While some service providers focus on boasting about what they can do, Centralis has been busy simply doing it. Since its founding, the company has won over a loyal clientele, providing them with a wide range of outsourced corporate and fund services including general management, accounting, risk management, and infrastructural support to the whole scope of Luxembourgish vehicles, both regulated and unregulated. Its customers now include multinational organisations, private equity firms, international fund structures, real estate companies, and private individuals, all of whom happily vouch for the high level of service, says CEO Aidan Foley.

Following many years of hard work, Centralis is now entering a new stage of growth, one in which they are ready for increased visibility. 'We’ve built a brand that spans 13 jurisdictions and includes 250 employees. We have been very busy making sure we have the right people and technology, making sure our clients are happy,’ explains Bruno Stockemer, Head of Business Development – Luxembourg. ‘We are very proud of what we have built.’

What stands out about Centralis is that it has a decidedly Anglo-Saxon approach, which means employee empowerment, minimal red tape, and a management that is easily reachable. ‘The result of this approach is flexibility and reactivity, which in a market that evolves rapidly is a huge asset,’ Mr Stockemer explains. ‘We are large enough to have economies of scale, good infrastructure, and good governance, but we have managed to keep the agility of a start-up.’

What is also unique about Centralis is it has kept a core team of about 20 people who have worked together for two decades. Amongst them, Sébastien François and Aidan Foley, but also Anne Maillard who has been a pillar of the Centralis team since the very start, in 2006. This has bred a real sense of togetherness and trust which permeate the entire company. Sébastien François, Group Head of Corporate Services, says that the workplace ethos results in a virtuous circle. ‘People see that turnover is low, so this attracts talent who feel good in their job, and this results in happy clients, which leads to a rewarding workplace with low turnover.’

The company’s way of working has paid off, and they now see a bright future as Centralis continues to grow into new markets and expand its range of services. While its focus is global and cross-border, many clients also see Centralis as an excellent gateway into both the EU and Luxembourg itself, which is the second largest investment fund centre in the world.

The company is also in the process of carrying out some acquisitions, which could increase the number of global staff to 300 by the end of the year. Their UK presence alone has recently increased from 8 to around 50 people with the acquisition of . Mr Foley says that regardless of the company’s growth – which is careful and deliberate – he and his team will stick to what has got them this far. ‘We don’t intend on becoming a supermarket,’ he says. ‘We will always retain our tailor-made service approach.’

Despite the quiet work ethic and professionalism at the heart of Centralis, they do recognize that it is time to be more vocal about what they have accomplished: ‘We’ve built a large, great company, and we’re not shy to talk about it,’ says Anne Maillard, Client Services Director.

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