New US ambassador to Luxembourg has full inbox waiting

Luxembourg’s own chamber of commerce is also anticipating the ambassador’s arrival, not least because its most recent trade mission, from 6 to 11 October, was to Austin and San Francisco.

“Traditionally after their accreditation with the Grand Duke, ambassadors organise meetings with the institutions in Luxembourg, and among them also the Chamber of Commerce,” Carlo Thelen, the director general of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce said in interview on Wednesday afternoon.

“And often we are one of the first being contacted because we represent business. And I think it’s always interesting for every ambassador here to come to meet with representatives of business, because there are many opportunities,” he said.

Feinberg does not have a confirmed appointment to visit the Kirchberg-based organisation, but Thelen said he hopes it will be “on the top of her agenda”.

The October trade mission to the US included 61 participants, with 41 representatives from 32 companies and 20 members representing the public sector. “Which is enormous for the delegation on a prospective mission without a minister,” Thelen noted. “And now we have to make a follow-up. And together with the embassy, with the new ambassador, she could be a facilitator to organise follow-up meetings.”

The business delegation featured leading Luxembourg companies and start-ups in the domains of defence and space, as well as other major industrial players, Thelen said. “I think it’s always very important that in a country like Luxembourg where the relations are so long-lasting and important as they are between the United States and Luxembourg, that there is a full-fledged ambassador on the spot.”

Carlo Thelen 

The business delegation featured leading Luxembourg companies and start-ups in the domains of defence and space, as well as other major industrial players, Thelen said. “I think it’s always very important that in a country like Luxembourg where the relations are so long-lasting and important as they are between the United States and Luxembourg, that there is a full-fledged ambassador on the spot.”

For the business lobby, the ambassador’s arrival is an opportunity “to showcase that Luxembourg is really an important partner for the United States,” Thelen said, adding that Luxembourg currently has a trade deficit with the USA for both goods and services which he called “rather rare”. “And so we could do more, we could sell more, we could export more to the United States than we do for the moment,” he said.

The country’s top lobbyist also drew a link between the USA’s new envoy and Luxembourg’s own new de-facto ambassador to all countries, Grand Duke Guillaume, who, Thelen hoped, might participate in the next trade mission to the USA. During his time as crown prince, he joined many overseas trade missions with the Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber’s next major transatlantic engagement is the 2026 business awards in New York. “That’s a traditional meeting, a traditional event, a big event with Luxembourg American Chamber of Commerce. And so that’s already a very important momentum. And then of course we have to do the follow up now to this trade mission,” said Thelen.

American commerce in Luxembourg

Luxembourg’s expat business and finance community is similarly enthusiastic about welcoming President Donald Trump’s representative.

“The Amcham Luxembourg team and community are looking forward to welcoming, supporting and working with the new US Ambassador following her arrival,” the chamber’s CEO and chairman Paul Schonenberg told the Luxembourg Times by email.

“We are very pleased Ambassador Feinberg will have a strong interest in business and defence issues, areas which are of considerable interest, importance and opportunity to our members and to Luxembourg,” he added.

Ambassador Feinberg will speak at Amcham’s Transatlantic Trade and Investment conference at Deloitte in Cloche d’Or on 12 November. She will also speak at the chamber’s Thanksgiving Gala at Cercle Cité on 21 November. 

Finance

“The United States is Luxembourg’s largest financial services partner, accounting for approximately 20% of assets under management in our fund industry,” Luxembourg For Finance (LFF) said in a written statement.

“Luxembourg funds invest around €2 trillion in the US economy, and contribute strongly to job creation in the US. Luxembourg has for decades acted as a primary gateway for US financial services firms to access Europe but also reach European and global investors with Luxembourg funds by US managers being sold in around 80 markets globally”, LFF said.