LuxemBourg: HOW TO TURN NEIGHBOURS INTO FRIENDS? TRY A NEW VOLVO AT HOME. The new Volvo models are here and ready to be tested. Every test drive should include steep hills, sharp curves, hard braking, quick sprints and perhaps most critically, friends and loved ones. All aboard and off you go. It’s free, it’s all about passion, power and advanced safety technology. What’s more, your test drive could save you thousands. Sign up to test drive any new Volvo at: #(/+., 35.+5." 12"., or visit your nearest Volvo Cars Diplomat Sales representative. AUTOPOLIS S.A. Zone d’activités Bourmicht, L-8070 Bertrange Tel: (+352) 43 96 96 2919, [email protected] AUTOPOLIS NORD 8, z.a. & comm. L-9085 Ettelbruck Tel: (+352) 81 24 99 www.autopolis.lu/volvo 5.+5." 12#(/+., 32 +$2LNEREHACA@PKOANRAUKQ 3 HOW TO TURN NEIGHBOURS INTO FRIENDS? TRY A NEW VOLVO AT HOME. THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN LUXEMBOURG A.S.B.L. CONNEXION 2ND QUARTER 2008 6, rue Antoine de Saint-Exupéry L-1432 Luxembourg " Phone : (+352) 43 17 56 Fax : (+352) 26 09 47 04 E-mail : [email protected] AMCHAM E-mail : [email protected] E-mail : [email protected] Chartered Members E-mail : [email protected] ALFI Website : www.amcham.lu Alter Domus Arendt & Medernach Chairman and CEO : Assist Relocation Paul-Michael Schonenberg BDO Compagnie Fiduciaire " Caterpillar Luxembourg Marketing Director : Clearstream International Margot Parra Commerzbank International Covidien Communications Director : Dechert Luxembourg Tatjana Schaefer Deloitte Delphi Corporation Editorial Committee : Dexia BIL Tatjana Schaefer DuPont de Nemours (Luxembourg) Paul-Michael Schonenberg Ian Whitecourt Ernst & Young Luxembourg European Fund Administration Layout Conception : European Relocation Services Colorbox SA Euroscript Luxembourg Printer : Fidelity International Imprimerie Centrale SA Luxembourg Fiduciaire Whitecourt The new Volvo models are here and ready Fortis Intertrust (Luxembourg) to be tested. Every test drive should include Please Note : Goodyear steep hills, sharp curves, hard braking, The American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg does not G4S Security Services quick sprints and perhaps most critically, necessarily endorse the views or opinions expressed in this Guardian Europe periodical nor accept any responsibility in connection friends and loved ones. Kneip Communication with information rendered. All aboard and off you go. It’s free, it’s all Korn/Ferry International about passion, power and advanced safety Copyright © 2008 : KPMG technology. What’s more, your test drive The American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg Kühne + Nagel could save you thousands. Loyens & Lœff Sign up to test drive any new Volvo at: No part of this publication may be reproduced without written McKinsey & Company, Luxembourg permission from the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg. Microsoft Luxembourg Oracle #(/+., 35.+5." 12"., All editorial materials and advertising inquiries should be addressed P&TLuxembourg or visit your nearest Volvo Cars Diplomat to the Chamber at the above address. PricewaterhouseCoopers Sales representative. RBC Dexia Investor Services Bank The American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg asbl is an Rowlands International – Vedior Interim international voluntary organization of business persons committed to fostering bilateral trade and investment between the United States and Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie Luxembourg. State Street Bank (Luxembourg) Streff Removals & Storage Symantec AUTOPOLIS S.A. Zone d’activités Bourmicht, L-8070 Bertrange Tel: (+352) 43 96 96 2919, [email protected] TEAM Allied AUTOPOLIS NORD 8, z.a. & comm. L-9085 Ettelbruck Tel: (+352) 81 24 99 www.autopolis.lu/volvo HONORARY CHARTERED MEMBER : 5.+5." 12#(/+., 32 +$2LNEREHACA@PKOANRAUKQ Ambassador e.m. Peter Terpeluk, Jr. 4 CONTENTS CONTENTS.... PAGE 05 EDITORIAL PAGE 05 a WORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN FILES.............. PaGE 06 AMCHAM NEWS INTERVIEW & SPECIAL FEATURE [ ] With H.E. Minister Jean- PAGES 06 & 07 NEW MEMBERS - AGENDA & EVENTS 12-13 Louis Schiltz PAGE 08 • ABAL : THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF With an increasing number LUXEMBOURG (ISL) of e-business companies PAGE 09 • COMPETENCIES : THE PROBLEMS BEHIND choosing the Grand Duchy THE HYPE as their business location in PAGES 10 & 11 • BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - FINALLY A REALITY Europe, the sector shows a very promising growth PAGES 12-24 SPECIAL FEATURE : E-BUSINESS and is turning into a pillar IN LUXEMBOURG of Luxembourg’s economy. PAGES 12 & 13 • intervIEw wITH H.E. Minister Schiltz shares MINISTER JEAN-LOUIS SCHILTZ his views on current and PAGES 14 & 15 • LUX CONNECT future developments in an PAGE 16 • MEDIAPORT BECOMES "LUXEMBOURG interview with AMCHAM... FOR ICT"G PAGES 18 & 19 • LEvEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS PAGES 20 & 22 • RAKUTEN INC PAGES 23 & 24 • LUXEMBOURG AND E-SERvICES : A PERFECT MATCH PaGE 25 U.S. EMBASSY [35-36] PAGE 25 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER : JEFFREY T. LODERMEIER PaGE 26 LUX NEWS PAGE 26 AGORA PRESENTS FIRST HYPER GREEN