Experts' corner

A recent independent study, conducted by SIA Partners, named S-Net Mobile the best mobile banking application in Luxembourg. We took the opportunity to speak to Daniel Madariaga, Deputy Head of Business Innovation Office, and Christophe Medinger, Deputy Head of Digitalisation, at Spuerkeess, to find out more about how the teams in charge of S-Net achieved this success for the third year running.

In an increasingly competitive economic environment, improving corporate profitability remains a major challenge, not only for companies themselves but also for all stakeholders and, more broadly, for the Luxembourg economy. We interviewed Laura Schauss, Senior Manager at Resultance, to find out more about their approach for companies.

Passing on your business to a third party or within your family is a crucial stage in the life of your company, just as taking over a business marks the start of a new life for a business owner. At Spuerkeess, these two important steps are taken with the advice and support of dedicated experts. Whether you are the assigner or assignee, our experts Johny Basher and Franck Alter, both business transfer advisers at Spuerkeess, reveal the keys to a successful transfer in this article. Happy reading!

Are you self-employed in Luxembourg, live there and want to boost your retirement? Do you want to cover yourself and your loved ones against the risk of death or disability? In this article, our expert Bruno Mendes, Business Advisor Coordinator at Spuerkeess, explains why and how you can benefit from a highly advantageous tax framework. Happy reading!

Three “Fit 4” support programmes offered by Luxinnovation already enable companies to improve their performance in three areas: digitalisation, sustainability and operational excellence. In July 2024, Lex Delles, Minister for the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, and Sasha Baillie, CEO of Luxinnovation, announced that existing programmes were to be standardised and simplified, and a new one to be launched: Fit 4 Digital - AI. We asked Emmanuelle Kipper, Senior Advisor - SME Performance at Luxinnovation, to tell us more about these performance programmes for businesses.

What are the various aspects of responsible banking and what are the challenges faced by banks? In this interview, Aude Payan and Elena Fuzzi, respectively Director and Senior Manager in Risk Consulting and in charge of ESG services for credit institutions at KPMG provide detailed insight and examples for innovative strategies for financial institutions to advance ethical banking standards.

The Luxembourg Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (LPEA) has recently launched a technical committee dedicated to fund financing. In an exclusive interview, Yves Wampach, IRM – Lending-Fund Finance at Spuerkeess and newly elected co-chair of the new ‘Fund Financing’ Technical Committee” within the LPEA, shares the origins of this initiative and its ambitious goals.

When working together, banks and NGOs can ensure a real-world impact. Banks provide financing for sustainable projects, while NGOs raise awareness and propose projects for funding. In this interview, Nicoletta Centofanti, CEO at LSFI, explains how banks and NGOs should collaborate together to drive positive social impact.

Do you like the idea of helping to finance a project that respects the planet and treats its employees fairly, with ethical values? In this case, Alternative Savings from etika should be of particular interest to you. Any project that respects the environment, and/or involves social issues and/or is based on solidarity, is worthy of special attention from Spuerkeess, which proposes a solidarity mechanism, the Alternative Loan, in partnership with etika. Find out more about these two solidarity products in this article, with our expert Zoé Peter, Corporate Relationship Manager at Spuerkeess.  

What are the major issues regarding CSR and sustainability in Luxembourg, and what specific obstacles do the country’s economic players face when they seek to establish sustainable communities? In this interview, Laetitia Georgel and Sophie Öberg from IMS Luxembourg tell us about the involvement of Luxembourg companies in the field of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, and offer five practical tips for building sustainable communities.

