Interview with Georges Schmit, Consul General of the Luxembourg Consultate and Executive Director at LTIO (Luxembourg Trade Investment Office) in San Francisco. How does he facilitate trade between Luxembourgish and Western U.S. or Canadian companies ? How does he assist young Luxembourg-based startups to setup their offices in the Silicon Valley and expand ? Learn more about his day-to-day and his main tasks.

Mr. Schmit, you are Consul General of the Luxembourg Consulate and Executive Director at LTIO in San Francisco for four and a half years now. How is it going in California ? What is your day-to-day ?

I often meet with companies that have an interest in moving to Europe and […] with company representatives visiting from Luxembourg to create new business partnerships […]My day routinely starts with morning calls to Luxembourg, checking emails from Luxembourg and following up with contacts we have made here in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. I often meet with companies that have an interest in moving to Europe and I provide them with information and contacts in Luxembourg or help them plan a visit.

My team and I also regularly attend events to expand our network, promote Luxembourg, and learn about new and upcoming tech trends. We also work with company representatives visiting from Luxembourg to create new business partnerships or strengthen existing ones and we prepare programs for official delegations visiting from Luxembourg for discussions with new prospects.

What are your main tasks, projects and goals ?

Our task is also to facilitate trade between Luxembourgish and Western U.S. or Canadian companies as well as to assist young Luxembourg-based startups to learn from the Silicon Valley […]

My main task as Consul General and Executive Director in San Francisco is to represent Luxembourg in the Western Region of North America and implement the economic development policy of the country. I try to identify companies that are looking for a presence in the EU market or expand their current one. My goals are of course to bring quality projects and companies to Luxembourg but my focus is not only on outbound investment.

Our task is also to facilitate trade between Luxembourgish and Western U.S. or Canadian companies as well as to assist young Luxembourg-based startups to learn from the Silicon Valley experience and to setup their offices here and expand. Finally, my goal is to develop a network of partnerships with different institutions, research centers, accelerators etc. so as to have a continuous exchange between Luxembourg and the U.S. in science, technology, and business.

Une interview de Charles-Louis Machuron

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