Fulfilling one’s purpose without forgetting one’s roots

In Deloitte Luxembourg’s offices overlooking the Cloche d’Or district, Lize Griffiths often enjoys the broad view over the capital’s skyline on one side and the green countryside on the other. “I never get tired of that view,” she admits. And yet she has been in the Grand Duchy for more than 20 years – a place where she and her husband, whom she met on their very first day at Deloitte South Africa, built their life together and raised two daughters born in Luxembourg.

Originally from the Western Cape, she studied at Stellenbosch University to obtain a Honours’ degree enabling her to qualify as a chartered accountant. As a natural next step, she joined Deloitte Cape Town in 1998 for three years of articles before becoming a Chartered Accountant. In 2001, she and her husband relocated to the Deloitte’s Denver office in the United States. “We were meant to go to San Francisco,” she recalls, “but after the dot-com crash, many assignments were cancelled and we were redirected to Colorado rather than California. We arrived in January and I got to see snow for the first time the moment I landed. It remains a great memory.”

And Luxembourg, where she settled in 2002 – was that also for the snow? “No, there’s a saying that you come to Luxembourg either for opportunity or for love; in my case it was both. Deloitte Luxembourg was looking for someone with my husband’s profile to work in investment funds. I was also offered a position, so we crossed the Atlantic once again, thinking we would stay for two years – like many expats who are still here 20 years later,” she smiles.

Lize is now Financial Services Industry Leader for Deloitte Luxembourg and Real Estate Leader for Deloitte Continental Europe (“DCE”). She is also a certified facilitator at Deloitte University near Paris, a role close to her heart as it allows her to train colleagues from around Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Over a career spanning more than 25 years, she has worked for a single firm but on three continents. She also gradually shifted from auditing commercial companies to financial services. “I’ve always enjoyed finance, and Luxembourg gave me the chance to grow and broaden my expertise. That is something quite unique about this country: you arrive with a speciality, but you can quickly expand it and evolve according to market needs.”

Her entry into the investment funds sector came with the creation of SIFs (Specialised Investment Funds) in 2007 and the reporting of real estate funds’ accounts under IFRS for consolidation purposes – exactly the type of expertise she had developed in South Africa working on major mining groups. Her appointment as DCEReal Estate Leader reflects Luxembourg’s rising prominence in alternative investments The evolution of the country’s legal and regulatory framework played a decisive role: the introduction of the SIF in 2007, followed by the swift implementation of the AIFM Directive in 2013, the creation of the special limited partnership, a structure similar to those used by asset managers in the UK and the US, in 2013, and finally the RAIF (Reserved Alternative Investment Fund) in 2016. “This variety of legal structures allows investors to select the one that best aligns their strategy and risk appetite,” Griffiths explains.

Deloitte Luxembourg’s European real estate leadership is also linked to its strong international orientation and the strength of neighbouring real estate markets, particularly Germany and France. The uniqueness of Luxembourg’s cross-border worker force has, in her view, helped build a strong culture of collaboration that reflects Deloitte’s core belief that strength comes from teamwork. She admits she was surprised by the diversity that prevails in Luxembourg and makes integration easier. “I come from South Africa, a country we proudly call the Rainbow Nation to symbolise unity in diversity. But I discovered an international community even more colourful in Luxembourg.”

Integration, however, requires intention and effort. Settling on another continent is never easy, and success also depends on the attitude of the newcomer – respect for the country’s culture, interest in what defines its identity, and the willingness to make this new destination a true home. “You bloom where you are planted. That means that if you adapt and embrace opportunities and if you commit fully, you can flourish. Luxembourg makes this much easier by offering expatriates opportunities to get involved and participate.”

She cites events such as the International Bazaar, a charity event where many countries run their own stands, as well as alumni networks that play an important role in integration and also offer a way to reconnect with one’s “first” roots. “I had the privilege of hosting former students from Stellenbosch University for International Women’s Day in Luxembourg. It really made me feel connected to my roots again.” And if not through these networks, then through the business relationships forged by the financial centre with many countries across all continents.

Having moved from one hemisphere to another, Lize Griffiths is living an international career that allows her to grow, to belong, and to write a story that bridges continents—without losing sight of one’s roots. After two decades in Luxembourg, she remains convinced that it is “an ideal place for young professionals: cosmopolitan, central, dynamic, and human-sized.”