Private asset funds in general and their ancillary entities have gained a strategic importance within Luxembourg's financial ecosystem and lending to the fund industry is playing a growing role on the financial place. In the context of these market dynamics, Spuerkeess completes its product offering to the Luxembourg fund industry with two main lending products: Equity bridge financing (EBF) to Luxembourg alternative funds and other liquidity credit facilities to mainstream / alternative funds. In setting up a new Luxembourg fund or in driving growth for existing ones, why not taking advantage of such facilities, should the structuring and risk profile match the risk appetite of the bank? In this first article, Paolo RADAELLI, Team Manager Lending-Fund Finance and Yves WAMPACH, IRM – Lending-Fund Finance at Spuerkeess introduce the EBF product offered by the bank.

As a transition enabler, Spuerkeess plans to contribute to the national target of electrifying 49% of Luxembourg’s car fleet by 2030. Thus, since 2018, the Bank has included electric vehicles in its Lease Plus offer, and these now account for 80% of the leases taken out by the Bank's customers. This very strong interest in electric cars is partly due to the desire to "consume better and more sustainably", but is also due to our attractive Lease Plus offers. Emir Mustafic, Business Developer - Private Lease at Spuerkeess, gives us the criteria to be taken into account when buying or leasing an electric vehicle.

How can financial institutions leverage technology and data analytics to mitigate environmental risks within their investment portfolios? What are the strategies adopted by banks to align their financial services with sustainable development goals and how they can incentivise customers to adopt eco-friendly banking habits? In this interview, Julien Froumouth, Sustainable Finance Adviser at ABBL, addresses the role of Luxembourg's banks in financing renewable energy projects and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. Furthermore, Julien provides five tips for readers to assess a bank's corporate behaviour regarding environmental responsibilities.

Looking back to the events of early 2022 and the developing global crisis and challenges, the real estate market in Luxembourg has known some changes: price adjustments, decrease of new constructions and high interest rates have taken their toll. We spoke to Andrea Maramotti, CEO of Immotop.lu about the actual situation.

When you are self-employed, an SME, an association or a large company, you may need to pay for certain products and services by means other than by bank transfer. Some stores will agree to give you the invoice at the same time as your goods, but others don't have that option, which can make an ordinary purchase more complicated than expected for your financial management. A business bank card is a good way to resolve this kind of situation. Discover what Spuerkeess can offer for your business in this article. Enjoy your reading!

The new government has stated its intention to boost the housing sector and made this an urgent priority for its administration. Measures have been announced and changes are under way. How does this affect mortgages? We interviewed our expert Michel Marx, Team Manager Retail Banking at Spuerkeess, to find out the situation with regard to investments and the financing of buy-to-let properties. Happy reading!

Rising interest rates, a crisis-ridden construction sector, falling property prices: that's the current situation on the property market. But what does this mean for private individuals looking to buy a property in 2024? We spoke to Claude Hirtzig, Head of Retail & Professional Banking, at Spuerkeess, to find out more about the development of the real estate market and housing financing.

Very large sums of money have already been stolen from companies through CEO Fraud, and it's never too late to protect yourself against these threats. To this end, we chose to interview our experts who are in direct contact with our business customers, as well as those in charge of data security. Jean-Luc Bermes and Philippe Hennes, Corporate Banking, and Lars Weber, Information Security Officer at Spuerkeess, share their recommendations on how to better protect yourself against these threats. Happy reading!

The contemporary wave of democratizing private equity investments, coupled with the recent modifications of Luxembourg's fund regulations, including the ELTIF framework, as well as the overarching trend of companies staying private for longer – all of these are driving the growth of Private Equity investments and funds in Luxembourg. In the context of these prevailing market dynamics: Why should fund initiators team up with Spuerkeess, both as a business partner and universal bank? This question is tackled by Claudio Pompei, Team Manager Business Development, Institutional Relationship Management at Spuerkeess.

Are you a doctor, physiotherapist or self-employed professional in the healthcare sector? Are you about to open a medical practice but don't have a clue about the best way to manage your finances? If there are several of you in the same practice, do you only need one account? Or is it better to have more than one to make it easier to keep an eye on payments? If these are just some of the questions you're asking yourself right now, the sound advice in this article from our expert Bruno Mendes, Business Advisor Coordinator at Spuerkeess, will help clear things up.

