The last time we checked, executives are renowned for being both cautious and reserved, they aren’t well known for their wit or eloquence. And we don’t recall them discussing openly about their passion for vintage cars or perhaps citing Steve McQueen as an icon. But there is one CEO, who is all of the above and more. His name is Georges Kern. He is jovial, passionate about his field, and has a sparkle in his eye as he talks fashion and Audrey Hepburn.
The stylishly suited German, who sits in front of us today, took to the helm of Richemont owned IWC Schaffhausen at the age of 36. Making him the youngest chief executive of any brand within the luxury conglomerate’s portfolio at that time.
He was faced with a tough task, turning a small, 146-year-old watch house into a competitive global name. This has been met with commercial success. Kern has since been responsible for the Baume & Mercier brand and, in October 2010, he took over as CEO of Roger Dubuis.
Alongside his corporate objectives, Kern is also committed to charitable causes, for example through his position on the Board of Trustees of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which helps young people overcome their social problems through sports.
This man is as focused as he is successful, meeting us today in Dubai during the Dubai International Film Festival, following a flight itinerary and meetings that span across the world.
What are you wearing on your wrist right now?
I’m wearing a Portofino hand-wound, eight days, power reserve in white gold, with a grey slate dial. It’s the flagship piece of the Portofino family and a beautiful watch. The timepiece features the famous wrist strap, an exclusive hand-made leather watch strap made by high-end shoe manufacturer Santoni. These bracelet straps are made in the same way as the brand’s shoes, and are hand painted.
Georges Kern with Dev Patel at DIFF
Apart from your watch, which other accessories convey your personality and style, and how?
Shoes are very important. A great pair of shoes, belt and a watch will make all the difference, even when teamed with a t-shirt or jeans. A pochette is also a key accessory of choice, it adds that little bit of zest and style.
Aside from premium watches, what other collector’s items interest you?
I have a passion for cars, whether they are vintage or modern. I guess that is a man’s thing, as most men love both cars and watches. Although vintage cars are a real investment, this is a market which is booming. All of the cars of the 60s, whether they are English, Italian or German are just amazing, and very inspiring to me.
IWC clearly has a passion for cinema and film. What is the message from IWC behind supporting young talent in the film industry?
There are two things. The first aspect is that watch making is a form of storytelling and a movie is about telling beautiful stories to make you dream, which is what we, at IWC, do. No one is applying a mechanical watch solely to time, it is a dream about something you aspire to, it is a story. So this gives a parallel between our brand and Hollywood, in general terms.
Secondly, when we support film festivals like DIFF, as we also do in London, Zurich and Beijing, we go beyond the red carpet, supporting young talents. It’s not about the money we provide for these new films, as of course we can’t finance an entire film. But instead about providing a platform. This is the ultimate prize as it opens doors to producers and directors, who will in turn collaborate with them on their film.
How does this inspire IWC as a brand?
It is about a dream, aspiration, and getting away from our daily lives. We love the emotions which are transported by films, and sometimes we even make reference to movies in our timepieces. For example the Top Gun product, the name is great and inspiring.
IWC was originally a men’s watch brand. How has the woman’s collection been perceived and what is your strategy to keep growing in the ladies’ market?
In the recent history we were concentrating only on men’s watches and clearly positioned ourselves as that. Last year we launched the midsize, which has a diameter of 37 mm and is aimed at ladies. It has been a tremendous success, beyond all of our hopes, and now represents a huge and substantial proportion of our turnover. It is a beautiful, elegant product, featuring the stylish Santoni leather strap, so is ideal for everyday use. Consequently, we plan to launch many more midsize ranges in the future, with three more midsize lines already in the pipeline.
If a man or woman were going to invest in just one watch, which piece would you suggest and why?
I would recommend the classic of the classic, which is the Portuguese watch. It has existed since the 1930s and is one of the very rare mythical designs and products in the watch industry. In fashion you have a couple of mythical and institutional brands and items, and in the watch industry the Portuguese is one of these institutional products.
How do you feel about the juxtaposition of rubber straps on luxury watches?
We have rubber straps on diving watches and also on the Portuguese Yacht Club. It is all about the quality and execution of design. The strap shouldn’t be cheap, and should both smell good and feel nice on the skin. You can do everything, it’s just the question of how you do it, and we always strive to offer the best quality.
How do you choose your friends of the brand? Do they ever influence the design process?
Many of our friends of the brand came about through chance and luck. We never had a list of people who we wanted to work with, and at the start we didn’t have the money to fund celebrity collaborations. Instead, we followed who was already wearing our watches. This gave us the knowledge that they were a fan of the brand and had an affinity with the timepieces. Now we are one of the largest brands in the world and can approach celebrities like Cate Blanchett and Kevin Spacey. We may get calls every second day from agents requesting that their client is part of the IWC family, however today our approach is more rational. Their image and the movies they are working on must fit with the brand.
Regarding the influence, it is more the direction and forecast of sales that they provide. Famous faces in general terms, tend to be people who have everything and can afford anything but have a very distinctive taste. So thanks to their discerning eye, when they see a collection they have the talent to identify a watch which will be a success, and we will make our orders for production depending on this insight.
Your watches bring together many impressive functions and displays. Which is your favourite complication, or combination of complications?
We are extremely well known for, and a market leader in the world for perpetual calendars. Our perpetual calendar displays the date, day, month, year, decade and century, as well as a single or double moon phase display. It is even programmed until the year 2499 when I will be dead! The perpetual calendar shows our competence as a brand, and whether you prefer a digital or analogue display, I would definitely recommend this complication, as we are technically the leaders in this field.
Inside a CEO’s Wardrobe
How would you define your style?
Sports chic
Tell us about the must haves in your wardrobe?
I have a very large wardrobe, my wife often complains that it is larger than hers! I love shoes and have plenty of different pairs in a range of colours. Many of these are Santoni, the shoe brand we collaborate with on our leather watch straps. I also like to wear a jacket, whether it is paired with jeans or leisurewear, this is a wardrobe staple for me.
What is on your wardrobe wish list for 2016?
It would have to be anything from Tom Ford, as I always love what he is doing. Together with the new Dunhill collection, which has a great British style.
Who is your style icon and why?
Tom Ford. He wears the IWC brand and I know him personally. I think he is a genius.
What decade best describes your style and why?
I admire the style of a couple of icons from earlier decades. Steve McQueen was so relaxed, cool and tasteful, he just exuded style in the 70s. From another era, Audrey Hepburn was super cute and very innovative. She was an elegant woman and although she never seemed to be outspoken, she was still very different with her style.
by Eliza Scarborough
