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Christianne Wickler says she was under no obligation to quit her position as chair of Expressis-Verbis after being appointed to head up Cargolux.Photo: Cargolux 

As board chair of Cargolux, you also represent the state, which holds 8.32% of the company's shares. It is the smallest direct shareholder, but the largest indirect shareholder*. Is this why a state representative occupies the chair position?

Christianne Wickler: This is why the state proposes the new board chair to be appointed by the state. Due to its shareholding composition and history, Cargolux is essentially a Luxembourg company, with its headquarters in Luxembourg and its base at the Luxembourg airport. Choosing a Luxembourg national as its chair follows this logic. Besides this, it is more a question of economic and commercial knowledge and competencies, internal communication skills within the company and externally. And negotiation skills.

How do you view the role of board chair?

The role of a board chair is to chair and guide the debates and exchange of ideas at board meetings, to reconcile interests, ideas and demands, to unite people around a common project. To be conscious of the processes and malfunctions. The strong and weak points. To enhance the former and to mitigate the latter as much as possible. Above all, to be human, to be socially competent in order to move forward in a calm, serene and benevolent manner. Anyways, this is my way of seeing things.

You are an entrepreneur, but you have no experience in air freight. What will you bring to Cargolux?

I may not have air freight experience, but I am directly involved in logistics having worked in big businesses and retail. So, it is a business that is not strange to me: I know the importance of getting goods to a store or market on time. The details are quickly learned by studying the files, the structures, the markets. This is what I am currently doing with the assistance of highly competent managers of Cargolux. I also have experience in crisis management. I am the daughter of an entrepreneur; throughout my life, I have experienced crises, and I know that one must remain calm in chaos. I have the vision of a Luxembourg entrepreneur marked by diversity, multiculturalism, a sense of adaptation and observation, merged with benevolence on all fronts. I love people, I love human beings. I have a very down-to-earth side, even though we are in the aviation industry.

You are still the head of the Pall Center. Considering time constraints, is this compatible with the board chair role at Cargolux?

It is just a matter of organisation and the perfectly manageable delegation of tasks.

It is rare to have a woman chairing a company that is so important in the country...

It is a nice touch. Luxembourg is not at the forefront when it comes to the number of women at the head of companies. Women represent 50% of the population, and in theory we have the same opportunities and possibilities. But in practice, there is still work to be done. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I was motivated to accept the job. It seems to me that our society still has one foot in that transitional phase where it is still up to women to demonstrate that they can do well at the top of a company. But in our country, at least, I don't see women in a kind of struggle: we are complementary without being in competition.

But are you advocating for more women on boards?

This is a delicate subject, where several opinions can coexist. In my opinion, women do not need to conform with the equality dogma; it should come quite naturally with more and more women in the generation succeeding mine ready to take on leadership roles--and likewise, the natural adaptation of modern men ready to work side by side with, or under the leadership of women. But it is true that quotas can provide a major boost to the coming movement I just mentioned. I would certainly love to see more women on all the top floors of companies and on boards of directors, but committing oneself wholeheartedly to a company is also a life choice, and therefore a very personal and exclusive choice. We should not judge women or men who do not want to do that.

It was François Bausch, deputy prime minister, minister of mobility and public works, who recommended you for the job. Were you surprised and why did you accept? 

Of course I was surprised, because I have never applied for a position of this kind. I wasn't up for it right away. After thinking about it, I accepted because I like challenges, and because the role gives me an opportunity to give back to my country, which is precious to me and has done a lot for us. We are very lucky to live in this country without a lot of problems compared to others, and Luxembourg's internationally renowned companies are extremely valuable for the future and the development of a country that could fit in a handkerchief. I am proud to be able to carry out the functions assigned to me, and I will carry out the tasks with motivation, dedication and skill.

Some people consider your appointment it a "gift" from minister Bausch, with whom you share the same political views...[Wickler was an MP for Bausch’s Déi Gréng party from December 2013 to June 2014]

I don't see why this appointment should be a gift. In fact, I can't say why anyone would want to give me one. I think the minister wanted the task to be given to a female entrepreneur with a lot of experience and strong leadership and negotiation skills. Perhaps, common views--green consciousness, or, let's say, ecological awareness --also had something to do with it.

Some have criticised your position as board chair of Expressis-Verbis, a website publishing highly controversial articles on the health crisis. Sometimes the site is even described as a conspiracy site, promoting misinformation. Are you aware of this criticism?

Expressis-Verbis was not intended to be a conspiracy site. You can consult the statutes of the association regarding this. But I had announced that if the Cargolux board of directors should appoint me, I would resign, which I did the next day. With such an important mission as the board chair of Cargolux on the one hand, and the head of my companies on the other hand, time management is of the essence. A Jack of all trades is master of none.

Was it your own decision or were you asked to leave Expressis-Verbis?

I wasn't told to leave. I resigned. It wasn't under obligation or a threat.

*Cargolux shareholding is as follows: the state owns 8.32% of the shares. SNCI owns 10.67% of the shares. Spuerkeess owns 10.9% of the shares. HNCA owns 35% of the shares, and Luxair owns 35.1% of the air freight carrier.

This article was first published by Paperjam. It has been translated here by Delano.