This year Spuerkeess is participating in the 41st Stock Market Learning competition, a realistic stock market simulation contest and the only one of its kind in the Grand-Duchy. Claude Hermes from the Marketing department explains why Spuerkeess is holding this competition.

Ethical behavior matters. Employees who have high ethical standards are proactive to help solve problems with work colleagues and clients. While so-called “micromanagers” prevent good work from getting done, “good bosses” that develop their teams’ talents and are generous with praise increase personal productivity. Whether we are in a management position or not, there are many ways we can encourage ethical behavior in our workplace. We spoke to Sandra Schengen, Corporate Psychologist at Spuerkeess, who provides insight and five useful tips around the topic.

Powered by machine learning, artificial intelligence and neural language processing, voice assistants are helping us perform everyday tasks more easily. What's more, voice interaction is increasingly moving into the financial sector. Is voice payment the future of payment technology? Roger Krämer, Head of Innovation and Project Management, says that it's only a matter of time before this payment method comes into everyday use.

Do you have a property project on the horizon for which you're already thinking about applying for a loan from your bank? Spuerkeess supports you and adapts to your needs. To make it easier for you to purchase your property, you can apply for a home loan directly online via S-Net, with the support of a Housing Advisor. Mirko Kessler, Team Manager of the Lending Division at Spuerkeess, explains why the bank wanted to digitalise its customer journey.

In terms of our environmental footprint, how do we compare with the rest of the world? STATEC’s Dr Olivier Thunus provides us with valuable information and five useful tips on how we can aim for net zero emissions as individuals.

Does a bad working atmosphere have an impact on a company and what can we do to improve employee satisfaction? We spoke to David Büchel, psychologist at the Chambre des Salariés (Chamber of Employees), who gives us five useful tips to increase our happiness at work.

Do our savings impact climate change and how can we invest sustainably? Bryan Ferrari, Investment and Portfolio Manager at Spuerkeess’ Private Banking provides insights as well as five useful tips on how to make sure your portfolio is green.

So you just arrived in Luxembourg and found your first place to live? The landlord (lessor) requires a rental deposit (garantie locative). What is that? How do you get one? We spoke with our colleague Simône van Schouwenburg, who specialises in onboarding for newcomers in Luxembourg.

The news on the financial markets, inflation and geopolitical disruptions have left customers feeling unsettled and insecure. Why is it important to keep a cool head and think carefully about a savings strategy that diversifies your investments? We asked Tânia Rei, branch manager in Diekirch, why she recommends the S-Invest Plus savings plan, an investment option that meets this need for savings diversification.

What happens with our data, especially in the realm of banking? How can we keep our data from being misused? Sébastien Cuny, team manager and Thierry Conter, project manager at Spuerkeess Data management (DAM) provide valuable insight as well as five useful tips on how to keep our data safe.

What are the major workplace trends and how can we prepare for future jobs? How does Luxembourg compare to the rest of the world? Lieven Lambrecht, Head of HR at PWC, shares his valuable insights and 5 useful tips to prepare for the future of work?

In Luxembourg, nearly one in three of the active workforce is a foreigner and almost half of the working population are residents of our neighbouring countries. The country has a big expat community of foreigners that come to work and live in Luxembourg. We spoke to our colleague Simône van Schouwenburg about our Spuerkeess onboarding services for newcomers to Luxembourg.

We spoke to Christophe Reuter, “Premier Conseiller de Gouvernement” at the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, who provided insight as well as useful tips on how to relax during traffic jams.

Key rates are continuing to increase, which makes it more expensive for consumers to access credit. On the other hand, savings and some forms of investment, which were neglected during the period of historically low interest rates, are now making their comeback. Here’s an interview with Mauro da Silva, branch manager at Echternach, in which he explains the new opportunities available for savers

Phishing attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated. What are the pitfalls and how can we protect ourselves? We spoke to Bertrand Lathoud from the National Cybersecurity Competence Center of Luxembourg, who provides five useful tips on how we can make sure we do not become easy phishing prey.

