RECOMMENDED READING: Jean-Claude Biver looks back at TAG Heuer … and to the future
Felix ScholzJean-Claude Biver is one of the watch industry’s enduring forces — a charismatic leader who looms, larger than life, over much of the modern history of the Swiss watch industry. So, as you can imagine, it was big — and surprising — news when it was announced a few weeks ago that Mr Biver would be stepping back from his day-to-day responsibilities as President of the LVMH Watch Division (and TAG Heuer CEO) in favour of a new role: Chairman of LVMH Watchmaking Division.
What exactly this somewhat ambiguous new title means is the big question. And luckily it’s a question David Chalmers, the man behind Calibre 11, asked in his interview with Jean-Claude Biver, which sees the man looking back at his four-year history in the top seat, as well as to the future. It’s well worth a read, but here’s what Mr Biver thinks is the highlight of his career at TAG Heuer:
“I think it was the launch and presentation of the first Swiss-made Connected watch. This I will remember for all my life. It was huge. The buzz we created when we launched the Connected watch in New York was just enormous. We had millions of hits and interest. We have never seen it. And it was very unusual for a Swiss watch to have such a huge buzz.“