At the start of this year, LVMH Watches announced a shakeup of top positions at its brands, with Frédéric Arnault being appointed CEO of LVMH Watches, and Julien Tornare, the erstwhile CEO of Zenith, moving at the same designation to TAG Heuer. The spot he left empty at Zenith was filled by Benoit de Clerk, who was previously with Panerai, where he was Chief Commercial Officer.
Clerck comes with substantial experience in the watch industry, having honed his skills for nearly 25 years at the Richemont Group (he has worked with IWC Schaffhausen as well, as President of North America market), where he has led global sales in the luxury goods market across four continents. Now, at Zenith, he revealed to WatchTime India that he is looking to mine the brand's rich horological legacy to build and keep it relevant for the future. Read the interview below...
WatchTime India: What drew you to Zenith in the first place?
Benoit de Clerck: What attracted me to Zenith was the important history and heritage of the brand. There are so many beautiful stories that I have been discovering and so many need to be told. The authenticity of the brand was certainly one of the main factors for me.
WTI: What was the foremost thing on your mind for the brand as you took on the new role?
BDC: What excites me about this new opportunity at Zenith is to be involved in all business and operations aspects, which are not only commercial. Having a say in marketing, production, sales, finance etc. is what I was looking for. I was “hungry” for this and the opportunity at Zenith is fulfilling this. At this stage, I want to listen to the employees and teams at Zenith. I want to observe and fully understand before making any important decision. Julien has done a wonderful job in the past years and I look forward to building the brand further.
WTI: What do you feel differentiates Zenith from other brands out there?
BDC: The authenticity – there are so many true stories to be told that this alone makes pure and authentic marketing. There is no need to search for this elsewhere! Of course, partnerships, ambassadors, and friends of the brand play an important role but the stories to tell are a gift that comes along with almost 160 years of the brand's existence.
WTI: What are your views on Zenith's offerings today?
BDC: Zenith has a beautiful product offering that caters to a different range of clients. Both Chronomaster and Defy work very well, and Pilot’s relaunch in 2023 has shown to be a great success.
WTI: What are your plans and goals for the brand?
BDC: There is a lot on my mind and I have a lot of ideas. You will be seeing my first proper touch on product and strategy in the next year or so - it’s too early to say now. Definitely, strengthening our retail scheme and e-commerce strategy is a main objective and focusing on the US as well.
WTI: The watch market has changed tremendously in the last 5 years. How would you ensure that Zenith adapts to a dynamic watch market the world over?
BDC: Zenith needs to remain agile in the way of working, as it has shown to operate in the last years, and through the COVID period and beyond. The teams are small, so strong communication and a flexible mindset are needed to work at a fast pace. In this dynamic and competitive watch market, Zenith needs to keep innovating, taking inspiration from the past, without repeating it but creating a bridge between the past and the present.
WTI: What are the main challenges facing the brand today?
BDC: Like for all, the challenges for Zenith today are of course the increase in costs of materials and how this affects operations, as well as building and strengthening the brand image and awareness across key markets.
WTI: What would you like to do differently at Zenith?
BDC: I want to ensure continuity of Julien’s strategy and the great work that he has done over the past years. You will have to wait for next year to see my first proper touches in launches! Stay tuned!
WTI: What do you have to say about the Watches & Wonders novelties? Did you have any input on the creations?
BDC: The Watches and Wonders launches that are coming up are great! We have strong additions to the Defy collection something that collectors and clients have been waiting for a long time. While LVMH Watch Week 2024 was all about Chronomaster, now we are focusing on Defy, also a best-seller for the brand. I can’t say more but stay tuned!
Images: Courtesy Zenith
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