Unveiling of New Executive Leadership in Breitling’s House Of Brands Sets New Direction

There’s a new face taking the helm at the ‘House of Brands’, the venerated watchmaking collective which includes Breitling, Universal Genève, and the soon-to-be-resurrected Gallet. Georges Kern, who’s orchestrated an impressive doubling of Breitling’s sales figures since taking leadership in 2017 and helmed one of the most significant U-turns in contemporary horology, is stepping into the shoes of group Chief Executive Officer, as noted in an official statement. With Kern overseeing the strategic vision for the three prestigious brands, Jean-Marc Pontroué, formerly of Richemont and past CEO of both Panerai and Roger Dubuis, is picking up the mantle as CEO of Breitling. These executive transitions are anticipated to come into effect from May.

There are no changes at Universal Genève and Gallet, allowing Grégory Bruttin and Erwan Rossignol to remain as Managing Directors, respectively. The shuffle-up should reaffirm the multi-brand aspirations of the private equity-backed enterprise and mirrors the structural dynamics of other notable groups such as Richemont, Swatch Group, and LVMH. This shake-up, with major executive switches, forecasts a season of growth and potential change for the ‘House of Brands’ that could potentially have profound effects on the watchmaking industry.