Anne Reuland is deputy CEO and chief legal and regulatory officer and a member of the executive committee of Luxtrust. Prior to joining Luxtrust in 2018, she worked for ten years as a banking and finance lawyer at Arendt & Medernach and for seven years as legal counsel at SES. Reuland holds a master’s degree in business law from the Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg (France), an LLM degree in banking and corporate law from the University of Edinburgh (UK). She is an ILA-certified director and a director for Wendel Luxembourg, Orbital Ventures GP and Fondation de Luxembourg.

Paperjam: What are the main challenges you have faced as a female independent director?

Anne Reuland: The main challenges I encountered initially had less to do with being a woman, but more to do with being younger than the other board members (sometimes by more than 20 years). I had to demonstrate my added value in the face of their greater experience in the field.

How do you deal with any resistance or scepticism towards you?

By listening and being open to learning, and, above all, by being very well-prepared for meetings.

Do you think gender equality is progressing on boards?

Yes, I can see that it has become much more obvious that women are needed on boards or in the executive. We no longer question the principle, even if in practice we're not there yet everywhere.

What do you think of quotas for women on councils?

I was against quotas for a long time, but then took the view that it would be a useful temporary means of forcing wider adoption. This would allow it to become part of everyday life. However, quotas run the risk of causing frustration and calling into question the legitimacy of women who have thus gained access to board positions. They will have to prove their added value even more than their male colleagues.

As a female director, do you feel a particular responsibility to champion issues of parity and inclusion?

As a woman, it’s a given for me to promote the cause of women. But this should be done together with men and not against them.

What advice would you give to a woman who was hesitating to take the plunge?

Don’t hesitate, but do your due diligence on the board and the company you’re about to join. Be clear about the responsibilities of a director and the real time you’ll have to devote to them.

What would you advise against?

To wait for someone to come and get her…

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