We asked Charles Pletsch, “Vice President and Head of Business Unit” at Spuerkeess, specialising in home loans, to share his view on interest rate trends and their impact on the Luxembourg real estate market. We also asked if he had any recommendations for first-time home buyers interested in becoming homeowners, and for current homeowners still paying on their mortgage.

There is an immediate need to direct capital towards critical issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. In the last decade, the world has seen record-high greenhouse gas emissions, leading to the hottest decade on record since 1880. Wildlife populations have declined by an average of 69% between 1970 and 2018, and a quarter of the world's population lacks access to safe drinking water. Sustainable finance is a key tool to build low carbon, sustainable and resilient economies. We spoke to Jennifer de Nijs, special advisor for sustainable finance at the Ministry of Finance, who provided more insight as well as useful tips on how to neutralise our environmental footprint in our finances.

We spoke to sustainability experts Dr. Elorri Igos and Thomas Schaubroek from Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) who provided five useful tips on how businesses can manage environmental and social risks in their value chain?

Generation Z was born after 1996, and is therefore the first generation that has never known a world without the Internet. They are stereotyped as “social warriors”, addicted to technology. According to various studies, Generation Z is more pragmatic, cautious, skeptical, responsible, globally aware and money-conscious than their predecessors, the Millennials. We spoke to Mary-Anna Eon at EY, who told us more about this new generation that is reshaping the world.

Via natural language processing (NLP), speech recognition and machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) can simulate human intelligence via machines and computer systems. Companies that apply human-centric AI can offer a personalised experience, leading to customer satisfaction. However, misuse can destroy customer loyalty. Even when there is no intention of abuse of privacy, businesses can get into trouble when there are faulty algorithms, hidden bias, or false positives. Can AI be fully trusted and how can companies protect themselves? We spoke to Andreas Braun, Director of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science at PwC Luxembourg, who provided five useful tips on how AI should be used in business.

We spoke to Thomas Gibon, Researcher in the “Life cycle sustainability assessment” department at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) who provided insight as well as five useful tips on how to live sustainably while saving money.

We live in a fast-paced digital world and, wherever we go, we are reachable 24/7 via our smartphones. Is it possible to be happy whilst constant stress ? We spoke to Roger Fernandez Urbano, Doctor of Political and Social Sciences of the European University Institute, PhD and researcher on happiness and inequalities, who gave us five tips to lead a happier life.

We spoke to Nasir Zubairi from LhOFT who provided insight and gave five useful tips for CEOs of banks when it comes to FinTech adoption?

The rapid ageing of the world's populations and the decline of the working age population are becoming a growing concern. We spoke to Kristell Leduc, Gaëtan de Lanchy and Thuc Uyen Nguyen-Thi from LISER, to find out more about these challenges, and how to identify opportunities.

What impact does the current energy crisis have on Luxembourg and where is the nation headed in terms of solar energy? We spoke with Sarah Juchems, Head of Energy Advisory at Klima-Agence, who gave us five helpful tips for installing solar panels on our roofs.

Uncertainty, crises, inflation and the fears of a recession continue to dominate the news. How can you invest securely and why have good old-fashioned term deposits made a comeback as a good alternative for savings? Nathalie Klein – Private Banking Advisor at the Esch-sur-Alzette Finance Centre – explains how they work and the perks they offer and reveals tips for investing in the current market.

Luxembourg has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in Europe; 94% of the population own a smartphone. According to STATEC, most children in Luxembourg receive their first mobile phone at the age of 12. 25% of Luxembourg’s young consumers aged 16 to 24 spend more than five hours each day on their smartphones. Are our mobile phones changing our lives? Are they a health risk? If so, how? Jeff Kaufmann from BEE SECURE has a positive attitude towards digitalisation and smartphones, provided we use it in an intelligent way.

