the river, right next to the new bridge. The new space has a more contemporary feel with access to the terrace and views across the river. The ideal place to sample some of the winery’s new 2013 vintages, which have been described as fresh and rounded. www.bernard-massard.lu

World Cup

EXPAT COURSES International Communities of Luxembourg has launched an orientation course for newly arrived expats, specifically for those who have been in Luxembourg for 90 days or less.

The sessions are held in English and are free of charge, but advance registration is required and attendance is limited to 15 newcomers. The next courses are on June 28, September 13 & 27, October 18 and November 22. www.intcomlux.com

Back in 2006 the Ville de Luxembourg launched its first public screenings of World Cup matches, following the example of many other countries and the hugely popular “fan zone” public viewing areas in host cities in Germany.

The timing coincided neatly with the first inroads into the Tour de France by the Schleck brothers, so Luxembourgers could cheer on their favourite adopted football team and their homegrown cyclists.

Now the city is repeating the experience with a giant screen on the Knuedler starting with the opening match on June 12, Brazil v. Croatia, and including several group matches and a number of games in the knockout stages, including both semi-finals and the final. On match days, the screens will also be used to show children’s films and musicals before kick-off.

Meanwhile at Exit07 the crew is repeating its popular party screenings of selected matches including what organiser Yves Conrardy says will be “games with commentary by very suspicious individuals who claim to be football experts, DJs, food from different communities, spontaneous and not so sober football games in front of Exit…” . www.vdl.lu www.rotondes.lu

Creative Commons

Gwenaël Piaser/Creative Commons

LIVE SCREENINGS AND MORE…

HOUSE 17 Now that it has been open for a few months, member’s club House 17 is becoming a firm favourite with many expat creative professionals. The restaurant is very popular, but House 17 also offers members use of its smart meeting rooms, games room and upstairs bar withviews across to the Kirchberg, and a series of events including lectures and wine tastings. www.house17.com

KICK CANCER GOLF Kick Cancer Into Touch is hosting its family golf day on Saturday June 28 at the Kikuoka Club in Canach. The fundraiser includes a tournament for the Des McKenna Perpetual Memorial Cup, with individual men’s and women’s competitions plus other prizes and also an all day barbecue, fun and games for kids, music and screening of World Cup football.

Kick Cancer Into Touch is on Facebook

JUNE 2014

45

LIFESTYLE

Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg

A WINNING SEASON

As director Frank Feitler prepares to take his curtain call, the capital city theatres have won acclaim for a fascinating 2014-15 programme.

Delano picks out some highlights.

Text by Duncan Roberts Photography by Hugo Glendinning

F

rank Feitler and his team have put together a stunning programme of dance, opera and theatre for the final season of the director’s tenure in charge of the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Appointed to give the Grand Théâtre a fresh outlook some 12 years ago, Feitler succeeded in bringing artists of international renown to Luxembourg and in making the theatre a co-producer of a number of critically acclaimed and commercially successful shows. For the 2014-15 season he has unashamedly, and quite rightly, brought some of his favourite artists from the past dozen or so years back to Luxembourg. Grand Théâtre regulars such as choreographers Rosas / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Kaori Ito are among the popular visitors.

Of particular interest to English-­speaking audiences will be the return of masterful director Peter Brook, who brings his production of The Valley Of Astonishment (another of his ­collaborations with Marie-Hélène ­Estienne) to Luxembourg. The piece is described as a “kaleidoscopic journey into the mysteries and wonders of the human brain.” More English-language theatre at the Grand Théâtre comes courtesy of the premier of Ivo van Hove’s production of Antigone, starring Juliette Binoche in the tragic title role, before it heads to the Edinburgh festival.

At the more intimate Théâtre des Capucins, Anne Simon directs her take

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on Tracy Letts’ Killer Joe, made famous through the film starring Matthew McConaughey. And the Reckless Sleepers company performs its experimental theatre piece Schrödinger, based on the famous quantum mechanics theory of the same name in which a cat exists as living and dead at the same time.

The Grand Théâtre, though, has become a byword for quality dance productions in recent years and the coming season does not disappoint.

Returning choreographers such as Akram Khan (with two shows), Robyn Orlin and Russell Maliphant will provide exhilarating class. But first time performances in Luxembourg for two Asian-inspired productions may well steal the limelight. Britain’s Boy Blue Entertainment performs a tribute to Japanese graphic novels with The Five & the Prophecy of Prana, while the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan performs Lin Hwai-min’s delicate and visually stunning Water Stains on the Wall.

The opera selection includes the usual baroque production in the shape of Monteverdi’s Orfeo with choreography by another Grand Théâtre favourite Sascha Waltz, as well as more conventional opera from Wagner-The Flying Dutchman--and Puccini-Madame Butterfly. The latter is just one of the productions that is likely to sell out during what is definitely a winning farewell season..

