He turned IWC into a global brand, rose to become Richemont's top watch executive, and has been steering Breitling since 2017: Georges Kern is one of the most influential figures in the Swiss watch industry. Born in Düsseldorf, he is not only Breitling's CEO but also a co-owner, and for the past three years he has been systematically restructuring the company's lineup. On the personal side, he surprised everyone in 2019 with his debut as a film producer.
Making Waves: A Sudden Move
Kern was born in 1965, the son of a Düsseldorf luxury jeweler, and studied political science in Strasbourg before starting his career in the Swiss consumer goods industry at Kraft Foods. After later earning an MBA from the University of St. Gallen, Kern moved into the watch industry in 2000, where he was responsible for integrating IWC at Richemont. It was a project that sent the ambitious reformer's career soaring: at just 36, he took over the helm of IWC in early 2002, becoming the youngest brand CEO in the Swiss luxury goods group. Over the following years, he grew the Schaffhausen manufacturer's annual sales from 40,000 to more than 100,000 watches, drove its expansion into the Asian market, and massively increased the share of in-house manufacturing.
His successful leadership was set to pay off: in April 2017, Georges Kern was appointed head of Richemont's entire watch division. All the greater was the stir when, just three months later, the ambitious executive jumped ship to Breitling, a much smaller competitor. He became not only CEO but also a shareholder in the storied Grenchen brand, financing a five percent stake in the company from his own personal wealth. This put him alongside the Luxembourg-based investment firm CVC, which became Breitling's largest owner in early 2017 and aimed to push harder into the Asian market.
Focus on China: Breitling Is Set to Grow
It is a goal that fits perfectly with Georges Kern's experience at Richemont. The ambitious CEO sees great potential for catching up, especially in China, and stresses the preference of customers there for classic timepieces – the models need to be simpler, more elegant, and smaller than, say, a Navitimer 1. Little wonder, then, that the new Premier collections and Navitimer 8 meet exactly these requirements. They are part of a sweeping overhaul of the winged brand's product portfolio: Kern draws on historical models from the company's past as inspiration for new editions, while wanting to keep Breitling from turning into a retro brand. Rather, the aim is to shed the image of a pure pilot's watch and chronograph brand and venture into more upscale territory.
For all his willingness to change, there are also things the top executive – who holds three citizenships (German, French, and Swiss) – intends to hold on to. Not only will the partnership with Bentley continue, regularly producing special models such as the new Mulliner Limited Edition, but the mandatory chronometer certification of every timepiece will also be retained. According to Kern, exotic niche products such as the Emergency or Exospace have future potential (despite their relatively low sales figures) because they express the manufacturer's functional spirit particularly well.
A Frontman Who Personally Tests Every Watch
Georges Kern knows his brand's models better than you would expect from a strategy-minded executive. In fact, the boss personally wears every new watch before it launches – if Kern doesn't like it, it doesn't go to market. The CEO sees himself less as an administrator and more as a "man of the market" who even takes charge of small details such as the scent or the music in his boutiques. Clear directives, never any hesitation – like a resolute captain, Kern always holds a firm course.
His recipe for success is discipline. Shaped by five years at a boarding school in Alsace, he got through his degree programs on the strength of willpower and determination. By his own account, Georges Kern was never the best student, but he was one of the most determined. To this day, his personality is marked by an energetic drive – the passionate cyclist finds it hard to sit back and relax for a few hours. He simply has too many projects in his sights.
The Film Buff Fulfills a Dream
Just a few months ago, the CEO – following his sudden move to Breitling – stunned observers with another unexpected step. Fascinated by the film business, Kern fulfilled a childhood dream and produced his first feature film. "Mon chien stupide" (2019) is a French comedy about the midlife crisis of family man Henri and his constant mishaps. Frustrated, he blames his wife and four children for the problems in his life and decides to take a huge, badly behaved dog into the family.
Circumstances that in no way reflect Georges Kern's private life. Quite the opposite: the Swiss-by-choice executive has been happily married to his wife Monika for 25 years and is the proud father of two grown children. He is convinced that shared interests and common values contribute to the success of his marriage. Kern looks to the future with optimism – and not only in his private life. He is certain that Breitling's new direction will bear fruit in the long term and give the manufacturer a strong position in the watch industry. And should major investor CVC sell its stake in a few years, Kern would be assured a profit in the many millions. What will he do then? Keep working – and maybe make another film.
Featured image source: ©Antoine Beu - en.wikipedia.org (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
