This is not a ranking! What you will discover when you click on “read more” are my five top managers 2016 of the Swiss Watch Industry. Let me know what you think!
I would like to state that most of the managers of this industry do a good job. Only a few have done a mediocre one last year and the years before. Aldo Magada, former CEO of Zenith, was not the last manager that will be replaced this year. There are some big changes to come. You will see! I will let you know in time.
Very interesting is the initiative of Jean-Claude Biver to establish a management school for future Swiss watch managers. They once shall lead this industry into a bright future.
Good managers, movers and shakers, charismatic personalities with visionary thinking are very rare. The Swiss Watch Industry must not only do its homework concerning the products, but also in human resources.
Today I want to present you my personal top five managers of the year 2016.
BRAVO! Well-done guys!
!! Once again: this is NOT a ranking, but an alphabetical listing of my favorite five managers. !!
Raynald Aeschlimann, President of Omega and a member of the Extended Group Management Board of the Swatch Group.
Raynald has been Vice President and International Director of Sales, Retail and Distribution at Omega SA since 2001. Raynald joined Omega in 1996 as Sales and Marketing Project Manager. Raynald is also a member of the Extended Group Management Board of the Swatch Group since 2013. With Raynald a new area at Omega started. Those competitors who until today are still not aware of the huge potential of Omega must definitively wake up now. I can tell you there is no joking around with Raynald.
Jean-Claude Biver, Head of the LVMH Watch Division, CEO of TAG Heuer and interim CEO of Zenith
Whatever Jean-Claude touches becomes gold. Jean-Claude needs no introductiuon! Jean-Claude works harder than anyone else. Jean-Claude is responsible for the LVMH watch brands Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith. And everyone who knows Jean-Claude knows that there is nothing happening without him. He is personally involved at Hublot, successfully leads Tag Heuer and now has taken over full responsibility of Zenith. Jean-Claude is a real mover and shaker!
Georges Kern, currently CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. Georges will now be Head of Watchmaking, Marketing and Digital of Compagnie Financière Richemont SA.
Georges started his career at Richemont when he took over IWC Schaffhausen in 2001. Over the years he developed the former local acting watchmaking pearl to become and global player. He upgraded IWC from being a brand for a limited group of watch-nerds to become a global desired luxury brand. His management qualities are undisputed. Dear competitors wake up! Do not underestimate Georges now being responsible for Richmont´s watchmaking pool and for marketing and digital.
Jérôme Lambert, currently CEO of Montblanc. Jérôme will now be Head of Operations of Compagnie Financière Richemont SA responsible for central and regional services and all Maisons other than jewelry and watchmaking.
Jérôme is an industrious and though worker, a man full of kindness, but not very patient. As long I know him he was always “drove” at full throttle. He did a fabulous job as the CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre and he recently developed Montblanc in a frightening speed. He will further play a very active role at Montblanc and be Georges´ counterpart as his chief of operations. The duo will definitive move and shake this industry!
Rolf Studer, Joint Executive Officer of Oris
Rolf literally emerged from the shadows. Rolf was in the last years the number one beside Oris-owner Ulrich Herzog. Since Uli stepped back and now acts as the Chairman of the Oris Group it is Rolf together with Uli´s daughter Claudine Gertiser-Herzog who haven taken over the daily business. Claudine Gertiser-Herzog besides of being the Joint Executive Officer of Oris still runs her own business. So it is mainly Rolf steering Oris to a very bright future. The brand is focusing on affordable watches, watches with a difference, “real watches for real people”, as the say.
Is The management of Rolex not in the top 5 (nr:1)
It is the biggest and most wanted brand (watch) in the world
and so is the management of Patek too !
Not this year… Maybe next year … Who knows?
I generally agree with your choice and also see a bright future for these brands.
However, what R. Aeschlimann said in this article is just not acceptable IMHO:
https://www.ft.com/content/8473f664-8954-11e6-8cb7-e7ada1d123b1
First he is critizising his predecessors and then his own customers in a certain age. And then he is critizising competitors (like Rolex and IWC) that are still supporting Formula 1. At the same time he is praising his engagement in the Olympics! Now this is really a brazenness! Yes, compared to Formula 1, IOC are really just a bunch of bishops and a pope 🙂
Sorry, but I find these statements of Aeschlimann really, really poor!
That´s a fantastic interview! Thank you for letting me know! SORRY my friend I simply can not share your arguments. What he states simply is true! No reason anymore to support these sport activities by Omega. And I agree with the criticism on this generation of buyers. Until today they did not understand the new values and the outstanding quality of Omega … But it is also a little Omega´s own fault not to communicate its strengths to exactly those customers … BRAVO to this interview! As mentioned in my text: Do NOT joke around with Raynald!
I dont’ see him critisizing customers but merely saying that Omega was not able to reach a certain type of customer. That is quite the opposite of criticism towards customers.
And I agree with him on that. Omega’s marketing in the last ten years surely attracted a younger type of buyer, but has failed to gain attention from buyers aged 40+.
Dear Alex, as an outsider not working in the industry I would not know who is better operation wise or money wise. But take IWC when I started to collect watches and reading about it, IWC was as you said a sleeping brand. Now they are on Instagram and their new models are really fantastic. I think IWC will miss him because he has IWC in his DNA like JCB with TAG n Hublot.
One company which I am following since a few years is Oris they have a great collection and very attractive watches at excellent price points. At the end for us I think it is all about marketing. JCB is a master in this. But like IWC they have a fantastic marketing campaign.