STILL CURRENT Grand Théâtre favourite Russell Maliphant brings his Sadler’s Wells production to Luxembourg

Digital archives of 20 years of inDepenDent publishing

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by Bunker palace

COVERSTORY

e l b i s s e c Ac s l a n i g Ori CTURE LIFE E T I H C R HOW A IGN IMPROVES AND DES PS BUSINES S AND HEL

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JUNE 2014

COVERSTORY

r d interio s n a e r u t c rchite rience e, three a about their expe s lo c a o talk ws t nnale dra d in Luxembourg ie b y it C esign ve settle d Duchy. a n h a r o G As the D h e w h t als g in ofession en Becker of workin hy by Juli design pr hotograp un Text by D

I

nterest in architecture and interior design around the world has never been greater and its appeal never broader. Luxembourg is no exception, as proven by the success of recent biennale exhibition Design City and bi-annual publication Archiduc (produced

by Maison Moderne, the publisher of Delano).

Luxembourg architects like François Valentiny (who recently completed an open air Mozart festival site in Brazil) have enjoyed success abroad, but foreign architects and interior designers are also making their mark in the Grand Duchy.

British-born architect Gary Haycock, for example, has been working in Luxembourg for over 20 years and has designed major public

erts P can Rob

projects including schools and swimming pools as well as private houses and other commissions. He recounts how he was first inspired to become an architect at the age of nine after a friend of the family saw his drawings of houses and said “oh, you should become an architect.” Having spent many of his formative years in exotic climes like Malaysia and Cyprus--his father was in the Royal Air Force--Haycock says his concept of what was a traditional house was very different from what most children in the west would draw, thus the unusual drawing that so impressed the American visitor. Once planted, the idea of becoming an architect stuck and Haycock determinedly focused on

those subjects at school that would be useful for his later career.

Opportunity to design He arrived in Luxembourg when the UK property bubble burst in the 1990s, meaning his job in Leeds was cut to three days a week. A friend residing in the Grand Duchy told him of a job that was going. “I jumped on a plane, presented myself and was offered the job.” Initially he thought he would ride out the recession in Luxembourg, but he found so many opportunities that he stayed. “From the beginning I was fortunate enough to be involved in the conceptual design of projects,

JUNE 2014

49

COVERSTORY

“Architecture is the thoughtful creation of space”

GARY HAYCOCK

OWN DESIGN

Arco - Architecture Company www.arco.lu

Combles creation, Luxembourg City

whereas my experience in the UK was more in the job running and administration--everything that takes your mind away from design.

And ultimately that is what has kept me here, the opportunity to design different projects, for example, individual houses--there is not a great market in the UK for that, whereas here there is an enormous market. That was one of my dreams as a student, to design a millionaire’s house.”

Larger projects started arriving on Haycock’s desk--apartment and office buildings, swimming pools and schools. He has been with Arco – Architecture Company for 12 years, joining them specifically to work on the new lycée in Redange. “It was the first project to employ a new standardisation programme set up by the Luxembourg government to use an energy concept--the result of a study by experts in Switzerland--to use the mass of the building to heat and cool it, and thus reduce the requirement for traditional energy

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Jessica Theis

Arco – Architecture Company

GARY HAYCOCK

PERSONAL FAVOURITE Philharmonie, Luxembourg City

The restoration of a Maison de Maître including the creation of a mezzanine floor within the roof space..

“A beautiful building, not just because of the external view but because the form of the building is repeated inside. It’s unfortunate that it is squeezed into this little space.

A building like this should be exposed.”

sources and cut down on carbon emissions and costs.” The success of the Redange project led to the company being invited to enter the competition for, and winning the commission to design, the new lycée in Mersch, and more recently Haycock has been responsible for the new extension of the International School of Luxembourg. Considerations for school buildings include circulation, safety and visibility as well as other briefs. “As with all architectural design it is important to begin with a concept, a strong underlying idea that leads to the organisation and understanding of the volumes and spaces created. Spatial planning is the logical process of moving through the building and putting yourself in the position of the user, whether it’s the students, teachers, maintenance staff. And your own experiences at school or college also come into play.

Architecture is the thoughtful creation of space, I think it’s important that the external and the internal space should somehow be related,

so that there’s a transition rather than a barrier.”

Haycock says that he has not come across too many “conservative” Luxembourg clients. The trend is for open plan and contemporary spaces. “Generally clients are well-informed in terms of design matters and they have exceptional taste in terms of furniture and fittings, which helps us. I’m a modern architect, and all my responses to clients’ needs have been in this direction. You learn and adapt from each project.”

A good marriage Freshly arrived Irish interior designer Denise Ryan can relate to that. After studying architecture and working as a technician, Ryan started studying interior design in her spare time. She found her niche early in her career and, after launching her own company 14 years ago, has been designing bars and restaurants in the UK, Ireland, as well as France and the United States ever since.

