François Masquelier (ATEL): A Luxembourg Corporate Treasurers Association
The Luxembourg Treasury Association (ATEL) was created in 1994. It consists of 330 members. It is a dynamic actor of the financial ecosystem, representing the “real economy” and intend to defend treasurers’ interests. It aims at sharing best international treasury practices. Interview with François Masquelier, its President.
Can you present your association in a few words?
ATEL is the Luxembourg Association of Corporate Treasurers which was created in 1994. It consists of reached nearly 330 members. Approximately two thirds of its members are corporate treasurers, and the rest are stakeholders, such as IT vendors, advisory firms, banks, etc. The endeavor to open to the outside world has materialized by the establishment of contacts and by the organization of meetings between ATEL and peer associations, both at the European and the international level. The four major missions of ATEL are: (1) information of members and stakeholders; (2) education of members and their teams; (3) networking with peers and stakeholders; and eventually (4) advocacy at national and EU level through its membership into the European association of treasurers, i.e., EACT. The association organizes conferences, soft and hard skills training, education courses, SME conferences and a peer group. It also publishes a magazine (i.e., e-magazine, on-line and printed magazine).
“ATEL is very active and participates in lobbying work at the European level to defend the interests of the "real economy" and treasurers in particular.”
What actions do you carry out within your association?
Our association fulfills its missions through conferences, courses, and other training, in digital form (virtual) and/or in person. It has always considered that it should act and communicate beyond the borders of the country because of its small size. It publishes a magazine twice a year (in digital and paper version), i.e. The Treasury Magazine, to share best practices in risk management. Finally, it regularly publishes "White Papers" on technical topics. As a founding member of EACT (European Association of Treasurers), ATEL is very active and participates in lobbying work at the European level to defend the interests of the "real economy" and treasurers in particular.
How does your association adapt to the evolution of public policies, mentalities, and the Luxembourg way of life?
The association adapts to the regulatory evolution through the lobbying it does both at the national and international levels. The results obtained for our corporation are the proof of its action. At the Luxembourg level, ATEL understood very early and before COVID the importance of conferences in hybrid mode and digital, through its Master Classes and other videos for its members and beyond the country's borders. ATEL is one of the most active members at the European level where everything is decided today. The big challenge remains recruitment, adaptation to new needs and new skills required and teleworking. The digitization of the most important function in finance, i.e., treasury, remains a major challenge.