Since its launch in 2015, S-Net Mobile has been a huge success. Today, almost 1 in 2 customers in the under-30 age group uses its smartphone exclusively to enjoy the many features offered. What are the latest trends in the application space, and what are the best practices for using your S-Net Mobile?

The purpose of a so-called "smart city" is to use technology in order to increase operational efficiency and, thus, improve the welfare of citizens. Digital transformation and sustainability play an important part in achieving this goal. We spoke to David Osville, Partner at Deloitte, who shared with us his thoughts on Luxembourg's shift to a more digital and eco-friendly lifestyle.

The UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) will be held in December 2022 in Montreal (Canada). With climate extremes manifesting themselves in increasingly intense heatwaves and severe storms in the summer of 2022 in Europe and around the world, there is an urgent need to take a detailed look at the effects of climate change and the impact of human activities on nature and its ecosystems. We talked about this with Dr Kim Schumacher, Lecturer in Sustainable Finance and ESG at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and member of Spuerkeess’s Sustainability Advisory Board.

Littering is the bad habit of leaving trash in public spaces or carelessly throwing it away. Mr Jean-Pierre Santer, co-founder of “Pickitup”, says that this problem is getting worse and that education is needed to improve the situation.

165 litres of water are consumed on average per day per person. After being used for laundry, flushing the toilet, cleaning, cooking, etc., , wastewater is evacuated through the sewage networks. Before wastewater is returned to nature, polluting elements must be removed, whether organic or chemical. Patrick LICKER, head of the Service Canalisation (Sewer Department) for the City of Luxembourg, explains the importance and operation of a wastewater treatment plant.

About one third of all food produced in the world goes unused or ends up in the bin. Not only does this release around 3,300 million tonnes of CO2 annually but it also creates a social problem: although the global production of food would actually be sufficient, many people still suffer from undernourishment or malnutrition. Mr Alain Körner of the “Administration des services techniques de l’agriculture” sees it as our duty to induce change in order to use our food more consciously and sustainably. He shows that we can save a lot of money by reducing food waste.

Can we make our IT consumption green again? Nathalie Thielemans, Managing Director at OXiane and Valérie Viatour, Expert Consultant & Trainer on Green IT provide five useful tips on how we can decrease our ecological footprint.

Over the past weeks, the media has taken up the topic of the rising interest rates which is causing our clients to ask all sorts of questions about their loans. We’ve asked Charles Pletsch, Vice President and Head of Business Unit at Spuerkeess and housing loan expert, to share two tips on how to best manage your housing project.

Our planet's resources are limited and the textile industry is a major contributor to environmental damage. Jeannette Müller, advisor to the Luxembourg Ministry for Consumer Protection, explains why it is important to act and reveals whether the solution is to consume less.

After months of reflection and discussion, Spuerkeess began to release its teaser ads, giving a behind-the-scenes look at its new image campaign and gradually revealing its concept. The brand, which won Top Brand in Luxembourg in 2021 and is positioned as the bank that offers banking solutions for all, aims to be there for key moments in its customers' lives. We spoke with Claude Faber, Team Manager in the Communications division within Spuerkeess's Marketing unit, to learn more about the motivations for this new image campaign.

Employees who feel accepted and respected at work are more productive. Dr. Mareike Bönigk, Head of the Psychosocial Service of the Ministry for the Civil Service, explains how to promote psychological safety at work and gives five useful tips for people who do not feel safe at their workplace.