COVERSTORY

“The difference between good design and great design is originality”

David Laurent

Fineline Design

DENISE RYAN

DENISE RYAN

OWN DESIGN

PERSONAL FAVOURITE

Fineline Design www.finelineinteriors.com

Zest! Deli, Co. Clare, Ireland All furniture was custom designed to suit each and every item to be displayed.

The brand is reinforced yet in a subtle but effective manner.

Toit pour toi, Schouweiler “There is such harmony and synergy between the old and the new. The interior design respects the architecture of the building and the calibre reflects the food offering you can anticipate.”

“I had seen there was an opening in the market for an interior designer with a strong architectural background, so I started my own business.”

Her success has grown because she managed to win landmark projects such as Dublin’s award-winning One Pico for ambitious Irish celebrity chef Eamonn O’Reilly. “It’s about getting a good marriage between the right designer and right client,” she explains.

A lot of Ryan’s international work is what she describes as a “more modern versions of Irish bars and restaurants. A lot of companies do the traditional spit on the floor type places, but I would like to think I am taking it to the next phase.” The venues she works on are located in very cosmopolitan environments--Nice and Cannes and mid-town Manhattan, for example--and are suited to everyone, not just Irish expats. Back in Ireland, Ryan has also worked on hotels, a chain of café and deli food halls as well as chain of organic supermarkets.

Some of Ryan’s designs have been mimicked, to put it generously, by others. It clearly is an issue, but she takes it in good humour and quotes the late L’Wren Scott, the designer girlfriend of Mick Jagger, who apparently said if you’re not being copied, then you’re not relevant. “The difference between good design and great design is originality. If somebody comes to me and wants to open a bar or restaurant or hotel, the more original it is the more it puts them on the map. And that’s what I am trying to achieve.”

She enjoys the buzz and camaraderie of working to a deadline on a commercial project. “Everyone pulls together and I like managing that and being part of a team.” That said, the move to Luxembourg (she relocated with her husband and two young daughters) has made it slightly more difficult for Ryan to be on site as a project is being installed than when she lived in London. On the other hand, Ryan loves Luxembourg’s central lo-

cation, close to trade shows in Paris, fabric houses in Belgium and furniture fairs in Cologne and Frankfurt.

Need to up their game However, one of the main differences she has noted between Luxembourg and London is that in the British capital brands are clearly defined and established before a venue opens. “That may seem contrived at times, but it does guarantee success. Whereas things seem to happen more organically in Luxembourg.” A resident of Strassen, Ryan feels there is more scope for cool and stylish bars and restaurants in the suburbs. “There is plenty of choice in the centre, but so many places outside are just not attracting clients. And with the smoking ban in effect, venues are going to have to up their game to retain customers.”

Ryan has recently been investigating sensory marketing and says that it has been scientifi

JUNE 2014

51

COVERSTORY

“Lighting is so important when it comes to creating the right atmosphere”

LUCY GENAZZINI Illuminance www.illuminance.lu

cally proven that if customer’s comforts are met in terms of acoustics, lighting, seating, ambient surroundings, they will enjoy the food better. “They can savour their food and wine without any niggles bothering them.” But it is not only customers that are taken into account when designing a restaurant, bar or shop. She works closely with clients to understand fully their service operation requirements and not just the aesthetics. “It’s all very well for a place to look good, but it has to function as well. If everything is well laid out, the business runs more efficiently--and customers will have better service--and it could mean you require fewer staff.” Good design has also been proven to increase revenues, says Ryan.

She recognizes that her clients have varying tastes and their establishments are often aimed at specific clientele (one of the first things she does is look at the menu to get an idea of the sort of level they are aiming at), but says that while respecting that, her job is to

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Sven Becker

Illuminance

LUCY GENAZZINI

OWN DESIGN

PERSONAL FAVOURITE

Staircase, private home, Bereldange

Gare centrale, Luxembourg City “An example of good architectural lighting.

The building has been lit in a subtle way whilst accentuating certain features, this truly enhances the building and gives it a sense of importance and prominence.”

Small, low glare, low wattage fittings create a beautiful effect on the steps whilst providing a good amount of light to see by. The wall lights follow the line of the banister creating a flow of light leading the eye upwards towards the first floor..

gently guide them “towards a design that will work for Lighting Design International, a proappeal to more universal tastes, to the majority lific and award-winning design consultancy of their customers.” in London.