OFFICE PROJECT DURING MIPIM AT CANNES PAGE 27 BANKING SPICE PaGE 28 INFORMATION TOOLBOX PAGE 28 FOUR SEASONS IN ONE DAY VISIT TO SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE PAGES 29 & 30 DUAL NATIONALITY Finding America at the Heart of Europe... An AMCHAM delegation including Luxembourg’s PaGE 31 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Citymanager Geraldine Knudson and CLC President Michel PAGES 31 & 32 SIMON, KUCHER & PARTNERS Rodenbourg visited Spangdahlem Air Base in order to PAGES 33 & 34 THOMSON REUTERS strengthen the relations between the American community located in the Eifel/Germany and Luxembourg. The Air Base has a tremendous economic impact on the entire region, PaGE 35 GREATER REGION NEWS based on infrastructural investments and the purchasing PAGES 35 & 36 VISIT TO SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE power of about 15,000 Americans living in Spangdahlem. PaGE 37 U.S. NEWS PAGE 37 DELPHI BUSINESS AWARD RECIPIENT 2008 PAGE 38 LACS RECEIVES MAJOR GIFT FROM AMCHAM [ SPECIAL FEATURE ] LuxemBourg: LUXEMBOURG: ACCELERATING UP TO SPEED FOR E-BUSINESS The Grand Duchy is setting the framework for the highly dynamic and promising e-business sector to become an integral part of the diversification of the country’s economy. In our special feature the efforts of Luxembourg’s government to put the country in a pole [12-24] position and the private sector’s view on the matter are outlined... EDITORIAL 5 CHAIRMAN's remarks A WORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN... Dear fellow AMCHAM members and friends, Welcome to the summer issue of your AMCHAM Luxembourg news magazine! This issue is dedicated to the topic of e-business. As you will see, Luxembourg is ideally suited as an e-commerce business hub because of both the beneficial VAT rate and because of the international, multi-cultural and multi-lingual employee base. This is an area that the Luxembourg Government believes holds competitive advantage for Luxembourg-based businesses and thus is eager to support. Based on the success of several global players who have chosen the Grand Duchy as business location, their judgment has been affirmed. We look forward to giving you all the reasons and details in this publication. Enjoy the articles. I take this occasion to express my sincere appreciation to David Roach and all of the members of the AMCHAM tax committee for their hard work preparing position papers and lobbying with the Luxembourg government to address all of our concerns to improve the tax situation. In Prime Minister Juncker’s speech on the 2009 budget which was delivered in late May we have seen the success of this lobbying effort in the elimination and reduction of taxes which we have proposed to the benefit of both companies and their employees. Please take the occasion to read the short announcement on our AMCHAM website which details the time line and the details of the tax changes which will take effect and do not hesitate to express your appreciation to all of the members of our AMCHAM tax committee for their hard work and professional lobbying to make these changes become a reality. I am pleased to announce that we have begun the work to produce the next edition of “Working in Luxembourg”. We have targeted a launch date of October 2009 and this time we will not only produce book and CD ROM versions of the complete book, but, as well, produce an excerpted Employee Handbook version which contains just the professional materiel of interest to employees and HR professionals. As with past editions, we will need sponsors to advertise in the books and CDs. Please contact Margot and Tatjana for details and to reserve your preferred advertising position. Along with all of AMCHAM we wish you a great summer. With my best regards, Paul Michael Schonenberg Chairman and CEO 6 AMCHAM NEWS AMCHAM NEWS NEW MEMBERS NEWMEMBERS D Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL), the only real estate money management and services firm named to Forbes maga- zine’s “400 Best Big Companies” for DYNABRADE EUROPE three consecutive years, has approxi- mately 170 offices worldwide and oper- BaNQUE DEGROOF LUXEM- Representative: Bachonee Raakhee ates in more than 700 cities in over 60 BOURG Title: Marketing Manager countries. Zone Artisanale Op Tomm In Luxembourg, Jones Lang LaSalle Representative: Alessandro Bottinelli L-5485 Wormeldange-Haut works for institutional investors, prop- Title: Institutional Sales - Financial Phone: (+352) 76 84 94 1 erty companies and developers, banks Markets Fax: (+352) 76 84 95 and financial organizations, corporate 12, rue Eugène Ruppert E-mail: [email protected] occupiers, retailers, national and local L-2453 Luxembourg Website: www.dynabrade.lu government and private concerns. Phone: (+352) 45 35 45 2205 Founded in 1969, Dynabrade Inc., Our employees have a diverse scope Fax: (+352) 25 07 21 2205 located near Buffalo, NY, USA, has of skills and market-leading experi- E-mail: [email protected] earned a reputation and position of ence and are dedicated to delivering Website: www.degroof.lu continued leadership in the innovative value-added property solutions to Founded in 1871 by Franz Philippson, design and manufacturing of unique clients.