For Sasha Baillie, it was a surprise and honour to be called upon by the then-Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume to serve as Marshal of the Grand-Ducal Court. Although she hadn’t seen it coming, her experience in public and diplomatic roles, knowledge of the economy and its actors, and leadership experience are all relevant for the job.
In March 2025, Baillie left her role as Luxinnovation CEO to take on her new mission. It was quite an intense start, given the lead-up to Guillaume’s accession to the throne, which took place on October 3, 2025. Baillie calls the Grand Duke “the symbol of national unity and independence,” and it’s through this lens that she operates, advising on areas in which he should be engaging and filtering the many requests he receives, all the while coordinating with the government to ensure coherency on national priorities.
“Being able to carry Luxembourg forward in a stable manner is just fantastic.”
She feels a deep sense of pride and responsibility in this work and being in a position where she can make a positive impact. In a world of geopolitical tensions, “being able to carry Luxembourg forward in a stable manner is just fantastic. It’s an honour and an opportunity, and I take that very seriously.”
Another professional accomplishment she’s proud of was steering the creation of the GovSat joint venture (between SES and the Luxembourg government) in 2015. Not only was this Luxembourg’s first military satellite into space, but the team had six months to set up the €150 million initiative and get a law adopted so as not to lose the orbital position. At the time there had been some resistance, but the initiative was a success, with GovSat-2 expected to launch in 2029.
Baillie’s advice to young professionals is to learn about emotional triggers, especially related to stress, something she became more aware of in leadership roles. “When you’re running an organisation, juggling a lot of things, it’s important to communicate and listen to your teams, [otherwise] you’re missing the opportunity of bringing teams along with you.”
This exclusive portrait was published in the 10th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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