Christian Heinen
Company
IQ-EQ
Position
Managing Director
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BRINGING IQ AND EQ TOGETHER
Christian Heinen moved from Luxembourg to China in 2012, then returned to Luxembourg in 2018 to become Managing Director of IQ-EQ Luxembourg. He has found in IQ-EQ a mindset match: that rare combination of technical expertise (IQ) and personal approach (EQ).
From Luxembourg to China, and back
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Christian Heinen did not foresee spending six years in China and Hong Kong when he started his career in audit with a ‘Big Four’ firm in Luxembourg. Then from one senior role to the next in the fast developing Luxembourg financial industry, he became more eager to discover new horizons and encounter new challenges. Which is why, when the opportunity arose, Christian hopped on a plane to Hong Kong to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer and then Managing Director with a leading fund and corporate services provider, where he was responsible for business and operations in Greater China, including offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Christian is always keen to share anecdotes about his first days in Hong Kong and the cultural differences that a European expat experiences when settling there. But most importantly, beyond a wealth of experience and cultural discoveries, Christian took back to Europe a strong belief: that a company, no matter where it is in the world, is all about its people and clients and that only an empowered staff can provide high-quality services.
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Onto the next challenge: setting up priorities
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Upon returning to Luxembourg, Christian Heinen was appointed as jurisdictional MD of the global investor services group, IQ-EQ. At the time, the firm had just entered a period of fast-paced growth involving a number of key acquisitions. As a truly pragmatic and goal-oriented person, Christian began by setting priorities for the Luxembourg business. His first was to ensure that the staff of IQ-EQ Luxembourg would be empowered and motivated to provide a high standard of service capable of meeting clients’ rapidly-evolving needs. How? By listening carefully to his colleagues and understanding what they need and what motivates them. His second priority has been to ensure that IQ-EQ is recognised as a leading provider in Luxembourg’s alternative investment funds space as well as in the private wealth and corporate service spheres. Last but not least, Christian is determined to leverage on the group’s global footprint of talent and offices in 23 jurisdictions, both to attract new clients and offer additional services to existing ones.
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The power of duality, linking finance with emotions
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IQ-EQ strongly believes in the power of duality and that valuing both IQ and EQ is essential for its people, its clients and its business. Christian is also a firm believer that technical expertise is nothing without truly understanding the needs of clients. This is why he has found IQ-EQ to be a perfect fit, as he strongly believes that emotional understanding of asset managers and investors will remain a differentiating factor for service providers. With emotional finance theory and unconscious investor bias hot topics in the industry right now, recognition of the link between finance and emotions is greater than ever before. Christian finds it particularly true within the alternative investment space, where emotions and emotional intelligence are arguably the most important determinants in the investment decision-making process.
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Facts & Figures
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Birthday: 01 Feb 1976
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Birth place: Malmedy (Belgium)
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Nationality: Belgian
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Languages: German, English, French and basics in Dutch
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Hobbies: tennis, fitness, football, travelling and geo-politics
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My favourite
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Cities: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo
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Restaurants: ‘Amber’ and ‘San Xi Lou’ in Hong Kong, ‘Culturando’ and ‘Sherpa’ in Luxembourg, ‘Lost Heaven’ in Shanghai
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Places: Yunnan Province in China, Bali, US West Coast
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Books: 7 years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer; Good to Great by Jim Collins
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Musics: Coldplay and Depeche Mode
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Artwork (or artist): The Knotted Gun by Fredrik Reuterswärd
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Position: Managing Director IQ-EQ
Luxembourg, member of the Group Executive Committee
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Company: IQ-EQ Luxembourg
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