She also acknowledges that architects and interior designers do recognise the importance of lighting designers. “They will often Lighting designer Lucy Genazzini is the first recommend a lighting specialist to ensure that to admit that it can be difficult to convince their design or vision achieves the elegance, some clients that lighting plays a major role style and ambience that it deserves.” Indeed, in improving an environment. “One can be examples of her work illustrate exactly how in the most beautifully designed space, but if skilfully placed lighting can add warmth or the lighting does not compliment it, the beau- provide a sense of space. On the other hand, ty will be lost,” she explains. Genazzini has Genazzini has found that in Luxembourg, a been installed in a studio in the Art Rooms lighting designer is considered a luxury by on avenue de la Liberté since March last most and a necessity by very few. “Many new year and has recently collaborated with her builds are designed by an architect, possibly fellow Art Rooms colleague Ben Carter on assisted with an interior designer and the a lightbox installation for the International lighting is left to the electricians. Electricians School of Luxembourg. Starting her career are fully capable of lighting a space, but dein the lighting industry working for Philips, signing a lighting scheme to reflect the comLucy amassed a considerable amount of plexity and charm of a building, is simply not technical knowledge before progressing to their trade.”.

Lost beauty

LIFESTYLE

Luxembourg Red Cross

SPORTING CHALLENGE

International volunteers are preparing for the “Triple C” fundraiser.

Text by Aaron Grunwald Photography by Sven Becker

G

enerally the site of national sports team training, the INS facility in Cents hosts the “Centenary Corporate Challenge” fundraising competition on the last Sunday in June.

The “Triple C” helps mark the 100th anniversary of the Luxembourg Red Cross, explains Jonathan Kent, president of the group’s international section. It is looking to field 20 teams of 15 athletes in several track and field disciplines.

Among others, Elvinger Hoss & Prussen, Deloitte and HSBC have already signed up, he says.

This type of tournament “brings a lot of people who work in corporations together; it’s an opportunity to meet and network, and find out about different aspects of life in Luxembourg at a fun event,” says HSBC shot putter Eugen Taso.

And after learning about local Red Cross activities in recent years, he reckons it is impor­ tant “to show support for their work, to show that corporations in Luxembourg actually care.”

In addition to sporting challenges, there will be food and activities for families and kids, and the day is open to the public, notes Kent.

Alessandra Tomasin, one of the volunteers helping to organise the Triple C, hopes to see “a lot of happy faces and motivated teams out to win” at the event.

At press time, “registration is still open” for a couple of teams, and she says the Red Cross is still looking for volunteers to help with both preparations and on the day itself..

June 29, Institut national des sports, Luxembourg-Cents section.internationale@croix-rouge.lu

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ALESSANDRA TOMASIN Hopes to see you there

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LIFESTYLE

Wellness at work

WHAT’S GOOD FOR EMPLOYEES IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

MAXIME ROUX At client State Street

Increasingly businesses are offering their employees options to balance their professional and private lives, to de-stress, to keep fit and to feel good. It’s obviously great for the employees, but the employers benefit too--more motivated staff, less absenteeism, higher productivity. It’s a win-win situation!

Text by Wendy Winn Photography by Annabelle Denham

I

56

f you’re old enough to remember life without a cell phone, think back to when you first joined the payrolled masses. What perks did human resources offer? Can you imagine your reaction if you were told you had a gym or could get a massage?

You might have been as dumbfounded as if someone told you could send messages to people by tapping the buttons on your phone.

Social changes are taking place alongside technological ones, and they are equally huge. Things like flexi-time and telecommuting help balance ­professional and private lives, while in-office fitness options make it possible to stay happy and healthy. It would be nice to think that management suddenly realised that employees were humans and not name badges, but it wasn’t ­altruism that prompted the changes. It was necessity.

According to a 2010 survey conducted by the Chamber of Employees, the OGBL and the Luxembourg League of Mental Health, 43% of employees in the Grand Duchy report feeling stressed, 50 to 60% of absenteeism is linked to professional stress, and 20% of employees feel at risk of a burnout and 23% suffer from muscular-skeletal complaints.

Only 23%?

So it behoves companies to react, and they have--some in small ways and others by doing everything

JUNE 2014

but assigning personal trainers to everyone.

In Luxembourg, most large banks and all of the EU institutions offer plenty of perks, if not for free, then for a modest cost. And among the role models has to be Clearstream.

In addition to a free gym, classes, reflexology and massage, the firm’s Paul Rees says there’s an office where parents can work alongside their kids if they need to bring them in for the day.

Media companies RTL and IP have a nice gym--many of these folks are on TV after all--and they’re building an even nicer one. A regular there is Cecile Somers, whose polished voice you know from service announcements like “the mobile phone you have just dialled is currently switched off”. But her vocal cords aren’t the only things that get exercised. She’s an avid runner and when she can’t pound the pavement, she’s in the gym. “I use it all the time.

If I go for a run in the winter, I’ll just come in for a quick sauna to warm up, and if I can’t run outside, I’ll do the the treadmill inside.”

