Wānaka officially has its first consulate now that a Wānaka resident has been appointed as Honorary Consul for Luxembourg.

Frauke Oddone, who lives in Far Horizons, has just recently received the approval of the New Zealand Government for her appointment.

“I am very excited and motivated,” Frauke told the Wānaka App. “I have many ideas for what we can do for our region.”

Frauke and her Italian husband travelled to New Zealand in 2013 and fell in love with the South Island. The following year they began planning to move to New Zealand to retire, and were granted visas in 2019.

She still can’t believe their luck: They flew to New Zealand the day the borders closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, on March 20, 2020.

The couple had planned to fly here in April but while watching the pandemic take hold they accelerated their plan by a month.

“It was just incredible timing,” she said.

Frauke has more than enough qualifications for the role of Honorary Consul. A chartered accountant, she spent the past four years of her career as chief strategist for KPMG Luxembourg.

Luxembourg’s population is around 600,000, Frauke said, which allows its inhabitants to “get to know one another” and network with government, business, and technology.

Luxembourg is a landlocked country bordered by Belgium, Germany, and France, and at 2,586 km2 it is one of the smallest sovereign states in Europe. It was one of the founding members of the European Union.

Yet Frauke appreciates the similarities between Luxembourg and her new home of New Zealand.

“New Zealand is a very dynamic, small, entrepreneurial country where you can achieve something quickly - there are not so many layers of bureaucracy.

“We see the same dynamic: Small is beautiful.”

The request signed by the Grand Duke of Luxembourg to consider Frauke for the role of Honorary Consul was officially approved in March by the Embassy of New Zealand in Brussels and the Government of New Zealand.

“It was a nice surprise,” she said. “I didn’t expect the New Zealand government would accept the consulate being based in Wānaka.”

Frauke is enthusiastic about the opportunities to promote Otago goods after the free trade agreement signed by prime minister Jacinda Ardern in Brussels last week. 

She said she hopes for a “stronger exchange” between the two countries.

Luxembourg has one of the biggest turnovers of cargo flying into Europe, and it serves as a clearing house for Western Europe.

“I am very excited about reconnecting and I can see big opportunities between the two countries, in start-up, fresh exchange, and digital.”

She said when it comes to the ‘green agenda’, “there are many good ideas here and a strong dynamic in Europe.”

“I’m hoping to connect some more dots and try to make New Zealand more visible to Europe.”

Frauke is flying back to Europe next week for the first time in two and a half years, and plans to meet some of the representatives of the Luxembourg government which promote the #GoInternational Agenda, the Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, and Kiwis she knows who head large businesses in the Grand Duchy.

“Luxembourg is in the centre of Europe and has such an international culture,” she said.

“There will be some ideas I can pick up in Europe and bring back to the community.”

Frauke and her husband do a lot of hiking and “enjoying nature” around Wānaka, and she is equally enthusiastic about Otago’s agriculture, wineries, and tourism.

“People in Luxembourg are very keen to go overseas. That can be revitalised.

“And the Grand Duke might be interested in coming to Wānaka.”

PHOTO: Wānaka App