Where is data hosted? Who can access it? How can a business continue operating if a provider becomes unavailable? These questions now concern executive management as much as IT departments. Data control and the management of operational risks associated with the use of technology are at the heart of the challenges facing many organisations, particularly those now subject to regulations such as DORA and NIS2.
“Added to this are concerns around digital sovereignty, driven in particular by growing geopolitical and trade tensions,” observes Audric Lhoas, Head of Product Management at Proximus NXT. “What may appear to be constraints for businesses could represent an opportunity for Luxembourg. For many years, as IT service providers supporting the development of Luxembourg’s financial centre, we have been subject to stringent requirements relating to confidentiality, security and business continuity. We have developed strong expertise in these areas. Today, it is up to us to showcase this distinctive know-how across Europe.”
Trust built over many years
Building on robust infrastructure, including LuxConnect’s Tier IV data centres, an operator such as Proximus NXT provides IT services, including infrastructure implementation and management, ensuring a high level of availability.
“When combined with connectivity and cloud platforms, these capabilities make it possible to host and process critical data in Luxembourg, while also operating IT systems with genuine control over operations and access to the environments on which our customers rely,” explains Audric Lhoas.
While France’s ANSSI SecNumCloud certification aims to strengthen organisations’ trust in cloud services, Luxembourg can draw on its status as a support PSF (Professional of the Financial Sector), granted to digital operators by the CSSF.
“To serve the financial sector, we are subject to multiple requirements and regulatory oversight, ensuring that data is secured and that IT-related operational risks are properly managed,” explains the Proximus NXT expert. “For our teams, controls and audits are part of day-to-day operations. This discipline has fostered expertise that can also benefit companies outside the financial sector, providing a genuine foundation for trust.”
Sovereignty starts with operations
Support PSF status alone does not, however, constitute a sovereignty certification for all the solutions offered.
“The location of a server alone is not enough to guarantee data sovereignty. Sovereignty also depends on the applicable jurisdictions, control over access, the teams administering the systems and technological dependencies. The entire service chain therefore needs to be assessed, beyond the address of the data centre,” continues Audric Lhoas.
In this respect, Luxembourg has significant strengths, particularly through its local operational capabilities.
“All our teams are based in Luxembourg. Our operations are conducted at national level, and we continue to invest in sovereign solutions that are hosted and operated from the Grand Duchy,” he explains.
The right choices for the right needs
Clarence, the innovative, locally operated and disconnected cloud platform developed with LuxConnect, is a good example of the solutions implemented by the IT service provider.
“Our ability to manage different environments, from public cloud to dedicated infrastructure and sovereign solutions, enables us to meet the diverse needs of Luxembourgish and European organisations that are increasingly looking for high levels of trust and assurance,” he explains.
Above all, Proximus NXT is well positioned to help organisations make the right choices based on their specific challenges.
“Not all data has the same level of sensitivity. Not all processing activities are subject to the same constraints,” Audric Lhoas continues. “Strengthening sovereignty represents an investment that needs to be weighed against the cost of business interruption or loss of control. Our role is to make these risks understandable, enabling executives to make informed decisions.”
Trust through control
Trust in digital services first and foremost depends on control over IT environments, the implementation of resilience strategies and effective management of dependencies.
“For all our customers moving to the cloud, we always have what we call an exit process in place,” explains Audric Lhoas. “This means anticipating an alternative and defining the conditions for a transition. Such preparation does not promise an instant migration in the event of a problem, but it does help reduce dependency on a single provider.”
A trusted hub
As European companies’ concerns around digital sovereignty continue to grow, Luxembourg therefore has expertise to bring to the table.
“The interest shown by Belgian, Swiss and Dutch companies in Luxembourg’s capabilities is opening up new opportunities,” explains the expert. “The value they are looking for lies as much in IT resources as in the ability to govern services and prepare for business continuity.”
In the medium and long term, the challenge will be to make this proposition more visible at European level. The infrastructure exists, and so does the expertise. By combining resilient hosting, operational control and risk management support, Luxembourg can further strengthen its position as a trusted hub for sensitive data.