Granted, only big companies can afford to have saunas and gyms, but companies of any size can offer their employees the use of them.

HealthCity’s Laura Pamasan says a lot of her fitness club’s clients are businesses, and therefore entitled to a 20% discount.

Smaller companies too are usually the ones taking advantage of having masseuses come in. Maxime Roux of Relax Max says most of his chair massage clients are companies with about 10 employees. “Smaller companies are easier to work with. We send in a masseuse one day a week, or once a month, or whenever the company wants.” Roux says it’s mostly neck, back and shoulder pain that strikes at work and that these areas are particularly targeted in chair massage, without requiring much space or anyone to undress. Relax Max also offers group courses on self-massage so employees can learn how to de-stress themselves, right at their own desks.

While exercise and massage reduce the symptoms of stress, services such as Fast Training’s “Wellbusiness” and Serenity At Work aim to eliminate the causes of stress. “We start with anonymous online questionnaires to find out where problems are”, says Serenity At Work’s Christelle Brignoli.

“We ask people about their workload, their schedules, their work environment, their colleagues and managers.”

Employees get individual feedback, while the manager sees the global report.

Creating harmonious work environments is a commendable goal of course, but even if we don’t feel achy or stressed, can we still have our Zumba and massages?

Please? .

LIFESTYLE

GET IN TOUCH Fast Training Tel.: 22 55 99 1 www.fasttraining.eu HealthCity Tel.: 26 33 21 78 (Bereldange) or 26 17 72 1 (Gare) www.healthcity.be Relax Max Tel.: 26 31 12 76 www.relax-max.eu Serenity at Work Tel.: 43 93 66 67 70 www.serenityatwork.com Spa Anywhere Tel.: 621 647 637 www.spaanywhere.lu Yoake The Ultimate Spa Tel.: 26 12 13 www.yoake.lu

JUNE 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201E;

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LIFESTYLE

16 LIVE SHOWS

02

The 2013-14 cultural programme draws to a close over the next month or so. But festivals in the gorgeous settings of the Abbaye de Neumünster and the Château de Wiltz and a wave of stunning music, dance and theatre performances will ensure that this season goes out with a bang rather than a whimper.

STEVIE WONDER

01

The Rockhal has landed something of a coup in bringing the legendary ­Stevie Wonder to Luxembourg. The singer-songwriter-piano playing genius will deliver a show that promises to include a barrage of hit songs spanning his entire career ranging from sixties ­classics such as ‘Uptight’ to seventies funk masterpiece ‘Superstition’ and eighties ballad ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’.

July 3, Rockhal, Esch-Belval, www.rockhal.lu 03

MICHÈLE LOSIER Soprano Michèle Losier replaces ­Angelika Kirchschlager for this concert with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg conducted by Emmanuel Krivine. She will sing Hector Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été, which is sandwiched on the programme between Luigi ­Dallapiccola’s 1954 work Piccola musica notturna and Tchaikovsky’s 5th symphony.

June 13, Philharmonie, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, www.philharmonie.lu 04

Neumünster Open Air

ECLECTIC AMBIENCE Massive Attack and Joss Stone (photo) lead the den Atelier line up at the annual Omni festival in the beautiful setting of the Abbaye de Neumünster courtyard. The festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, is spread over several days in July and always features one or two acts booked by den Atelier on the programme of world music, jazz and alternative artists.

Joss Stone, whose latest album, Soul Sessions 2 is a follow up to her debut of cover versions, has played at the Abbaye before--the bare-footed singer performed at the Omni festival in 2009. She returns as part of her Total World Tour, during which she plans to play a gig in every country in the world.

Massive Attack are no strangers to Luxembourg, either. The Bristol crew has played memorable shows at den Atelier (twice) as well as the Kockelscheuer ice-rink and the Rockhal. They are currently on a tour of festivals including Glastonbury and Secret Solstice in Iceland.

Also on the bill is Portuguese chanteuse Teresa Salgueiro, the former singer of Madredeus.

She is touring with latest album O Mistério, her sixth as a solo artist. More artists will be announced closer to the festival dates..

July, Abbaye de Neumünster, www.ccrn.lu

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FUMIYO & UN A collaboration between two Japanese born dancers, Ameness is based on a glossary of words compiled by Fumiyo Ikeda and Un Yamada via a correspondence--although contemporaries, Ikeda had lived in Belgium since the age of 16. The work also involves a third party, Eric Sleichim’s Bl!ndman group playing interpretations of Bach.

