As of beginning of May, Anne Marmann, who previously spent her career at Paul Wurth, has been appointed by the Board of Directors as Director of the Association des Ingénieurs et Scientifiques du Luxembourg and Head of the Wëssens-Atelier. This year, the Wëssens-Atelier is considerably expanding its capacity to offer practical introductory sessions on technology for children aged 8 to 12. Anne’s main task will be to expand the programme’s activities and efficiently organise its resources. A dynamic and forward-looking association needed this boost. Anne will be our face to our partners, members and the public.
Born in Luxembourg in 1983, Anne studied geography in the charming setting of Heidelberg. “I did my A-levels in mathematics and physics,” explains the new director. I did well in that field, which kept all doors open for me. After that, studying geography offered a broad spectrum between natural and social sciences. I ruled out the traditional teaching profession in search of a less predictable job”.
The merits of international exposure
She joined Paul Wurth, where she was assigned to “project planning”. It was far from abstract, as it involved supporting the construction of two blast furnaces in Brazil, where she moved with her husband (and colleague) to oversee the project.” I gained a lot from that year-and-a-half stay in the Rio de Janeiro area,” Anne recalls. “There was a very positive dynamic, no bureaucracy. Problems arose and were quickly followed by solutions. Everyone took responsibility. It was a great professional experience”.
She worked for the large industrial engineering company for 16 years, thriving in the international environment. “In Luxembourg, we already speak four languages. And here we had our windows open to the world, from India to Brazil. And yet it was a very family-like atmosphere. I worked in different support roles where initiative was encouraged. My last two years were in communications, mostly internal. My most vivid memory from that time is organising the family party for the company’s 150th anniversary, which required creating a powerful historical narrative while setting the group’s future direction.”
We will be creative and innovative
At the Ingénieurs et Scientifiques du Luxembourg, Anne can similarly rely on a solid historical foundation, with 127 years of tradition, coinciding with Luxembourg’s industrial development. She will combine this with the vast opportunities to promote engineering talents in a fast-changing world where our professions are in high demand. The prospect of expanding our association and promoting our professions with a focus on virtuous growth makes her eyes sparkle. “Here too, I’ll have to deploy my communication and facilitation skills.
“Eventually, I hope to successfully establish our image and attract more and more young engineers and scientists, maintaining an active network and think tanks with them. The solutions of the future will undoubtedly come from gatherings of scientific minds from different fields, capable of finding solutions to all problems. For me, the definition of an engineer is precisely that: always finding an appropriate solution to a specific question with the knowledge and resources available. To contribute to a creativity-generating environment, I will strive to ensure our association is also creative and innovative.
“My mind is already filling with ideas to develop the association, but we can’t do everything at once. Initially, I will focus mainly on the Wëssens-Atelier, which is significantly growing, ensuring the promotion of our workshops, coordinating our organisation and liaising with sponsors and schools. The Wëssens-Atelier is the association’s showcase, and this renewed dynamism should directly reflect on it. We need to become even more visible.
