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​Diana Senanayake (IQ-EQ): From local roots to global impact  

 

A global perspective with local roots: Diana Senanayake's journey to leading IQ-EQ's continental Europe expansion and championing sustainability.

Can you discuss IQ-EQ’s evolution over the years and the role Luxembourg has played in this journey?

IQ-EQ's evolution has been nothing short of remarkable. In 2023, we celebrated our 70th anniversary in Luxembourg, marking seven decades of leadership in the financial services industry. The company has experienced tremendous growth – in just two years, we’ve increased our total headcount from 3,000+ to 5,500+ people worldwide. With nearly 30 acquisitions under our belt, we’ve established a presence in 25 locations across the Americas, UK, Europe, and Asia. Throughout this journey, Luxembourg has played a pivotal role in our success. The country has served as a strategic hub for our operations and a launchpad for our growth initiatives. As we look to the future, we remain committed to leveraging Luxembourg's unique strengths to drive growth and innovation.

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​What trends and opportunities do you see emerging in Luxembourg financial sector and how is IQ-EQ positioning itself to capitalise on them?

Luxembourg has long been known for its UCITS offerings, but in recent years, the country has diversified its financial sector to include private markets, such as private debt and real estate. This shift has created new opportunities for us and our clients, as highlighted in our recent global private debt reports. We’ve witnessed notable macroeconomic shifts, including record-high inflation rates and an aggressive monetary policy tightening campaign across advanced economies over the last 12 months. This year is looking much more optimistic, with expectations of major central banks implementing rate cuts and inflation stabilising. This sets the stage for a potential resurgence in private market activity and presents opportunities for new funds and/or emerging trends across Europe.

Our commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors is another area where we see significant potential for growth. The release of our annual Sustainability Report underscores our dedication to ESG principles and further solidifies our alignment with Luxembourg's values. Last year, we were awarded a ‘Gold’ EcoVadis rating, which places us in the top 5% of 120,000 global businesses for our commitment to sustainable business practices. We believe that the country's commitment to sustainability and innovation will continue to attract businesses and investors from around the world.

 

Reflecting on your tenure as Regional CEO, what key achievements stand out, and do you have any advice to share?

One of my proudest achievements has been the implementation of a robust Continental Europe leadership team, which has been instrumental in driving our three-segment strategy: Fund and Asset Managers (FAM), Private and Institutional Asset Owners (PIAO), and Debt, Capital Markets and Corporate (DCMC). By collabo- rating across segments, we can offer integrated, market-leading solutions for our clients backed by global expertise.

As we look to the future, I’m optimistic about the potential for continued growth and innovation in Continental Europe. My advice for building a successful team is to strike a balance between local knowledge and international perspective. A leader should intimately understand the country they’re operating in, while also embracing diversity, change, and an open-minded approach. By combining deep roots in Luxembourg with a global outlook, I believe that we can continue to drive success for IQ-EQ and our clients.

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FACTS&FIGURES

 

  • Birthday: 04 August 1970

  • Place of birth: Colombo, Sri Lanka

  • Nationality: Belgian

  • Languages: French, English, Dutch, Singhalese

  • Hobbies: Travels, pilates and yoga, nature & wild life, art exhibitions

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MY FAVOURITE

 

  • Cities: New York, Singapore, London

  • Places: Myanmar, China, the Greek Islands and South of France (Var)

  • Books: Art of War by Sun Tzu

  • Music: Jazz and contemporary music

  • Artists: Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, and David Kracov

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