June 17, Grand Théâtre, Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, www.theatres.lu

THÉÂTRES DE LA VILLE DE LUXEMBOURG

DANCE OF THE CONTINENTS LUXEMBOURG

4/7 JUNE GRAND THÉÂTRE

JEAN-GUILLAUME WEIS

FRAUENTANZ I WITH 10 DANCERS ARGENTINA

5/6 JUNE GRAND THÉÂTRE

SIDI LARBI CHERKAOUI

M¡LONGA I WITH 12 DANCERS & 5 MUSICIANS

JAPAN

17 JUNE GRAND THÉÂTRE

FUMIYO IKEDA & UN YAMADA AMNESS

NEW ZEALAND/SAMOA

19/20 JUNE GRAND THÉÂTRE

LEMI PONIFASIO

THE CRIMSON HOUSE I WITH 8 DANCERS

25 JUNE GRAND THÉÂTRE

KOEN AUGUSTIJNEN & DALISA PIGRAM

GUDIRR GUDIRR I SOLO FOR DALISA PIGRAM

LES THÉÂTRES DE LA VILLE GRAND THÉÂTRE I 1, ROND-POINT SCHUMAN I L-2525 LUXEMBURG THÉÂTRE DES CAPUCINS I 9, PLACE DU THÉÂTRE I L-2613 LUXEMBOURG INFORMATION: WWW.LESTHEATRES.LU BOOKING: WWW.LUXEMBOURGTICKET.LU TEL.: + 352 47 08 95-1

Milonga © Tristram Kenton

AUSTRALIA

LIFESTYLE 05

09

Peter Gravelle

06

BILLY IDOL

FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE

One of the few faces from the original London punk scene to have found fame among more traditional rock fans in the United States, Billy Idol is now touring a greatest hits set to coincide with his autobiography due out later this year. Fans of the spiked blonde icon can hear ‘Dancing With Myself’, ‘White Wedding’ and many more of the hits he enjoyed post Generation X. July 4, Rockhal, Esch-Belval, www.rockhal.lu

While we wait with baited breath to find out who is playing in the capital city for its Fête de la musique, Dudelange has upped the stakes by bringing English singer-songwriter Frank Turner to headline its celebrations. Also on the bill is German folk-pop trio Mighty Oaks and local bands including Angel At My Table and Porn Queen, both of which have had recent CD releases.

June 14, Dudelange-Centre, www.opderschmelz.lu 10

Matt Beard

Holly Andres

07

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

TUNE-YARDS

The world’s most famous acrobatic circus troupe pays its first visit to ­Luxembourg to perform eight shows over five days at the Rockhal. The Quidam show is based on a fantasy world in which the title character is a unique rebel who inspires a young girl to live her life to the full. The show features 52 world-class acrobats, actors, musicians and singers.

June 11 to 15, Rockhal, Esch-Belval, www.rockhal.lu

Merrill Garbus’s unnecessarily pretentious orthography of her artist name belies tUnE-yArDs’ wonderfully infectious music. As described by Pitchfork her songs “sound like playgrounds full of street kids ricocheting off each other like bumper cars.” It may appear to be wilfully naïf, but actually some of the lyrics on “mature” new album Nikki Nack are bright with stark adult imagery.

July 7, Exit07, Luxembourg-Hollerich, www.rotondes.lu

CELEBRATE THE WORLD

Paddy Balls

ROCK UM KNUEDLER The annual free music festival on the city’s main square has seen better days in terms of international headline acts.

Mike and the Mechanics top the bill. ­Veteran local acts Dream Catcher and Surf Cowboys also perform alongside newer bands like Angel At My Table, Ice In My Eyes, Freshdax and the ever popular and witty Serge Tonnar and Legotrip.

July 6, Place Guillaume II, Luxembourg-Centre, www.rockumknuedler.lu

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^

08

A celebration of “world music”, whatever that means nowadays, MeYouZik is no longer viewed as a curtain raiser for the more traditional Rock um Knuedler but is a popular festival in its own right. This year’s line up is as eclectic as ever, although Africa seems to dominate the proceedings. The programme includes Malian musician Baba Sissoko, described as “the undisputed master of tamani (talking drum).” Ivory Coast bass player and singer and percussionist Manou Gallo (photo) brings her band to the festival for some seriously funky African soul.

Africa is making quite a splash at this year’s festival, with Burkina Faso singer and dancer Kandy Guira and band also performing.

French based funk band Machete will be at the festival to promote their new crowd-funded album To Each His Own Temple. Moving to a more dancehall-reggae sound, the Roots Intention Crew--no stranger to Luxembourg stages--is a colourful addition to this year’s MeYouZik line-up. And acclaimed cumbia singer, the flamboyant Argentinian La Yegros will also make an appearance. Finally, representing Eastern Europe is electro-swing outfit Mydy Rabycad featuring striking redhead Žofie Darbujánová on vocals.

July 5, Place Guillaume II, Luxembourg-Centre, www.meyouzik.lu

11

Julien Becker

MeYouZik

SQUIRRELS The talented Anne Simon (photo) directs Thomas Maximilian Held, Siobhàn McMillan and Jules Werner in a Théâtre National du Luxembourg production of David Mamet’s Squirrels. The one-act play features a trio of characters--a struggling writer, his secretary/ collaborator and his cleaning lady.

