Sasha Baillie is the 5th most influential decision maker in Luxembourg

Congratulations Sasha! What does this recognition mean to you?

Sasha Baillie: Being selected by the Paperjam Top 100 jury amongst so many dedicated and clever people in our country who endeavour to move the economy forward is a great honour.

This means so much to me since I have always been driven by a sense of purpose for this country.

This means so much to me since I have always been driven by a sense of purpose for this country. To me this is a recognition of the effort to connect the many actors within our economy – public and private – and bring out the very best in us and thus move the country forward.

What motivates you to move forward as a leader?

Being able to share my experience and knowledge with others and thus enable and empower them to carry out purpose-driven initiatives that benefit the country.

What experiences from your career do you consider as the most valuable ones for your current leadership position?

My career has been marked by having to take up positions and jobs in often unfamiliar territory. This has taught me to listen, learn and understand, whilst not holding back when I have a point to make and opinion to express. Having to frequently step out of my comfort zone has been a key factor throughout my career.

2022 has been an eventful year. Are there any specific moments that you will carry with you in the years to come?

This is the year we began to implement our Luxinnovation strategy that we developed and adopted all together within Luxinnovation the previous year. Seeing how this strategy comes to life this year has been remarkable. Our teams have taken full ownership of the strategy and use it as a compass in every activity or project they engage upon. It has given each one of us within our organisation a true sense of purpose, of being part of something greater and being able to make a difference. This is wonderful to observe.

Our teams have taken full ownership of the strategy and use it as a compass in every activity or project they engage upon.

With regard to a specific moment, having been able to offer two Ukrainian nationals interesting and stimulating jobs within Luxinnovation in a speedy manner gave me great satisfaction and relief. I was particularly proud of my colleagues at Luxinnovation who welcomed them and gave them the support and environment that allowed Inna and Viktoriia to be appreciated for who they are, for their skills, their experience, their points of view. They have enriched our organisation.

Photo: © Luxinnovation/Laurent Antonelli