Delano is the latest magazine to emerge from Maison Moderne, publisher of paperJam. Written in English, its content covers current affairs, business, lifestyle and culture in Luxembourg. First edition out this Thursday. Interview with editor-in-chief Duncan Roberts.

Duncan Roberts, in what way is Delano different from the other English-language magazines in Luxembourg?

“Delano is distinctive in several ways. Firstly it covers a wide range of subjects, from current affairs and business to lifestyle and culture. Our editorial team has years of experience in reporting on Luxembourg issues and, just as importantly, takes a keen interest in local news and events. We get our facts right and our journalists are not facetious or self-important. Delano is relevant and intelligent, yet concise and accessible.

Our other strength is in our design. Delano has a distinctive front cover and the magazine’s structure invites readers to pick out the topics that will interest them. The layout is clear and each page is easy to read. Having a team of great photographers to call upon is also essential to the visual appeal of the magazine.

What topics are you going to tackle? What is the target readership?

“The editorial team sees its job as helping the international community to better understand Luxembourg. Because even those foreign residents who have made an effort to integrate sometimes find the subtleties of the political system or local social mores difficult to comprehend.

So, we will tackle those issues that directly affect and interest that community, or that might help them make the most of living in Luxembourg. This can range from an article on how Luxembourg’s financial institutions are preparing for FATCA to an article on the ancient tradition of Buergbrennen; from an interview with former speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert (who is a fourth generation Luxembourger) to a guide to the best Thai restaurants in Luxembourg.

Our target readership is the intelligent foreign resident who cares about what is happening in Luxembourg and takes an interest in their local environment. Delano is a bridge between Luxembourg and its international community.

What are your favourite articles in the first edition?

“Interviewing Brian Nygaard, the general manager of the Leopard Trek pro-cycling team, was fascinating. For a few days in January the Luxembourg team was the focus of international media coverage, yet he took the time to speak openly and frankly with us. It is a cover story that sums up everything that Delano is about. It is a Luxembourg story with international reach, yet while the media clamoured for interviews with the Schleck brothers in which they repeat standard answers to clichéd questions, we have focused on the not so obvious aspect. And we managed to get some forthright comment from Nygaard on how the team was built, the sport of cycling in general as well as his own career with Saxo Bank and Sky.

I also enjoyed reading Aaron Grunwald’s article about encouraging non-Luxembourgers to register to vote. That is exactly the sort of article we want to publish - well-written and well-researched and genuinely relevant to our readership.”