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Laurence Goudeseune, People and Culture Director at Grant Thornton Luxembourg for 15 years, has built her HR expertise in the field, gradually moving from administration to human resources management.
For her, the "People" and "Culture" dimensions are inseparable: HR processes must embody the company's values and translate concretely into day-to-day behaviours.
For her, the "People" and "Culture" dimensions are inseparable: HR processes must embody the company's values and translate concretely into day-to-day behaviours.
About Grant Thornton Luxembourg:
Grant Thornton Luxembourg is a leading provider of Audit & Assurance, Business Advisory, Financial Services, Tax & Accounting and Technology services for all types of entities in Luxembourg.
With more than 350 people and 26 partners, Grant Thornton Luxembourg applies strong technical guidance and breadth of experience to ensure its clients receive a truly different experience.
As an HR manager, can you tell us what your day-to-day looks like?
My daily life is shaped by variety. I move between operational management, team support, handling unexpected situations, and strategic thinking. I enjoy being present on the ground, accessible, and attentive to employees, because I firmly believe that HR transformation must start from lived experience and direct conversation. No two days are alike - and that's what makes this job so exciting!
Your current title is "People & Culture Director". How do these two major functions fit together in your day-to-day work?
I see these two dimensions as completely inseparable. The People side is about supporting employees at every stage of their journey: recruitment, development, performance, well-being. The Culture side provides the framework and the meaning: our values, our way of working together, our leadership - all directed towards collective progress. On a daily basis, my role is to ensure that our HR processes genuinely embody our culture, and that our culture translates concretely into behaviours and decisions.
"I very quickly understood that HR was a remarkable lever for impact: on individuals, on teams, on overall performance."
What drew you to working in HR?
It was not a theoretical choice at the outset, but a development opportunity I was given that gradually revealed itself through hands-on experience. I learned the profession by facing daily challenges, supporting teams, and finding pragmatic solutions. I very quickly understood that HR was a remarkable lever for impact: on individuals, on teams, on overall performance. What deeply motivates me is enabling others to grow. I genuinely believe in "We rise by lifting others" - something I find extremely rewarding and apply directly within my department.
Can you look back on your career over the past 15 years at Grant Thornton and walk us through your various role changes within the company? How did one position lead to the next, for example?
Grant Thornton has offered me an extremely rich and evolving career path. I have held several roles, from administrative assistant to a quality control-focused position while also serving as secretary to the Board of Directors, before joining the human resources department - each of these roles allowing me to develop new skills and a broader view of the company.
Each position naturally led to the next, because I always sought to understand the challenges beyond my own scope, to propose improvements, to get more involved. Those 15 years have allowed me to build a very detailed knowledge of the organisation, its business lines, and its culture. Today, my role as HR Director flows directly from that journey, where each step was enriched by the ones before it.
What is the most recent significant training programme you have launched at Grant Thornton? Can you tell us about it?
In 2025, we redefined our training offering for managers, providing them with a programme focused on developing managerial and behavioural skills, with a strong emphasis on collaborative leadership, communication, and team management in a constantly evolving environment. The goal is to support our managers in their role as hands-on leaders, capable of helping their teams grow.
If you had to give a candidate one good reason to consider an opportunity at Grant Thornton, what would it be?
The opportunity to grow in a human-scale environment where performance goes hand in hand with genuine attention to people. At Grant Thornton, everyone is encouraged to take ownership of their career path, share their knowledge, and get concretely involved through initiatives that have a real impact.
Our integration into the Grant Thornton Advisors platform also opens up new prospects, particularly in terms of international mobility and exposure to an even broader portfolio of international clients. We are convinced that collective success rests on the development of each individual. Every employee matters and is never just a number.
Once a candidate has applied to Grant Thornton, what advice would you give them to maximise their chances of landing a role at the company?
Be authentic and show your eagerness to learn, highlight your skills but also your human qualities. Team spirit, curiosity, perseverance, the drive to push yourself, and the ability to adapt are the best allies for success here. We look for people who are just as committed individually as they are collectively.
"Being an HR director, for me, is not just about steering an HR strategy or structuring processes. It is above all about being accessible when an employee needs to talk, when a manager is navigating a tricky situation, when an important decision needs to be made."
Let's talk about artificial intelligence: is it a topic that directly affects HR at Grant Thornton? In what way?
Yes, artificial intelligence directly concerns the HR function. At Grant Thornton, we are integrating it gradually and responsibly, particularly to automate certain low-value tasks and provide teams with decision-support tools. The goal is in no way to replace human judgement, but on the contrary to strengthen it. The real challenge lies in supporting employees so they can take ownership of these tools and make full use of them, while maintaining a critical perspective. Skills development, along with ethical reflection on the use of AI, are at the heart of our approach.
Finally, what are the three essential items on your desk? What do they represent to you?
The first thing I would mention is my mobile phone. It is probably the most mundane object - and yet the most symbolic. It represents my availability. Being an HR director, for me, is not just about steering an HR strategy or structuring processes. It is above all about being accessible when an employee needs to talk, when a manager is navigating a tricky situation, when an important decision needs to be made. My phone embodies that direct, human connection - sometimes urgent, but always important.
Then, a water bottle. It makes me smile because it reminds me that I need to look after myself too. I am not sporty, but I am convinced that you cannot effectively support others if you exhaust yourself. In a profession where you absorb a great deal of emotions and responsibilities, preserving your energy is essential.
And finally, a small notepad and a few post-its. They help me structure my priorities, jot down my to-do list, and keep track of sensitive points. Crossing off a line or removing a post-it once something is resolved is always a small satisfaction. It reflects my daily life well: many topics running in parallel, constant movement, and the pleasure of making things happen concretely.
Find job openings at Grant Thornton on their company page on Alleyesonme.jobs.
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