Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Kering Appoints Patrick Pruniaux as CEO of Girard-Perregaux (in Addition to Ulysse Nardin)
Kering now has a unique head for its Swiss luxury watchmaking Maisons.
Following Antonio Calce’s departure a few weeks ago, French luxury group Kering has announced the appointment of Patrick Pruniaux as CEO of its Swiss watchmaking Maisons. Therefore, the current CEO of Ulysse Nardin will now also manage Girard-Perregaux, one of the most prestigious names of Swiss Haute Horlogerie and in turn guide the brand to meet current challenges.
The reorganisation will most likely help provide greater synergies between the two Haute Horlogerie brands. Pruniaux is tasked with “accelerating the development of the two Maisons in international markets, while at the same time maintaining their unique characteristics” as “today’s luxury watchmaking sector is known for its accelerating product cycles, the increasingly global nature of its customers and the transformation of their expectations, both in terms of e-commerce and digital interactions“.
Patrick Pruniaux, 46, joined Ulysse Nardin and the Kering group last summer. He started his career with Diageo. He then worked nine years at TAG Heuer and was involved in the launch of the Apple watch. As previously, he reports to Albert Bensoussan, Chief Executive Officer of the Watches & Jewelry Activities of Kering since 2014. Bensoussan said: “I am delighted to give Patrick Pruniaux the mission of increasing the awareness and accelerating the growth of the Kering Group’s two iconic Swiss watchmaking Maisons. The dynamism he has shown over the past year as head of Ulysse Nardin convinced me that he was the best person to develop these two brands“.
Kering does not disclose results for its watch activities. The luxury group posted excellent results for the first semester of 2018 with consolidated revenues up 26.8% at over EUR 6 billion. Their press release issued on that occasion states that “jewelery and watches registered solid growth“.
To read the Kering press release, click here.
2 responses
Hi Brice, thanks for sharing.
It is interesting to notice how two brands who pushed the development of innovative escapements are now led by the same manager. I wonder whether we have to expect synergies in terms of R&D.
Let’s wait and see,
regards,
slide68
As long as Nardin and Ludwig Oechslin have ties, I’ll always pay attention to anything new they come up with.