Linking the UK and Luxembourg - The British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg
Published October 7, 2022
Ironically, the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg (BCC) was founded in 1992 by Luxembourgers, not the British. However, this has not stopped people from every corner of the globe from joining over the past 30 years and Brits now make up only 55% of the members. The British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg has established itself as the best independent network between Luxembourg and the United Kingdom.
BCC not BBC
The independent organization is one of the two biggest private chambers of commerce in Luxembourg, with over 300 members, and is a great place to network but the members are also able to answer questions about doing business in the UK and even help make connections through the British Embassy in Luxembourg.
This is all possible even though the BCC is not a part of the British government, it’s by members, for members. And it’s this combination of distance and connections that let the BCC help businesses throughout Brexit.
In 2016, the BCC organized lunches for its members with both Nigel Farage (Leave) and Paddy Ashdown (Remain) so that its members could understand both sides of the issue from the UK perspective. After the vote, the BCC facilitated exclusive briefings for its members with the British Ambassador throughout the uncertain transition period.
The BCC also likes to keep things fun and well-known actor Jude Law came to help celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2017 and famous Luxembourg magician David Goldrake performed at a special Easter lunch during the 30th anniversary celebrations in 2022.
But why is the BCC working together with the alumni program? The current Chair of the BCC, Daniel Eischen, has been involved with the BCC for 20 years. He decided to partner with the university because “Uni.lu alumni are amazing people and we [the BCC] are an amazing platform!”
Alumni-The Fresh Faces of the BCC
Members like alumna Ruth Lau, who received her master’s degree in Wealth Management, told us how she “felt was totally lost… and hopeless until summer 2021 when I got to know the BCC where they hosted a good number of English-speaking business networking events. I truly enjoyed the quality of the events and the people that I met. This experience has transformed my impression of Luxembourg and completely opened up new doors for me.”
Now, Ruth is a member of both the BCC Council and Sustainability working group and says that “I would love to encourage the Uni.lu alumni to join in the BCC to contribute to a lively English-speaking business network - enhancing your potential career options will only be a natural by-product!”
University of Luxembourg Alumni Network and the BCC
The BCC was the first partner of the Alumni Network and the whole concept of the GradPack evolved from these initial discussions. As part of the GradPack, alumni can join the BCC for free as professional members for up to 2 years after graduation! As members, alumni are then able to apply to join one of the BCC’s business sector groups:
The BCC is celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2022 and still has several important upcoming events this year, such as the upcoming BCC Leadership Forum 2022 on 19 October, which is free for all members.
Join the BCC Today!
The BCC is committed to openness and to bringing in new members who have a fresh, crisp, approach to the business world. The BCC wants to diversify, open itself up to young and new ideas, and help alumni make connections that are not only meaningful but impactful.
You can find out more about the BCC, including their current projects, on their website.
Brits, Bites, and Banter-BCC Event. Photo courtesy of Steve Eastwood
