Deloitte Luxembourg in the 1950s

The 1950s were a pivotal decade for Luxembourg, marked by economic recovery, the beginnings of European integration, and the quiet rise of professional services that would later define its global reputation.

Though small, Luxembourg’s limited wartime destruction and status as a founding member of the 1951 European Coal and Steel Community gave it a strategic advantage. The nation diversified beyond its traditional steel industry, supported by major infrastructure projects such as the electrification of railways, the canalisation of the Moselle River, and the Esch-sur-Sûre dam.

Amid this optimistic environment, three young graduates from the Université Catholique de Louvain—Rodolphe Gerbes, Georges Kioes, and René Schmitter—chose to break from conventional career paths. Rejecting public service and corporate jobs at industrial giants like Arbed, they vowed to forge their own entrepreneurial path. Pooling family loans of 14,000 francs each, they founded L’Agence S.à.r.l. on 14 August 1950. Their first office consisted of two converted ground-floor rooms at 13 Rue de la Chapelle in Luxembourg City.

Caption: The first three partners Rodolphe Gerbes, René Schmitter and Georges Kioes

Initially, L’Agence pursued import-export ventures and sold German-developed Taylorix manual accounting ledger cards, later becoming the brand’s official Luxembourg representative. Although these sales were profitable enough to sustain the import business, overall revenues lagged, and by the end of the first year, the founders had exhausted their initial capital without drawing a salary.

Recognising the need to refocus, the partners unanimously voted in August 1951 to abandon import-export activities and concentrate instead on accounting and administrative services. They renamed the firm Bureau d’Expertise des Comptables et Fiscables Gerber, Kioes et Cie S.à.r.l., signalling a firm commitment to professional accounting. Their early clientele consisted mainly of small manufacturers and trading firms in Luxembourg’s industrial heartlands of Pétange, Rodange, and Differdange.

Despite the shift, the firm maintained the profitable Taylorix ledger card distribution, a niche market that helped stabilise their finances. Progress was slow but steady. Capital was rebuilt, and by 1953 the partners earned their first wages. That year also saw the arrival of their first employee, a female graduate from Scherer School of Accounting, reflecting a growing and professionalising team.

Momentum grew quickly as the firm secured valuable tax advisory work, notably for the Chambre des Artisans. This success enhanced their reputation as trusted tax specialists among trade associations, leading to wider recognition in Luxembourg’s commercial circles. Prestigious clients such as Sternberg, Lassner, and Servais soon joined their roster, cementing the firm’s influence.

In a groundbreaking move at the end of 1953, the partners converted the firm into a société civile, increasing capital from 120,000 to 210,000 francs. This was unprecedented in Luxembourg, where most professionals operated solo or informally. The new partnership model balanced individual independence with collaboration, ensuring continuity and shared expertise, an innovation that would later become widespread in Luxembourg’s professional services.

That same year, Jean Hamilius, a graduate in Business Studies, created a subsidiary within L’Agence, joining forces with René Schmitter to create Hamilius & Schmitter Organisateurs-Conseils SeNC, specialising in organisational and management consultancy. With starting capital of 200,000 francs, the new firm also operated from 13 Rue de la Chapelle. Though early assignments mainly came via referrals from L’Agence, the venture quickly made its mark in a field that, at the time, was seen as a catalyst for internal change rather than a source of fresh solutions.

Caption: 13, rue de la Chapelle in Luxembourg City

The workload was demanding. Long weekdays, evenings, and weekends, with winters requiring one partner to start early just to light the coal stove heating their cramped office.

However, perseverance paid off.

In 1955, Hamilius & Schmitter partnered with architect Pit Gilbert for the construction of the Pershing Residence, blending creative vision with financial discipline. Their introduction of undivided co-ownership in residential property became a lasting innovation, shaping how apartment blocks are still managed across Luxembourg.

The firm’s expertise attracted high-profile projects such as coordinating Bohler Clinic, the Grande-Duchesse Charlotte Maternity Clinic, the General Hospital, and advising on hospitality ventures like Hotel Alpha. Industrial clients included Cleveland Tram Rails International in Clervaux and General Motors in Bascharage.

Their reach extended into the Belgian province of Luxembourg, consulting for Renval Brickworks and an optical instrument manufacturer in Houffalize. They also carved a niche in retail, contributing to the Alima project and the AZ supermarket in Luxembourg City.

By 1957, the combined teams of L’Agence and Hamilius & Schmitter had grown to a dozen staff and had outgrown their offices at 13 Rue de la Chapelle. As a result, both firms moved to larger premises at Boulevard de la Foire the following year, and Hamilius & Schmitter converted into a société civile, where Gerbes and Kioes were admitted as partners. They managed to increase their capital to 500,000 francs, signalling a shared commitment to professionalism and growth in Luxembourg’s evolving business environment.

By the close of the 1950s, these pioneering firms had laid solid foundations for what would become a truly international operation, equipped to serve the expanding demands of global commerce and the multinational corporations that would come to define Luxembourg’s financial landscape.

 

Sources

“50 ans au service de l’économie Luxembourgeoise” published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Group Deloitte & Touche/Fiduciare Générale de Luxembourg. © 2000, All rights reserved.