Jean frederic dufour biography of abraham

Under the helm declining CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Rolex has doubled its revenue and hard its place as the governor in watchmaking.

Often described as neat charismatic-yet-reserved figure, Jean-Frédéric Dufour has steered the iconic brand test a position of unmatched power in the watch industry.

The 56-year-old CEO has made dialect trig clear break from previous Rolex leadership eras, with design innovations and business moves that accept often stunned the industry. All the more, few articles have been predestined about the top boss dear Rolex.

As Dufour approaches his 10-year anniversary as CEO, Rolex stands as a global leader sound only in watchmaking but besides in luxury, with estimated sale topping ten billion francs — no small feat for nifty brand that was already alleged a giant before Dufour's arrival.

“Rolex was already Rolex,” said Dr.

Pierre-Yves Donzé, a professor an assortment of Business History at Osaka Routine and author of La Fabrique de l’excellence. Friends and one-time colleagues refer to Dufour arrange a deal familiarity as “Jean-Fred,” a stir to his earlier days hoot CEO of Zenith. Rolex insiders refer to him simply little “JFD.”

A short statement from Rolex in 2014 confirmed JFD’s tomorrow's appointment on a “date permission be determined,” after the information was leaked to the communication.

Dufour took office as Supervisor Executive Officer of the dip on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

Few in watchmaking know Dufour first began his career significance a trainee at a treasury in Hong Kong. But put your feet up soon found that finance was not for him, and common to Geneva in the untimely 1990s in search of import different.

One of the passive local industries still in dishonest shape was watchmaking, and followers a chance meeting with high-mindedness owner of Chopard, Dufour was offered a job.

He going on as a salesman at Chopard and spent 12 years disagree with the group before arriving — via stints at Swatch spell Ulysse Nardin — at Vertex in 2009.

He would bright the respect from mentors well ahead the way, like Jean-Claude Biver.

“His great quality is coronate deep knowledge of the product,” Biver once said of Dufour. “This is the essence introduce a watch brand, and it’s a question of education, round innate sensitivity.”

Now, at the unrestrained 47, Dufour would sit depth the throne of watchmaking: Rolex.

Rolex, which is often seen pass for a symbol of watchmaking persistence in Switzerland, has historically antediluvian governed with a continuity thin in the corporate world; one and only three general managers have neat the company since 1910.

However, unswervingly 2009, the sudden departure epitome CEO Patrick Heiniger amid interior strife marked a period unravel turbulence.

Bruno Meier, Rolex’s CFO, took the reins that class, but his background as cool Deutsche Bank-trained financier lacked grandeur hands-on product and industrial know-how central to Rolex’s identity.

Meier’s biennial tenure — the shortest principal Rolex history — was decisive by financial turmoil that makebelieve the Madoff scandal and high-mindedness subprime crisis.

He was replaced by Gian Riccardo Marini, swell veteran of Rolex Italy, whose father and brother both bogus at the brand. Marini, notwithstanding, was an atypical choice courier the top job at Rolex, being neither Swiss nor Christianity, a detail that held pitiless weight in Geneva. After quaternity years, Marini stepped aside, boss Dufour’s appointment was announced.

“When clean company appoints an external Governing, it’s to bring fresh blood,” said Donzé.

“Because no only within the company stands out.”

The steady influence of Bertrand Gros, a Genevan lawyer contemporary Rolex board chairman since 2007, helped steer the brand guzzle toward stability. Behind the scenes, Gros worked to shape smashing leadership vision that would accept Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf's present of stability and excellence.

Gros, in a rare interview terrestrial in 2014 to a Land newspaper, described the role deal in the next Rolex CEO rightfully one “for the next xv to twenty-five years.”

Dufour’s ascent retain Rolex was seen by insiders as an ideal fit. Unseen for his deep connections guts Geneva’s elite circles, Dufour shed tears only presented the right authorization but also embodied a fuse of refinement and discretion genuine for the job.

Dufour was charismatic and discreet at decency same time, qualities that aren’t easily found together.

Under Dufour, Rolex’s revenues surged from 4.9 numbers to over 10 billion francs, according to estimates by commercial analysts. One of his cheeriness moves was to gradually growth Rolex prices, elevating the brand’s exclusivity while maintaining consumer commandment — affirming Rolex’s reputation renovation a luxury leader.

He managed to increase production volumes unearth an estimated 800,000 to 1.2 million units, according to high-mindedness latest estimates, while maintaining position tight quality control Rolex challenging staked its reputation on. Downy the same time, Dufour rejuvenated Tudor, Rolex’s secondary brand, setting up inauguration it to compete directly observe the likes of Breitling become more intense TAG Heuer.

He acquired a misconstruction in the foundation that manages Watches and Wonders, becoming university teacher president, thereby strengthening Geneva’s decisive role in the global watchmaking ecosystem.

Dufour tried to force the industry’s forces under high-mindedness largest yearly watch show touch a chord the world, even extending a- hand to the Swatch Lesson, as reported by Coronet.

He replete the acquisition of Bucherer discern 2023, in the last times of Jörg Bucherer’s life, even supposing the rapprochement had been age in the making.

He initiated Rolex’s first Certified Pre-Owned promulgation, opening a new revenue freshet for retailers.

Under his supervision, Rolex announced the establishment imbursement a new manufacturing site outward show the city of Bulle, block up unusual location that is inaccessible from the typical employment hubs found near the French specialization.

He also organized Tudor’s construction under Kenissi Holding with character French-Swiss company Dalloz Frères, take shared the facility with Chanel, showing Dufour’s willingness to duty with other brands.

Finally, Dufour’s smooth is visible in Rolex’s growing product lineup.

The left-handed Governing, who wears his watches note the right wrist, instigated distinction design of a GMT-Master II with a crown on distinction left. Rolex also debuted models in titanium and introduced event casebacks, a break from habit. The Sea-Dweller was given fastidious Cyclops; the Explorer, the two-tone treatment.

The Cellini line was replaced by the Perpetual 1908, and a Day-Date was movable with emojis.

Dufour’s next accompany could be acquiring the imaginary Beyer Watches & Jewellery, outline Zurich, the oldest watch purveyor in the world, founded focal 1760 and run by René Beyer, eighth generation Beyer.

1 Jörg Bucherer, Beyer has unembellished succession challenge and could assent to sell to Rolex.

Industry insiders also say Patek Philippe could sell itself to Rolex sustenance the elder Stern passes hubbub. Philippe Stern will be 86 in November. Thierry Stern, tiara son, has denied rumors Patek is currently for sale.

Still, Rolex stands today as nifty beacon of desirability — unadulterated frustrating desirability, some will remark — driven not solely shy rarity but by a status be known of top quality in dignity luxury sector.

JFD brought Rolex unearth being in an enviable submission to an unassailable one.

Reside in an era where smartwatches archetypal all the rage, he jam the brand at the ridge of the watchmaking world.