June 25, 27 & 30, July 2, 3 & 6, Théâtre National du Luxembourg, Luxembourg-Merl, www.tnl.lu

LIFESTYLE 12

Wiltz Festival

CASTLE CULTURE For one month every summer the courtyard in front of the Château de Wiltz is transformed into a theatre arena hosting a series of performances as part of the Festival de Wiltz. Founded in 1953, the festival attracts visitors from around the country and across the borders to the northern town for what is an eclectic programme featuring jazz, opera, theatre and dance.

Among the highlights of the 2014 programme is a jazz concert headlined by Florida born Cécile McLorin Salvant and her quartet. A winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition, McLorin Salvant is joined by pianist Aaron Diehl, bass player Paul Sikivie and drummer Jamison Ross.

Support act for the show is Luxembourg’s own Marly Marques Quintet. Jazz of a different kind takes ­centre stage for a production of George Gerschwin’s opera Porgy and Bess (photo) by the New York ­Harlem Theatre.

More classical opera comes in the shape of three performances by the Ukrainian Lviv Opera, including Tosca, La Traviata and a night of operetta highlights.

The festival also features music tributes to Buena Vista, Abba and Glenn Miller, performances from the Moscow City Ballet of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Minkus’s Don Quixote and a concert by German pop star Roger Cicero.

June 27 to July 27, Château de Wiltz, www.festivalwiltz.lu 14

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PHIL END OF SEASON

EELS

Dance music in its many guises is the traditional ingredient of the Philharmonie’s end of season party. Artists include San Francisco turntable maestro DJ Qbert who showcases his new album Extraterrestria/Galaxxxian, French electro house producer Lifelike and Dutch DJ Kabale & Liebe. The UK’s Ms Dynamite (photo) will add some powerful vocal presence, including dancehall hit ‘Dibby Dibby Sound’ with DJ Fresh and Jay Fay. And taking proceedings into the wee hours will be Luxembourg’s very own house master Maxwell George.

July 4, Philharmonie, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, www.philharmonie.lu

Eels has twice stunned audiences at den Atelier shows with heartfelt beauty and authenticity. Eleventh album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, is another refreshingly honest and intimate collection of songs--such as ‘Mistakes Of My Youth’--by its eponymous writer. The music is beautifully orchestrated and the lyrics ruminate on Everett’s failed relationships. In the setting of the Grand Théâtre, the show may seem rather cold and distanced but an audience sitting hushed and listening to Everett’s every word is probably a good thing.

July 8, Grand Théâtre, Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, www.atelier.lu

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JOHN BUTLER TRIO A favourite of den Atelier regulars since he first performed at the ­Hollerich venue in 2008, John Butler returns for a gig on the back of latest album Flesh & Blood. The Australian is a guitar virtuoso, and his music is defiantly roots oriented with none of the flash in the pan showmanship of some of his contemporaries. He is joined

by Byron Luiters on bass and Grant Gerathy on drums for what promises to be another scintillating live show.

July 1, den Atelier, Luxembourg-Gare, www.atelier.lu

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MAU

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LEMI PONIFASIO Samoan choreographer Lemi Ponifasio brings his latest production for his theatre company MAU, The Crimson House, to the Grand Théâtre. The work is inspired by Samoan mythology, but is seen as probing the nature of our existence in a world where we are under constant surveillance--by God, the intelligence services, Google and Facebook.

June 19 & 20, Grand Théâtre, Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, www.theatres.lu

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LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE

HAPPY KIDS: THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Art in the park, horsing around and super sailing this June and July.

Text by Wendy Winn

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Sailing, climbing and more

Kmeron/Creative Commons

THINK THE KIDS WILL SURVIVE?

HAVE A BLAST IN THE PAST The whole village participates in the Rodemack Medieval Festival (June 28-29) to take this picturesque little place in France back a few 100 years. You’ll think old Merlin has cast a spell. While the Rodemack fest dates back nearly to the times it celebrates, the Useldange Middle Ages Festival (June 14 & 15) is but a toddler, yet already hugely popular. www.avp-rodemack.fr www.useldengmedieval.lu

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It’s a great season for outdoor art.

Head to Bourglinster on June 14 & 15, where 140 artists will be working in materials including ceramics, jewellery, leather, wood and metal. Then head to Lellingen on June 23, where more than 100 artists converge on this charming Ardennes village on National Day for the Konst Festival (photo). There are also artists of the performance kind to keep kids entertained! www.bourglinster.lu www.konstfestival.lu

Encore Heureux/Nicola Delon

GET OUT, BUDDING ARTISTS!

