Welcome to Luxinnovation, Kristian! How did you find your passion for the creative industries?
Kristian Horsburgh: I grew up here in Luxembourg with a father who was in business and a mother who was working in the field of theatre and literature, so I have always been interested in these two worlds. I initially obtained a bachelor’s degree in law and started working in the financial sector, but in parallel, I created a not-for-profit organisation called “Trust in Talent” that focuses on advising artists on contractual issues and project management. I also developed a matchmaking platform to help artists create new business relationships.
Once I realised that this was what I really enjoyed doing, I went back to university and did another bachelor’s in media and event management. Since then, my focus has been on managing media channels for clients, and on initiating various creative projects and getting them off the ground. I worked a few years at the Luxembourg cultural centre Rotondes, and then moved on to working independently as an event manager and media manager.
What motivated you to take up the role as the new Creative Industries Cluster manager?
I know the previous Creative Industries Cluster manager, Marc Lis, because I was in contact with him a few years ago regarding an innovative project for which I received a subsidy to develop an app for “uberising” talent recruitment. When Marc told me about the vacancy, I thought that this would be a great opportunity to support the development of the creative industries sector in Luxembourg while benefitting from Luxinnovation’s wide range of resources and connections.
What will your initial focus be in your new role?
I will start by getting truly familiar with the work that was done by my predecessor and with all the on-going projects of the cluster. I want to keep the dynamic spirit of the cluster alive and look into how I can build further on the existing foundation.
I want to keep the dynamic spirit of the cluster alive and look into how I can build further on the existing foundation.
I also want to explore the potential synergies with the other clusters managed by Luxinnovation, as well as with the agency’s other activities. Digitalisation is one of the key topics on my mind. I think it would be extremely interesting to explore how digital solutions could help creatives boost their business and find new ways of generating income.
Photo: © Luxinnovation