Why leave Barcelona, its Ramblas, the beach and its tapas bars to move to Luxembourg? Rosa Villalobos has had to explain her choice many times in the almost 20 years she has been living in the Grand Duchy. Her answer each time is simple and is based on two reasons: meeting her future husband in Spain, who lived in Luxembourg, and her desire to gain professional experience abroad.
The opportunity was good and the challenge accessible given her ten years of experience in the financial sector. Goldman Sachs, which was also taking its first steps in Luxembourg, offered her a first experience, which she accepted in early 2004 before joining Macquarie Asset Management as Head of the Luxembourg office at the end of 2008. “I thought it was probably time for me to see how other companies worked in Luxembourg. Since then, Macquarie Asset Management has grown a lot as at the time we were only two employees.” Currently, the Luxembourg team numbers around 80 employees.
Now fully integrated into Luxembourg, Rosa enjoys the country’s nature, with no regrets about leaving the Catalan climate. “I like to run, walk or cycle in the forest. It’s wonderful to see how it changes with each season. And it’s never far away, like the sea in Barcelona.”
What was the trigger for your move to Luxembourg?
Rosa Villalobos
In the early 2000s, I left Spain for the first time to pursue an MBA at the Schulich School of Business, York University in Toronto, Canada. It was an eye-opening experience and following this I wanted to broaden my professional experience through a job outside Spain. There was also an important event in my private life that allowed me to do so. In December 2002, I met the man who would become my future husband. As he worked in Luxembourg, I eventually made the decision to join him permanently in October 2003. Being in the early stages of my career, I didn’t have a set career path at the time, but I was convinced that with my qualifications and the finance experience I had gained in Spain I would have no difficulty finding a job. In fact, it only took me three months to start at Goldman Sachs in January 2004.
Since day one, I never felt like a foreigner, I fit right in and that helped me integrate.
What particular problems did you encounter when you moved to Luxembourg?
Rosa Villalobos
I haven’t really encountered any. I obviously had the advantage that my husband was already living here, but my integration was quite simple. I spoke French, which made it easier. I had to get used to streets that were less lively than in Barcelona when I left the office, but Luxembourg has also become livelier over the years. Sometimes people ask me how I could have ever left Barcelona and the beaches to come here, but I don’t miss the sea.
What surprised you most when you arrived in Luxembourg?
Rosa Villalobos
What surprised me the most when I arrived in Luxembourg was how international the country is. Since day one, I never felt like a foreigner, I fit right in and that helped me integrate. I remember when I first moved here having dinner with friends and from the 10 people at the table, you easily heard 3 different languages and there were at least 8 different nationalities. I really like the international aspect of this country, the quality of life, how safe, clean, and secure it is.
What I am today, I owe 100% to the twenty years I have just spent in Luxembourg, to what I have been able to achieve here and to the opportunities that have been offered to me.
How moving to Luxembourg has played a crucial role for your development, both personal and professional?
Rosa Villalobos
What I am today, I owe 100% to the twenty years I have just spent in Luxembourg, to what I have been able to achieve here and to the opportunities that have been offered to me. This country has a lot to offer in many aspects from the professional to the personal, and its motto of “Let’s make it happen” is clear in the ecosystem that exists here.
What determines your career choices?
Rosa Villalobos
I am convinced that to achieve professional success you must really love what you do. If this is the case, you will always give the best of yourself and, in the end, you will benefit from it. For my part, I have been fortunate to be able to work in investment banking for many years, especially at Macquarie where I clearly see a positive impact and contribution to the communities we operate in through our investments. I find the alignment of my values and Macquarie’s helps keep me fulfilled in my work.
How do you see your career evolving over the next few years?
Rosa Villalobos
It will evolve in tandem with the changes affecting our profession. The world is becoming very complex and our business is becoming more and more sophisticated. All this requires the acquisition of new skills. Some examples that come to mind are the prominence of data (hard skills) in most lines of work and the growing importance of emotional intelligence (soft skills). We don’t all have to become data analysts, but everyone needs to be familiar with how to use the new tools to become more productive and be able to identify the best ways to use them. In terms of soft skills, it is important to improve our self-awareness and our social awareness to enable more effective management practices, especially in a work environment where various generations work together, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z.
How do you think careers will evolve in the asset management industry?
Rosa Villalobos
Asset management has a significant impact on life in society and this will become increasingly important as professionals focus on sustainability objectives alongside purely corporate finance and profitability objectives. As asset managers, we are the custodians of the assets in which we invest. It is our responsibility, through these investments, to create a lasting positive impact which will continue to be felt by future generations.
When you have a clear view of where you are in life, where you want to get to and how to get there, you just need to follow the path and enjoy the journey.
To conclude, what has been the biggest investment in yourself thus far?
Rosa Villalobos
I consider the biggest investment I have made in myself to be furthering my education. After completing my MBA in Barcelona, I went on to do a Master in Banking and Finance at the Luxembourg School for Finance and the INSEAD International Directors Programme. By pushing myself and continuing to do things outside my comfort zone, my knowledge continues to develop. I thought that it was going to be extremely helpful to make the effort of gaining further education as it will leave me in a better position for the long term. When you have a clear view of where you are in life, where you want to get to and how to get there, you just need to follow the path and enjoy the journey, which I did, and I continue to do.