Following the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, governments are making strides to transition to low-carbon and more circular economies on a global scale. This transition entails both risks and opportunities for the economy and financial institutions, while physical damage caused by climate change and environmental degradation can have a significant impact on the real economy and the financial system. For the second year in a row, the European Central Bank (ECB) has identified climate-related risks as a key risk driver in the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) Risk Map for the euro area banking system. As a consequence, within the ECB supervisory stress testing framework, the ECB conducts for the first time a climate risk stress test in 2022. Xavier Scholten, part of the Spuerkeess ESG Team and Climate Finance Expert at Spuerkeess takes on the challenge of demystifying the ECB’s latest Climate Risk Stress Test.

Electric vehicles sharing schemes enable sustainable-minded drivers to rent electric cars for short periods of time. Jürgen Berg, CEO of FLEX, knows how user-friendly e-car sharing options are in Luxembourg and provides five useful tips for beginners.

Did you know that your old computer or TV doesn’t belong in the trash, but do you know how to discard your old electronic equipment? Andy Maxant, Director of ECOTREL and ECOBATTERIEN tells us what we must know and provides five useful sustainability tips.

Greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 2020 due to the disruptions of economic activity, travel, and commerce brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. What can we expect in terms of growth in renewable energy in Luxembourg? We spoke to Mr Paul Zens, president of Eurosolar Lëtzebuerg a.s.b.l., who gives us five useful tips to effectively adopt renewable energy in our homes.

Cigarette butts are a toxic plastic pollutant. In fact, cigarette butts are the most common type of litter collected on beaches. We spoke to Stéphane Hérard, Business Unit Manager at Shime, a company which assists organisations, municipalities and businesses such as Spuerkeess with the implementation of "zero-cigarette butt" projects.

The manufacturing process of the linear economy counts for half of the emissions around the world. The extraction of resources also leads to other problems such as loss of biodiversity, water stress, illegal waste dumping and negative impact on communities, especially in developing countries. Circular economy, on the other hand, is all about sustainability. However, it is not about getting out of prison for free. There needs to be a shift in extraction of materials, production and consumer behaviour. In other words, all stakeholders must be on board. We spoke to Ms Laurence Tock, Director Circular Economy & Sustainable Technologies at the Ministry of the Economy, who provided us with an ABC guide to the circular economy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tries to mimic human thought and integrate it into computers. When will AI be truly human and how should we respond? To answer these questions, we spoke with Rachid M’Haouach, our Team Manager for data management at Spuerkeess.

In Luxembourg and everywhere in Europe, the taxation of individuals continues to become more complex each year. Unfortunately, many taxpayers are paying the price and often do not pay the right amount of tax. This is why the digitalisation of taxation was essential. Both to make the filing of the tax return accessible to everyone and to facilitate the completion and calculations for professionals in the sector. In this interview, Jonathan Marroyen, co-founder and CEO of VIREO, the Luxembourg start-up at the origin of myTax, explains how this digital assistant makes taxation accessible and fair for everyone.

Fintech has remodelled the financial ecosystem while banks are using technology to make their financial systems more efficient. What are the latest FinTech trends in Luxembourg? We spoke to Alain Scholtes, Deputy Head of Innovation Office at Spuerkeess and Serge Wagener, Vice President and Head of Operations at Spuerkeess.

In Luxembourg, temperatures have risen by 1.3 degrees since 1832. According to weather experts, drought and heavy rain will also increase in Luxembourg. Agriculture suffers as a result, but at the same time is partly responsible: 30% of the world’s CO₂ emissions are due to agriculture. Aloyse Marx, President of the “Fräie Lëtzebuerger Baureverband”, tells us in this interview how Luxembourg’s farmers can reduce negative impacts on our climate and gives five practical tips on what to look for when buying milk and meat if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.

Holding a portfolio consisting of financial assets, and then having to sell it in part or in full in order to have access to cash on an ad hoc basis, can lead to real disappointment. By proceeding in this way, you admittedly have access to the cash you need, but you are also foregoing the potential gains of your financial investments. In this article, Fred Kutten, Deputy Head of Business Unit Private Banking at Spuerkeess, explains how a Lombard loan can be a solution that will save you a lot of regrets.