Luxembourg Benefits: Uncertainty of Brexit pushes business relocations
Updated 19:10, 15-Mar-2019
[]
03:31
London's loss is becoming Luxembourg's gain. With Brexit uncertainties, Britain-based funds are seeking ways to guarantee EU investor access post-Brexit. And Luxembourg is proving a very good junction for investors to connect with investments. An estimated 700 billion euros of alternative assets under management is now based in the Grand Duchy. CGTN's Natalie Carney has more.
WILL ROXBURGH, DIRECTOR FUND MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS MJ HUDSON "Hello! Welcome to MJ Hudson Luxembourg."
This UK alternative asset management consultancy was one of the first UK companies solely active in the UK to set up in Luxembourg post Brexit.
WILL ROXBURGH, DIRECTOR FUND MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS MJ HUDSON "When the referendum came out we did get on the plane the next day and fly out to Luxembourg and very much accelerated our plans to set up an office here, but we always had ambitions to do so. It's a bit of a no brainer from a marketing point of view."
Roxburgh says Brexit has been driving their UK based clients towards EU based funds and alternative investments, which made Luxembourg, an EU country that derives 25% of its GDP from the financial services industry, the perfect location.
WILL ROXBURGH, DIRECTOR FUND MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS MJ HUDSON "Luxembourg has very well established different fund structures, all of which are tax transparent and recognized by the government as such and then of course you have access to good service providers. And then the two other key factor are ability to execute your investment strategy. And then obviously, lastly it's the ability to raise capital and market your fund and that's where London is falling short because of the potential Brexit risk."
These factors have been luring many over from asset managers to insurance businesses.
NATALIE CARNEY LUXEMBOURG "The U.K.'s decision to exit the European Union has already convinced more than 50 UK-based companies to move part of their operations here to Luxembourg. According to some estimates Brexit could bring this small European nation more than 3,000 new jobs."
Yet according to the agency for the development of Luxembourg's financial services industry, this is no "game changer".
NICOLAS MACKEL, CEO LUXEMBOURG FOR FINANCE "What they are relocating is the EU business in order to be able to serve clients on the continent. The changes that Brexit will bring about are sizeable but limited. Out of an industry in Luxembourg that occupies nearly 50,000 people, 3,000 additional people in the short term is welcome but not as I say a 'game changer'."
While a hard Brexit could potentially cut fund managers off from their investors, lingering Brexit uncertainty has led many to stand their ground.
ANJA GRENNER, DIRECTOR FUNDS, INTERTRUST LUXEMBOURG "They will have to duplicate to a certain extent what they have in the UK, in the EU and it will make it more expensive for. I don't think anyone wants an unorganized Brexit, but if it comes then Luxembourg is going to have quite a big wave of new companies coming. That is for sure."
While marketing UK-based funds across the EU will still be allowed for a "transitional period", MJ Hudson's experience is being increasingly sought after by other anxious companies.
WILL ROXBURGH, DIRECTOR FUND MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS MJ HUDSON "We've seen a lot of people sitting on their hands, waiting on negotiations. Having said that we are beginning to see large asset management groups ask us what the solutions are. We've seen one or two who've actually started to set up offices in Luxembourg or Ireland. We've seen a couple who have shifted entire teams out of the UK. It is beginning to happen."
Natalie Carney CGTN, Luxembourg.