Jean-Paul Olinger and Laurent Muller, respectively president and secretary general of the Federation of Young Business Leaders in Luxembourg, discuss their association's key activities.

 

 

Can you introduce the FJD in a few words?

The Federation of Young Business Leaders in Luxembourg has been established 40 years ago, in March 1977. The day-to-day is managed by a community of members, each of them under the age of 45, with entrepreneurial or managerial responsibilities. However, as mentoring is one main objective, members who have exceeded this age limit continue to actively contribute to the association. We are a platform of exchange and development for business leaders from private and public companies. To this end, we organise

company visits, conferences, thematic working groups and travel abroad to meet other young entrepreneurs.

 

« To be an entrepreneur is to take the initiative: a young business leader must be innovative and creative. »

 

What are the major projects for 2017?

Each year, the activities of FJD are organized around a

general theme. This year, for our 40th birthday, “Innovation” is at the heart of our activities: Three working groups discuss the topic with regard to major economic sectors. In addition, multiple conferences take place and cover topics such as the impact of digital transformation onto our SMEs, the incentives for innovation available in Luxembourg, cooperation between start-ups and established companies, etc… We’re also planning four visits to innovative companies and a few short trips to Maastricht, the Alps and Iran. Last but not least, we celebrate the big birthday in May…

 

How do you see Luxembourg‘s future in the medium term?

To be an entrepreneur is to take the initiative. A young

business leader must be able to inspire confidence, to be ready to act, to think outside the box and to question him or herself. In short: it’s about being innovative and creative. In Luxembourg, thanks to various initiatives,

entrepreneurship is at the top of the agenda. We welcome this renewed energy and want to underline the key role that entrepreneurs play in terms of economic and social development: encouraging young people to become entrepreneurs, promoting female leadership in business and integrating the international community, in a nutshell, fostering diversity. Today, everyone should play an active role in this country’s development, from politicians to entrepreneurs, including government officials and associations. That’s why we contribute to entrepreneurial initiatives, both public and private. With its multicultural population, Luxembourg can build bridges while differentiating itself from its neighbours to better position itself in relation to its competitors, not only in the Greater Region but around the world too.