Dear AmCham Members, partners, and friends,
This coming Monday at Cercle Munster, we are pleased to host Fabrice Testa, the founder of Maana Electric, for an exciting talk on becoming a Super Entrepreneur. Fabrice is a very high-energy guy with a great story to tell. We are looking forward to hearing lessons learned and mistakes to avoid in a very dynamic presentation for all of you who aspire to be your own boss, live your own dream, and build a better world while making money in the process! We still have a few seats left, so click HERE to sign up and join us for this great information and networking event!
Immediately before Easter on april 06th, we look forward to hosting our new American Ambassador for his first lunch meeting and talk with us. We are currently sold out for this event, but feel free to contact daniel@amcham.lu to be put on the waiting list. If we have any last-minute cancellations, Daniel will do his best to find you a seat.
This week, our exclusive interview is with Mario Di Stefano, the founder of DSM law firm and Chairperson for our AmCham Real Estate Committee. He does a great job presenting his insights about what is going on in this vital sector for all of us here in Luxembourg. We hope you enjoy it!
Fragomen, our long-term partner on all matters related to immigration and work permit issues, has shared an excellent article on the current legal aspects impacting the Ukrainian refugees. We compliment the Luxembourg government and governments across Europe for showing remarkable flexibility to support the flood of persons forced to leave Ukraine and thank our friends at Fragomen for sharing their considerable insights. Please feel free to contact them directly if you have more specific questions.
We have been asked what the business community is doing to support the Ukrainian refugees. I am happy to acknowledge and add my compliments and thanks to our friends and AmCham Charter members Rolf and Vicki Sorg from PM-International AG for their very generous 1 million Euro charity donation. I likewise acknowledge, compliment, and thank our members Docler and LetterOne for their very substantial refugee charity contributions. I am sure there are many others of you all in the Business community as companies and as private citizens who are doing much on your own to help in many ways. I thank and compliment each of you for all you do to help these people in their time of greatest need. We likewise welcome any news to share on this topic.
Within AMCHAM.lu, we are following a dual track with our support. As mentioned last week, we have joined together with the other members of the Federation of AMCHAMS in Europe to partner with AmCham Ukraine to help ensure good satellite-based internet communication infrastructure within Ukraine and between Ukraine and the outside world. And we are collectively working together to ensure logistics flows of needed food and other equipment and help with refugee resettlement. We have likewise committed to continuing these joint initiatives after the crisis has passed during the rebuilding of Ukraine.
I am also pleased to announce that we are launching our local AMCHAM.lu initiative to support the integration of Ukraine refugees here in Luxembourg. Over many years we have acquired considerable expertise and experience related to the integration of foreigners into Luxembourg. For 20 years now, we have been creating successful editions of our very welcomed and much appreciated Doing Business in Luxembourg books, our Languages of Luxembourg Android and Apple telephone training applications, and our excellent 5 hours Saturday Newcomer Orientation Classes. We are relaunching these initiatives specifically focused on helping and supporting the 4,000 Ukrainian refugees who have just arrived here in Luxembourg. Please see all the details in our dedicated article following later in this Newsletter. If you have questions, suggestions, offer financial support, or want to help in other ways, please feel free to contact me personally, and I will be happy to meet with you (just contact anne@amcham.lu, and she will make the necessary arrangements for us to meet, talk, or connect digitally).
With Easter coming up, I am pleased to mention that the newly established Luxembourg-based artisanal chocolate house, Madame Chocolat, has joined our AMCHAM Member Benefits Cub (MBC) program. Perhaps Chocolate would make a great gift for the special someone in your life? We also have two Florists in our MBC list of suppliers and some extraordinary holiday travel ideas on offer (see MBC below!). If you do not yet have an MBC card or have a partner to recommend, please get in touch with Jorge at mbc@amcham.lu, and he will be happy to work with you.
I hope you enjoy this Newsletter and suggest you encourage colleagues and friends to sign up to receive our weekly free digital Newsletter HERE and join our family as AmCham members HERE!
Thanks for letting us serve you!
With respect and my very best wishes,
Paul Schonenberg
Chairman and CEO
AMCHAM.lu