Leadership, Courage and the Career Journey: An Evening with Jenny de Nijs
Written by Claudia Neumeister, Vice Chair BCC
“You can have it all, but not at the same time.”
This candid observation was among the most memorable messages shared by Jenny de Nijs, Director for the Development of the Financial Centre at Luxembourg’s Ministry of Finance, during a fireside chat organised by the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg.
Held on 9 July 2026 at ATOZ, the event was jointly organised by the Chamber’s People & Leadership Group and Sustainability Group. Moderated by Claudia Neumeister and Svetlana Grishankova, the wide-ranging conversation explored career choices, leadership, mentorship, sustainable finance, artificial intelligence and the realities of combining professional ambition with personal responsibilities.
Having it all – at different times
De Nijs challenged the idea that successful professionals should be able to achieve perfect balance across every part of their lives. It may be possible to “have it all”, she suggested, but different priorities will inevitably take precedence at different stages.
That reality also makes a reliable support system essential. Ambition cannot be sustained entirely on one’s own: help from family, friends, colleagues, and professional networks often makes demanding careers possible.
Even with that support, difficult choices can bring feelings of guilt. De Nijs addressed this with characteristic honesty: “You have to learn to live with your guilt.”
Rather than presenting career and family decisions as a problem that can be solved through flawless organisation, her comments acknowledged the compromises involved. The aim is not to eliminate every uncomfortable feeling, but to make conscious decisions, accept their consequences and recognise that priorities will continue to change.
The courage to follow opportunity
De Nijs’s own career has followed a broad and varied path. While there was continuity in her professional development, she was also willing to depart from the expected route when an interesting opportunity arose.
Her experience illustrated that a successful career does not always result from following a rigid plan. Progress can also depend on curiosity, adaptability and the courage to take a different direction when opportunity knocks.
This willingness to move beyond a predetermined path has allowed her to develop a broad understanding of the financial sector and to contribute to areas such as sustainable and inclusive finance. It also demonstrated that an apparent detour may ultimately become an important part of a person’s professional identity.
Her family did not provide an obvious model for this journey. Asked whether her parents had been her role models, de Nijs explained that they had pursued very different careers. Rather than directing her towards a particular profession, however, they gave her the freedom to find her own way. She described herself as something of an outlier within her family: a position that may also have encouraged her independence.
Mentors, sponsors and natural relationships
Mentorship and sponsorship were other important parts of the discussion. Earlier in her career, de Nijs did not consciously seek mentors or sponsors because she was not familiar with those concepts at the time. With hindsight, she wishes she had done so.
Looking back, however, she recognised that both mentors and sponsors had been present throughout her professional life, even if those labels were never used. They emerged through genuine working relationships: people who shared advice, recognised her abilities, created opportunities or supported her advancement.
Her experience showed that mentorship does not always begin with a formal request or structured programme. It can grow naturally through trust, mutual respect and professional collaboration. Nevertheless, understanding these relationships -and actively cultivating them – can help younger professionals navigate their careers with greater confidence and awareness.
Advice to her younger self
Asked what she would tell her younger self, de Nijs offered direct and practical advice:
“Just be yourself – go for it.”
“Speak your mind – because men do.”
These messages highlighted authenticity and confidence as essential leadership qualities. Professionals should not feel compelled to imitate a particular leadership style or wait until they are entirely certain before contributing.
Speaking up is especially important in settings where women remain underrepresented. Ideas cannot influence a discussion if they are left unspoken, and confidence is often strengthened through participation rather than developed in advance.
Her advice was therefore not simply to be more outspoken, but to trust one’s judgement, seize opportunities, and resist the pressure to become someone else to succeed.
Building broad expertise in finance
The conversation also turned to the qualifications and expertise that young professionals should pursue in today’s financial industry.
De Nijs cautioned against specialising too narrowly in sustainability criteria. Sustainable finance has evolved considerably: it is no longer an isolated field or a specialist concern on the periphery of financial services. Clients increasingly expect it, and it has become part of mainstream portfolios and business decisions.
Environmental, social and governance considerations are becoming a structural part of financial services. For that reason, professionals need a broad understanding of finance as a whole. Sustainability knowledge remains valuable, but it should be supported by a solid grasp of markets, products, regulation, risk and client needs.
The professionals best prepared for the future will be those who understand how sustainability fits into the wider financial system, rather than viewing it as a separate discipline.
Women must help shape artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence was another forward-looking subject addressed during the discussion. De Nijs expects AI to become part of how everyone works. The question is therefore no longer whether professionals will use it, but how it will be developed, governed and applied.
She also pointed to a significant weakness in today’s technology: AI systems can reflect substantial male bias. Models learn from existing information and historical patterns, which means they may reproduce the inequalities and assumptions found in the data on which they are trained.
Women must consequently play a larger role in teaching, testing and shaping these systems. Their participation is essential not only in technology companies but also in financial institutions and public bodies that decide how AI will be used.
If women are absent from the development process, existing bias risks becoming embedded in the tools that will increasingly influence recruitment, investment, risk assessment and decision-making. Inclusive AI therefore requires women to be active creators and informed contributors, not merely end users.
A realistic and encouraging vision of leadership
The evening offered an honest picture of professional success. Careers do not always unfold according to plan. Balance is not a permanent state, and ambition does not remove guilt or uncertainty. Mentors may appear through natural relationships, while some of the most important opportunities may require the courage to leave a familiar path.
At the same time, de Nijs’s reflections were encouraging. Build a support system. Develop broad expertise. Remain open to opportunity. Seek and recognise mentors and sponsors. Participate in shaping the technologies that will define the future. Above all, be yourself and speak your mind.
Following the discussion, guests continued exchanging ideas during a networking reception – putting into practice the evening’s emphasis on relationships, mutual support and shared experience.
The British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg thanks Jenny de Nijs for sharing her insights; Claudia Neumeister and Svetlana Grishankova for moderating the discussion; ATOZ for hosting the event; VENKATAPEN Boutique Lawyers for its sponsorship; and the British Ladies Club for its support.
