business
Tuition first David Laurent (archives)
The Grand Duchy’s first-ever preparatory courses for two rigorous financial professionals’ exams have just launched. Business School Luxembourg has begun a series of 11 week classes to prepare for the Chartered Financial Analyst and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants qualification tests, both of which are widely recognised around the world. Tuition director Rory Collins says such preparation has been missing in the country “and it needs to be provided in Luxembourg.” The examinations themselves are still conducted independently, and the BSL is not formally connected with either professional body. Both qualifications are helpful “for career enhancement”, reckons Collins, formerly EMEA head of risk and control at BNY Mellon. Qualifications holders can “get ahead of somebody in an interview situation.” Classes, like both examinations, are exclusively in English, and are held at the Hotel Meliá in Kirchberg. The first courses began September and a new term commences after the New Year. www.businessschoolluxembourg.lu
Dutch unit takes Luxembourg name Business School Luxembourg
SGG Group has rebranded its two Netherlands-based subsidiaries under its corporate name as part of an effort to build its worldwide brand. Cloche d’Or-based SGG, one of Luxembourg’s largest corporate and fund administration services providers, bought out its former Dutch competitor ANT last year and acquired boutique provider IMFC in 2011. Both units had originally kept their historic names, but will now operate under the SGG flag. “The move to adopt one brand for the whole group clearly underlines our global services approach,” says CEO Serge Krancenblum. SGG says it employs more than 500 professionals in 15 countries.
Average apartment selling prices
Gaming firm goes live in Luxembourg An American video game industry service provider is opening its first ever European office in Bertrange, attracted by the government’s campaign to make the Grand Duchy a hub for the gaming sector. Live Gamer, which provides behind-the-scenes services to game publishers, will run all its EU operations from the new regional HQ. The firm offers digital publishers an “e-commerce and payments platform” which capitalises on the fast growing “direct-to-fan publishing” markets led by gaming companies like Riot Games and Wargaming.net (photo), says Live Gamer president Andrew Schneider. He adds that “Luxembourg has done a great job of reaching out to the video games industry”.
West €394,043
The European Commission has denied a report in the Financial Times that the Greek government will be told to set up a special investment vehicle in the Grand Duchy as part of the privatisation programme agreed with European leaders. The paper says responsibility for the sale of state-owned real estate assets would be transferred to a Luxembourg-based holding company and managed independently from the Greek government, with the aim of boosting the underperforming privatisation process. The FT says the idea was put forward in a draft report by the European Stability Mechanism. However, a source tells Delano that the plan was in fact proposed by the Finnish government and is not part of the ESM’s recommendations. A spokesman for the EU economy commissioner, Finland’s Olli Rehn (photo, left), says “the ownership of this programme is and absolutely must remain in the hands of the Greek government”.
Centre €422,186
East €328,367
South €300,778
2013
Uni intern gains California experience A University of Luxembourg student is experiencing a first-of-its-kind internship at the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office in San Francisco. Peter Huang, who completed his master’s degree in economics and finance this year, is writing a report on the region’s venture capital industry, and helping identify technology
companies for the bureau’s investment promotion efforts, says consul general and trade office chief Georges Schmit. The posting was particularly attractive opportunity for Huang, who has “always been interested in start-ups and the venture capital sector.” His four month assignment ends in November.
University of Luxembourg
Wargaming.net
No Greek fund in Luxembourg, EU says
Average prices over the past 12 months, calculated by official statistics bureau Statec on September 19, 2013
European Commission (archives)
North €298,970
OCTOBER 2013
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