LuxUnplugged Podcast

Thierry and Adrien are warmly welcomed by Sophie Weber in the context of a live event at the Luxembourg Embassy, organised by the Luxembourg Society in London. Celebrating the second anniversary of the podcast, they dive into the history of the venture and discuss the motivations that led to the launch of the project back in 2019. Having rarely talked about themselves in great detail since the start of this endeavour, Adrien and Thierry take this opportunity to describe the behind-the-scenes of their whole podcasting machinery, ranging from the choice of the guest to the preparation of the agenda, up until the release of each episode. Sophie also intriguingly enquires about their respective styles of approaching prospects and asks them to walk her through notable stories that marked important milestones during the LuxUnplugged journey. Finally, they provide more details on their 2022 projects and what the audience should be looking forward to.

Adrien welcomes Claudia Hitaj, Research and Technology Associate at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), to the show. A seasoned environmental economist, Claudia walks Adrien through the various conclusions of the COP26 conference and what it means regarding future commitments of developed nations vis a vis emerging countries in the climate change context. Unlike previous editions of this conference, she details how the public has been able to grasp the implications of such global summits thanks to better reporting produced by media outlets. Claudia then dives into the role of LIST in the wider Luxembourg ecosystem and how essential this organisation is when it comes to supporting the government in their efforts to decarbonise the economy over the long term. They also talk about the various initiatives that have been launched by LIST to accelerate the path towards decarbonisation. Finally, Claudia gives away a few concrete examples on how Luxembourg could act as a role model worldwide.

Thierry welcomes back Gérard Hoffmann, CEO at Proximus Luxembourg, to the show. The last time Gérard appeared on the programme, the world had just entered into a lockdown period when a lot of companies had to adopt teleworking (or working from home) setups at an unprecedented pace. This hugely benefitted a company like Gérard's in the ICT space. 18 months down the line, Gérard acknowledges the benefits of hybrid arrangements for his own staff, especially for crossborder workers who play an enormous role in Luxembourg's economy, but also looks forward to the lifting of social distancing measures and more collaboration onsite to spur innovation and creativity. After discussing the disruptive impact of covid on supply chains after summer 2021, they dive into the meaning of the metaverse and the opportunities for Luxembourg as a whole. Finally, Gérard walks Thierry through the numerous opportunities that the digital transformation can unlock, especially for sectors that have been more conservative in that regard. He even likens this upcoming digital decade to the roaring 20's.

Thierry welcomes David Gray, General Manager at the CK Group, to the show. An avid believer in technology, David looks back at the last three decades and discusses how technological changes and the internet have revolutionised the way companies structure their business processes. Then, Thierry wonders how the two key business lines from the CK Group, an established group in Luxembourg offering office technology and sports wellbeing solutions, are complementary. Subsequently, they talk about the effects of the pandemic on businesses and how this has affected their decisions to accelerate their digital transformation decisions.

Thierry and Adrien welcome Jean-Claude Juncker, former president of the European Commission, to the show. A globally known figure in political affairs, Jean-Claude Juncker dives into his early days in Luxembourg politics which he preferred to a legal career. They then discuss the political and economic situation in Luxembourg and how the country has evolved from a global financial centre to a more diversified ecosystem. Inevitably, Adrien and Thierry enquire about his views on Luxembourg and its role in European affairs. Drawing a number of parallels with Brexit, of which he oversaw the exit deal negotiation between the European Union and the United Kingdom, Mr Juncker briefly comments on the freedom of movement that comes with the EU membership and the damage that it caused when leaving the Union like the UK did. In line with more recent episodes, Adrien and Thierry speak to the climate change topic where the European Union plays a major role.

Thierry and Adrien welcome back Tokyo Institute of Technology's Kim Schumacher to the show. After briefly discussing his experience as a lecturer in Japan at the height of the covid-19 crisis, Kim extensively explains the purpose of the IPCC report, a paper issued by a body within the United Nations, and what the conclusions of the latest report mean for all the involved stakeholders. Thierry then enquires about the challenges that government officials have faced in light of the covid-19 crisis and what tackling climate change would entail for them to convince their electorate to adapt their lifestyle in a profound fashion. Provocatively, Adrien debates whether fully-fledged democracies and the handling of the climate change crisis are mutually exclusive concepts to make tough decisions that would preserve a population’s long term interests. Finally, Kim walks them through the latest sustainable finance initiatives that he has been involved in in Luxembourg where good progress has been made, especially with one of the largest domestic financial institutions.

Thierry and Adrien welcome Pascale Junker, Head of Luxembourg Strategy, to the show. After walking them through her extensive years in development aid in emerging economies, Pascale discusses the concept of territorial and urban planning and how human infrastructure has become so important on Earth that it's capable of influencing the ecosystem as a whole. Adrien then enquiries about her papers detailing Luxembourg's recommended agenda to reach carbon neutrality in a few decades' time thanks to a complete rethinking of the territorial planning strategy. In the context of climate change, Thierry wonders how the successive Luxembourg governments have handled the climate crisis and what the Luxembourg population needs to do to avert it. Given Luxembourg's extraordinary economic and demographic growth in recent years, and in light of limited resources and space, they dive into the challenges that the grand duchy is likely to face if the local mentality remains unchanged for the foreseeable future. Finally, Pascale provides her view on the forthcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow and what she hopes global leaders will achieve after the summit.

Thierry and Adrien welcome Marie Louise Ashworth, President at The Network, to the LuxUnplugged Podcast. They discuss the importance of having women-only clubs and how such environments can greatly enhance professional opportunities and promote better values. An impassioned feminist, Marie Louise walks them through the principles underpinning The Network and how her association supports its members throughout their professional and personal journeys in Luxembourg. Finally, they also talk about the recent emergence of movements such as #MeToo and how society is evolving in relation to equality and diversity issues. (We apologise for the minor blips that occur throughout the recording which took place on a remote basis)

REPLAY - Thierry welcomes Mike Reiffers, Managing Director and co-founder of Skeeled. They discuss the genesis of Mike's company that he co-founded with his business partner straight after university. Then they dive into how this Luxembourg-based business leverages artificial intelligence, allowing his clients to make better hiring decisions whilst promoting their brand. Finally, Mike shares his tips for everyone aspiring to start up their company in the Grand Duchy.

In this short episode, Thierry and Adrien wrap up Season 2. After another very exciting year, they briefly reflect upon the recent changes in the Luxembourg podcast environment. Then, they give away a few bits and pieces that are currently happening within the LuxUnplugged team and, of course, they talk about the upcoming events pertaining to the podcast. Watch out, a lot of important announcements are in the pipeline! We'll be back after the Summer Holidays!