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DESIGNED TO BE MORE THAN A DAY IN THE PARK The third edition of Design City takes place, among other places, at Mudam in Kirchberg and in the city park. Start off at the museum, where kids pick up a pouch and instructions, check out the indoor expositions, and then set off for Kinnekswiss park, where three large projects await exploration. Through June 15, in English, French and German. www.mudam.lu www.designcity.lu

CSI Luxembourg

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Open Air Konstfestival

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Duskolo/Creative Commons

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Why not send your kids aged 10 to 14 out into the wild for a night and see if they can survive? Not because you want to dim the lights and switch off the Xbox, but to let them take advantage of programmes like “survival weekend” in June, organised by the Service National de la Jeunesse (national youth service) in celebration of “50 years of camps and colonies”. There is a whole range of events, reasonably priced and ranging in age groups and type of activity. You don’t have to be a kid--many activities are meant for those up to age 26 but others are limited by age, like under 14 or 16. There are waiting lists for events like July’s cool “bat watching night” and one requirement is understanding the language the event takes place in, which is usually Luxembourgish, but several activities are specifically designed to be intercultural. Take a peek and book immediately for things like sailing, climbing, mountain biking and touring France over the summer holidays! . agenda.snj.lu

JUMP TO IT A fixture in the international showjumping scene since 1992, Roeser Horse Days attract some 4,000 visitors each year. The tournament will feature international stars from June 12 to 15 on the Herchesfeld, between Crauthem and Roeser. For the foals in the family, there are pony rides, forest walks and a playground, while older horses not quite put out to pasture will enjoy the bar lounge, restaurant and grill stands. Who could say neigh to that? www.jumping.lu

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MY OTHER LIFE

Benoît Bail

THE SPICE OF LIFE

TRY IT OUT

To locate Benoît Bail’s rum: www.zwazo.lu To register for a rum tasting: degustation.rhum@gmail.com

A copyright protection specialist produces an authentic new drink in Luxembourg.

Text by Tonya Stoneman Photography by Mike Zenari

B

enoît Bail has always liked pirates and he’s not ashamed to admit it. “From the time I was seven years old, I was fascinated with pirate stories and the islands and everything that went along with that,” he says. “When I grew up, I became interested in the rum.”

Although he did not particularly enjoy his first taste of the drink--a strong white French Agricole that went down in burning flames-he gave it another try a few years later. The next rum, a Guadeloupe, was sweeter and less aggressive. His mouth accepted it without hesitation and a love affair began.

After tasting enough rum to realise the absurdity of stereotypes that cast the spirit as a saccharine beachside cocktail for lightweights, Bail began making his own infused rums. He began collecting rum and travelling around the world to attend tastings and visit distilleries. He went to the island of St. Antao in Cape Verde, which still uses a bull to make the sugar-mill press the canejuice out of the sugarcane, and JM Distillery in Macouba, northern Martinique.

Bail shared both his passion and potations with his friends and people began asking to buy the drinks, so he decided to go into business. His label is “Bail B. – Liqueurs et Spiritueux”. “At the beginning I was doing spiced and infused only for fun,” he recalls. Now, when he isn’t working in the copyright protection agency that employs him, he spends most weekends and evenings filling orders. “It’s going better than expected,” he says. “I have some problems producing [enough]. All the shops are sold out in a few weeks.”

To produce one bottle of the heavenly spirit, he starts with fresh organic seasonal fruit. This means the rums change every two to three months--nature chooses his flavours. He peels, chops and squeezes fruit, mixes the spirit, tests it, dissolves it, pre-

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pares the syrup using sugar, water and spices, and finally bottles it. But the process doesn’t end there. To infuse the aromas into the liquid, the rum needs to rest for about a month, so he has to wait.

There are a lot of things Bail likes about rum: “I love how rum evolved historically, even though it is partly sad because of slavery. I love the interesting tastes and floras--some sweet, some like whisky, but mostly I love the ­culture. It’s like a big family because you always see the same people at tastings and festivals and discover new kinds of rum together. Rum people are fun people.”

At the moment, Bail is preparing for a tasting he has organised on June 26. This tasting will feature rums from the French Caribbean. During his tastings, he tells people about rum and its history and offers tasting notes. A maximum of 15 people attend and they sample about six different rums from various brands. The point is to teach people in Luxembourg about rum.

Of course, his rum will be available, as well. “I recommend it after dinner or with desert,” he says. “Or served fresh and cold.

Or maybe as an afternoon cocktail after work--that would be very nice. I think you can drink rum all day long.”

Bail dreams of grooming his company and earning enough money to buy an old distillery and make his own old rum brand. But for now, he’s working on developing a new flavour with apple and cinnamon--“like a pie in a bottle.”.

BENOÎT BAIL Infusing rum culture into Luxembourg

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