Paperjam: Do you plan your holidays well in advance? Or do you make your decision at the last minute?
: If it’s just for me, I’m pretty spontaneous. I know when I’m going, but rarely where until the last minute. Family holidays, on the other hand, are planned well in advance, taking into account everyone’s agendas, whether they be for school, university or sporting activities--although the latter take up less space these days.
How did you choose your holidays this year?
We had to do it quite early. My children are getting older and it’s becoming less obvious for them to go on vacation with us. My son is 20 and in his second year at university. Last year, we found a compromise: he came with us but also spent a few weeks with his friends. This year, we opted for a familiar place, a club in Turkey that we’ve been to before. The children find their bearings there, with counsellors they know and even friends. This time, it wasn’t really my choice!
Is this the case in general?
Usually, I suggest destinations and we all decide together. It’s a fairly democratic process where everyone expresses their opinion. Sometimes my proposal wins, but not always, like this year. But the most important thing for me is to enjoy these moments together as long as possible, because I know that these opportunities will become increasingly rare. Of course, I also love going off on my own with my wife, but having the kids with us is really cool.
When do you think the benefits of a holiday start to kick in?
For me, the duration isn’t the most important thing. Even a short stay of two or three days can be very rejuvenating. Choosing a remote destination means losing one or two days just to acclimatise after the trip. Sometimes all you have to do is get in the car and drive a few hours to the Belgian coast. By the second beer, I already feel rested.
For the first 48 hours, I like to do nothing at all.
Do you find it difficult to disconnect from your work during these periods?
In fact, I don’t try to switch off: I stay voluntarily connected. It’s not because I have to, the Lalux teams manage things very well in my absence, but I never let go of my laptop.
Why is that?
First of all, given my position, I think it’s essential to remain contactable. You never know what might happen: when I worked at Dexia Bil, I lived through two major financial crises. There are also personal reasons: my father died two years ago and I want to remain contactable for my mother. More prosaically, my phone is also used a lot for taking photos.
Do you also expect your senior managers to stay connected?
Absolutely not. I think everyone has to find their own balance. The managers at Lalux have deputies and competent teams who ensure continuity. We encourage the right to disconnect, and I firmly believe that everyone should be able to use it according to their own needs.
What is your favourite holiday memory?
I have so many good memories, it’s hard for me to pick one in particular. For each destination, I could tell you two or three memorable anecdotes. They’re often memories of people I was with, like my father or grandmother, who are no longer with me. Otherwise, I often combine trips with sporting events, like American football, baseball or ice hockey in the United States.
A few years ago, during a trip to the United States, we met a family from Cologne by chance. We hit it off so well that the following year we adjusted our holidays to spend them together. We’re still in touch today.
Do you have any specific rituals during your holidays?
Not really, because every holiday is unique. If I travel to the United States, the activities and days are obviously nothing like those at Club Robinson, where I let myself be carried away by what’s on offer. Last year I did aqua biking for the first time, which was quite fun.
What is the one activity you can’t get enough of on holiday?
For the first 48 hours, I like to do nothing at all. I really take the time to acclimatise: find a few nice places to sit in the shade, have a drink, read quietly. But that only lasts for a couple of days: very quickly, I get down to the activities that everyday life doesn’t always allow me to do. I play a lot more board games and do a lot more sport. I don’t throw myself into triathlons... but for a game of pétanque, pastis in hand, I’m always up for it!
Even in a Robinson club, I want to see the country.
Would you consider spending all your holidays in a club?
No, it makes no sense to me. Even in a Robinson club, I want to see the country. My wife is more interested in cultural outings than I am, but we always find a way to agree--even if it means playing a board game!
Which board games?
We have a large collection of at least fifty games at home. Some are still in cellophane! Being a competitive person, I prefer games that require strategy, but I also have to accommodate the preferences of the rest of the family... So I often play Uno too!
Is there anything you can’t do without on holiday?
My family, first and foremost--although they’re not an ‘object,’ Then, unfortunately, I’d have to say my phone, which I use as a camera, a means of payment... Board games and sports equipment come a close second on my list.
Do you follow the news during your holidays?
Yes, but less frequently. I don’t immerse myself in in-depth financial news, but I do check the websites of RTL, Luxemburger Wort and Le Quotidien--mainly for sports news. Maybe not every day, but every other day or so. I tell myself that if something important is happening, someone will eventually let me know.
Do you have a particular technique for decompressing?
I’m lucky enough to do what I love, so I deal quite well with the pressure of my job. Of course, there are less pleasant aspects, but in general I work in conditions that I enjoy with people I respect. So I can relax simply by sitting quietly with a drink and a chat, doing a bit of sport or letting my mind wander. I don’t need any particular strategy to decompress.
How do you organise your holiday budget?
We have a general framework for our holidays. We avoid extravagance, but without wishing to sound arrogant, I don’t look at every detail of expenditure. I have complete confidence in my ‘budget minister’ at home! For me, holidays are a time to enjoy. That doesn’t mean splurging without limits, but if I had to count every euro I spent, I might as well stay at home.
[Once back from holiday], the first thing we all do is pounce on the cat and pet him!
Have your holidays inspired any new developments in your company?
Absolutely. Travelling offers the opportunity to discover how other cultures handle certain things, although we then have to adapt these ideas to our own cultural context. In my banking past, the first time I saw completely cashless branches was in the United States. At the time, this seemed unimaginable in Luxembourg. It opened my eyes to what might be possible.
Can you tell us a memorable anecdote from your holidays?
When our daughter was little, she managed to escape twice. We lost her when we visited the dome of Cologne [Cathedral]. It was a big scare, but fortunately we found her a few minutes later. The second time was in Ostend. We’d rented a flat on the seafront, on the seventh or eighth floor. As my wife went up to change our daughter--who was three or four at the time--the little one managed to slip away... and, even more incredibly, she found me on this immense beach, where I myself had difficulty finding my bearings!
Did you also experience any difficult moments during the holidays?
Yes, particularly the death of my grandmother. I heard the news while on holiday in Los Angeles. We had planned to go to Universal Studios that day, and despite the news, I went without telling the children. It was a very difficult day. Fortunately, we had our return flight two days later.
How are you insured when you travel?
I’ve got it all: I’m covered for any health problems, luggage, cancellations... You wouldn’t want the cobbler to have the worst shoes, would you?
What’s the first thing you usually do when you get back from holiday?
The first thing we all do is pounce on the cat and pet him! He may be very independent, like all cats, but he seems to enjoy the moment of reunion.
Is there anywhere in Luxembourg where you feel like you’re on holiday?
Mondorf-les-Bains, without hesitation. I live there and grew up there. There are many beautiful places in Luxembourg, but Mondorf is really the place where I feel both at home and on holiday.
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