The Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lectures
BLS host a series of eminent speakers from the British political, economic or cultural world
Welcome to the British-Luxembourg Society
The British-Luxembourg Society was founded on 24 April 1947.
It is a non-profit association which strives to deepen, maintain and develop the bonds of friendship that exist between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Great Britain.
D'British-Luxembourg Society ass den 24 Abrëll 1947 gegrënnt ginn.
Et ass eng Non-profit Associatioun, déi déi frëndschaftlech Bezéiungen tëscht dem Grand-Duché an Groussbritannien verdéiwen, ënnerhalen and developpéiere wëll.
About us
The British-Luxembourg-Society ASBL was founded in 1947 to foster good relations between Britain and Luxembourg. Among its activities since then has been hosting an annual Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lecture with speakers including Margaret Thatcher (when in office), Neil Kinnock, Chris Patton, George Robertson, and Lord Hurd.
Following Brexit we feel it crucial to reinforce the strong bonds of friendship which have existed between Britain and Luxembourg. In this we have received the active support of the British Embassy and we are very grateful to the Ambassador HE John Marshall for this. We have updated the Statutes of the Society which had remained unaltered since 1947 and now plan to expand our range of activities and to recruit new members.
The Society continues its education programme, teaching English Language and Literature, and hopes to develop a series of social and cultural events to appeal to both British and Luxembourg members as well as nationals from other countries who have an interest in British culture.
We are particularly keen to promote the work of British cultural societies in Luxembourg and to foster relations with our sister society in London, “The Luxembourg Society”, founded in 1942.
The British-Luxembourg Society helps to support members personal development through our educational evening classes.
Council and Patrons
THE COUNCIL
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Louise BENJAMIN
British and Luxembourgish |
Cambridge graduate in law and languages (MA Law) Luxembourg Avocat à la Cour and English Solicitor Founder, Benjamin Law Firm: Luxembourg corporate and private client law Chairman of STEP BeNeLux Raised in Guernsey, Channel Islands, travelled extensively Living in Luxembourg since 2002, married to a Luxembourger and active mother of 3 children. |
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Chris ATKINSON
British and Luxembourgish |
St Peter’s College, Oxford In addition to being VP Chris manages the BLS courses and teaches the English Literature for Advanced Students course. |
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Jan KÖNIGHAUS
German and Luxembourgish |
Educated at the universities of Bayreuth and Kiel, Germany, and Oxford University, Jan Könighaus started his career as a German-qualified solicitor with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Düsseldorf advising in company law, international mergers and acquisitions and private equity.
He later moved to Luxembourg where he works as an in-house legal counsel in private equity and international corporate holding structures. He is President of the Oxford University Society of Luxembourg.
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Darren ROBINSON
British |
Managing Partner of Anderson Wise, an independent Recruitment & Executive Search firm founded in Luxembourg. He has lived and worked in England, Australia and has permanently resided in Luxembourg since 2006. Darren has been an active member of the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg since 2008, holding the positions of Vice-Chair and Council Member. |
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Gerd GEBHARD
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Gerd Gebhard is the managing director of Pecoma Actuarial and Risk S.A., a consultancy specialising in actuarial, advisory and administrative services to pension funds and company pension schemes in Luxembourg. |
| Patrick BIRDEN BLS Council Member |
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Debbie McDONNELL
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Lynda SHEPHARD
British |
Educated at Cambridge University, her career has involved much international travel as an educator and examiner in the History of Art and the Visual Arts. Lynda has held several international solo art exhibitions as a watercolorist and founded the Creative Art Centre in Dubai in 1994. |
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Jacqueline SPENCE
British |
A Psychologist by background, for 22 years Jacqueline worked as a consultant for the EU Commission on Social Issues and Public Opinion. She then headed the Royal Academy of Dance for Benelux and France until 2016. Alongside this she worked substantially in the voluntary sector including President of Interparents, representing all European Schools in EU and President of the Women’s Commission on the Conseil National pour Etrangers. |
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Andrée WIETOR
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Graduated in philosophy, German literature and European politics and is currently working for the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. She served as secretary of the British-Luxembourg Society from March 2019 to October 2020. |
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Graham J. WILSON
British and Luxembourgish |
Graham was born in England is now also a Luxembourg national. Professionally he is both an English Barrister and an Avocat à la Cour, and has his étude in Luxembourg city. Graham has just celebrated his silver wedding with his Dutch wife, Trudy, whom he met in Luxembourg. Outside of work Graham enjoys both fitness and reading and has a weakness for old cars, cats and trees. |
PATRONS
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(1928 - 2020)
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Former President of the Council and former Honorary President of the Society. It is with great regret that we lose our Honorary President. We send our condolences to his wife and family. |
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Sir Nicholas Forwood QC British |
Educated at Cambridge University, a former judge of the General Court of the Court of Justice of the EU (1999-2015), after a career as a barrister in London and Brussels. He now lives in Luxembourg. |
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John Marshall British |
Patron-ex officio. Joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1988. He was previously British Ambassador to Senegal and non-resident Ambassador to Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau from May 2011 to 2015. He has also previously served in Tokyo, Addis-Ababa and Kuala Lumpur. |
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Patrick SANTER
Luxembourgish |
Vice-President of the Council of State of Luxembourg and Chairman of its committee on economics and finance. Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg from October 1999 until March 2009. Member of the Luxembourg Bar since 1995. |
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Hubert Wurth
Luxembourgish |
Graduated in law (Paris II) and in political sciences (Paris IEP).
Ambassador of Luxembourg in the UK from 2007 to 2011, and previously in the USSR, the Netherlands, to the UN in NY, and in France between 1989 and 2007. His last posting was Vienna, until spring 2017. In parallel he was active as an abstract painter, and he continues his activity in this field. He has two daughters. |
HONORARY MEMBERS
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David and Marilyn CLARK British |
David was President of the British-Luxembourg Society 2018 - 2021 Educated at Oxford University his career in the international banking and finance industry has taken him from London to Cairo, New York, Stockholm and Luxembourg, most recently with the European Investment Bank. He is Chairman of the Oxford University Society of Luxembourg. |