This Friday 11 April, the Chamber of Commerce will welcome around a hundred students to Career Opportunity Day, the flagship event of Anesec, the association of Luxembourg economics and business students. This year’s event will also mark the official launch of the Anesec Investment Club, an initiative spearheaded by several members of the committee, with a clear objective: to make finance more accessible.
The project was initiated by Avery Ligotti and Yann Grutzmacher, later joined by Hugo Pinart. All three were educated in Luxembourg and are now students in Rome, Zurich and Milan. They were inspired by models seen abroad: investment clubs where students learn to analyse the markets, manage a portfolio or decipher economic and geopolitical issues. It’s a format that is not yet available in Luxembourg. So they asked themselves: “Why not here?”
The trio came up with a structured, open and--above all--inclusive club. Regardless of age or background, everyone is welcome. “Why exclude a high school student or a professional who wants to better understand how to manage their finances?”
A gateway to the professional world
Considered to be a link between studies and the world of work, the club is built around three pillars:
- Simulation and education: virtual stock market simulation platform, popularised educational modules and webinars with experts. The ambition is to demystify finance, without using jargon, and making sure people aren’t intimidated.
- Financial analysis: the most active members will publish case studies and articles on current economic events. It’s a practical way of preparing for interviews and enhancing their profile through personal productions.
- Managing a portfolio: a group of ten people will take charge--under supervision--of a portfolio of €5,000 in real money. Each decision will have to be justified, validated by the board and included in a monthly report accessible to all. “Rather than letting the association’s money lie dormant, why not use it as an educational lever?” explain the three students.
The non-profit-making club will not distribute any dividends. Any profits will be reinvested, as the priority here is still to pass them on.
Looking for new partners
The content--in English--will mainly be distributed online via a monthly webinar and open-access resources. A website is in the process of being finalised and an Instagram page should soon be relaying economic news in an educational format inspired by the French journalist and Youtuber Hugo Décrypte.
Themes covered will range from sustainable finance (ESG) to fintechs, via geopolitics, risk management and investment strategies. The common thread is to reconcile Luxembourg’s young people with the financial culture. “Many people don’t dare to take an interest out of fear or ignorance. We want to break down that barrier,” they say.
Supported by Anesec, the founders did not “start from scratch,” but are now looking to expand their partner base. One of their partners is Spuerkeess, which will host their very first event on 14 April.
In the meantime, the days are short, the nights even shorter. “We don’t sleep much, but we’re making progress,” they laugh. In a country where finance is everywhere but too often reserved for the few, these students intend to give the keys to the safe back to a whole generation. And perhaps, in the process, change the way Luxembourg trains its future economic decision-makers.
This article was originally published in .