rdenney
371
Nataf had three of the four attributes expressed by Magnus...
"Zenith is a brand which deserves and need (!) a CEO with charisma, stamina, technical proficieny and a respect for the immense heritage of this brand."--Magnus
Nataf had, well, too much charisma, and lasted a decade under a fledgling watch group, which shows stamina. And even the most outlandish Defy Xtreme was made well. Respect for the brand heritage--that was the tricky bit. But who is aware of that brand heritage outside enthusiast circles, where success is essential to sustainability?
Dufour brought back respect for the heritage, and my Captain Chronograph is a truly beautiful and dignified watch that exudes quality and class. But it seems to me Defour moved to a boutique sales model and bet heavily on the Chinese market. The result was even fewer places in the USA where a well-heeled but non-enthusiast watch shopper might run across a Zenith as an alternative to a Rolex. That cannot have improved the top line in places not subject to the halt in the Chinese luxury market.
And then there was the move to put Sellita movements in the Pilot Montre d'Aeronef Type 20 Extra Special, which was like kicking the Zenith clientele anthill. Magada reversed that decision soon after his hiring to general praise from enthusiasts.
And then Magada (presumably with Biver's support--JCB was, after all, his boss) closed some boutiques, including the flagship boutique in Geneva, though Zeniths are represented in general retailers there like Kirchhofer and Gübelin. Are they sold in boutiques or jewelry stores (as are Rolexes)? Around Washington DC, they are not sold anywhere, which defies logic. But I can only see them at retailers like Govberg and Topper--if I travel to do it.
And then there is the brand-undermining that results from very deep discounts at Ashford, though I hope it at least introduced more people to the brand.
I guess I must not understand the watch business very well. I don't know what would work beyond solid advertising that educates as well as evoking a brand feeling. Which I never see.
--Rick
BREAKING: Zenith CEO Aldo Magada resigns, JCB takes over as CEO ad interim!
What a start into the new year! Aldo Magada assumed the role of Zenith's CEO exactly only 2.5 years ago, in July 2014. Now again its time to change... Zenith is a brand which deserves and need (!) a CEO with charisma, stamina, technical proficieny and a r...
Thanks for this, Magnus!
Curious to hear from you, whether this was a surprise development or if it was in some ways expected (of course only what is publicly available / your opinion).
Honestly...
many watch industry insiders were predicting Mr Magada's leave, some of them were in fact wondering why it took so long. I am for from being such an insider, but what really stroke me is the sense of disconnect I always felt when I heard Mr Magada talking...
Thanks for your opinion, Magnus!
Looking forward to the new era and hope your first new Zenith is just around the corner
Its not my *first* (ever) Zenith...
but then again, I guess *that* change you are referring to will soon happen, indeed! Best, Magnus
I asked Mr Biver about this some time back
Magnus, Thanks for the announcement. I asked Mr Biver about this possibility last year but then, it was only a "rumour" and it was "business as usual". The Management of Change is a difficult thing (it was my job for many years) so I also wish Jean-Claude...
What about Nataf? (i'm kidding)
Wasn't JCB the one who chose the former CEO? I agree zenith still lacks some future plan...i think it should be the time to move beyond the glorious El primero.
Great news for Zenith
And in a way I wish for Zenith to not find a replacement soon until Mr Biver rights its course which I am confident he will, and will do so proficiently as he did for Hublot and Tag Heuer.
What has JCB done for Tag?
Serious question, not facetious. I still think Tag is, for the most part, viewed as a department store watch by most enthusiasts. I'm not sure that perception has changed much since JCB has been at the helm, has it? One thing I think he has done is to bet...
He incorporated a different design to the Carera models as well as introduced many new ambassadors that appeal to the younger crowd. Not to mention Ronaldo and Biver are best buds hehe
Granted the Carrera Heuer 01 has a similar appearance to Hublot but it got me into buying another Tag to the collection, with the old model line up it didnt really do much for me. Was fortunate to special order and receive the first Grey Phantom in Canada...
He put clear positioning back
To the brand. I don't fit the typical profile of the Tag target customer but I surely do appreciate Mr Biver clearly identifying its target customers and aligning the products to go along with it. To me, before and afree its venture into haute homology te...
Curious to see which celebrity, sportsperson or artist will be connected to Zenith...
As that seems to be the modus operandi.
okay ... I'll take the job [nt]
Don't know if I have the necessary skills but I do have the passion for watches and definitely for that brand ;-)
That's not only 'blabla..'!
passion for the brand, its product, the people, are essential. The ensuing commitment to deliver compelling collection is what follows, at least as far as most purists are concerned, who typically buy into better things than what prodcut committees might ...
Its a big step
and JCB already said it is a big challenge last time we spoke about it... to be honest it is a great brand with a great history, it just needs some spark and fire... if anyone can... JC can. Cheers Andrew
+1 ...seemed like Zenith had been doing such great things lately
I hope JCB doesn't rock the boat too much; but knowing what he's done elsewhere, that's probably not a reasonable expectation...
He has been working with Zenith for a while as head of LVMH watch group...
and was pushing Range Rover and other things, its not like he is moving in fresh faced. Will be interesting to see what happens now... Cheers Andrew
Does this mean he has to resign from Tag Heuer?
Or is he now the CEO of both Tag Heuer and Zenith??
No..that is not in the Plan
The Plan for all three brands (Hublot, Zenith and TAG Heuer) are already set and clearly shared with PuristS and others. People hear but don't listen. Those who listen but cannot execute, don't stay viz. the last few CEOs at Zenith and TAG-Heuer. Regards,...
I love Zenith watches....
Especially from the 50s till the late 70s. Fantastic designs and movements, along with Rolex, Heuer, Breitling, JLC they created iconic tool sports watches. We need more of that with a vision of incorporating IOT 2.0 and beyond with a balance wheel based ...
Too bad about this, Zenith is a great brand with a wonderful heritage.
Magada had a lot on his plate when he came aboard, the previous CEO also left abruptly if I recall correctly. JCB will have his hands full but he appears to be the person with the magic touch. All the best to him and the people at Zenith, the times are ch...
Nataf had three of the four attributes expressed by Magnus...
"Zenith is a brand which deserves and need (!) a CEO with charisma, stamina, technical proficieny and a respect for the immense heritage of this brand."--Magnus Nataf had, well, too much charisma, and lasted a decade under a fledgling watch group, which s...
Yeah, Nataf was ahead of its time.
At the end of his reign, he begun to build the bridge to the vast heritage. But apparently this was to late. On the other hand, I was not a fan of Nataf. At that time he was an arrogant snob... ;-)
Imo ...
One of the things they need to do (imo) is investing in other and different movements. The El Primero is a legend and the Elite is OK. But how many years are many of us screaming for a simple HANDWOUND movement. In a perfect world I would suggest the Cal ...
Official Statement from Zenith (with an important clue for us watchlovers)
Friends, I received this night the official statement from Zenith which I would like to share with you: " A CHANGE AT THE HEAD OF ZENITH Mr Aldo Magada is leaving his position as CEO and President of Zenith Mr Jean-Claude Biver, President of the Watches D...
Looking forward to follow this development
As JCB has made a fantastic work with Tag Heuer. Let's hope he will be able to do the same with Zenith! A brand for which I have a very soft spot - hope to see some Heritage Models with manual movements in the future! Like the first generation S. 58 Or th...
Magnus, thanks for the announcement. To say that this is a pointed statement is an understatement!
Clearly LVMH and JCB have strong view on the direction of the Zenith brand and their belief must be that the execution of that strategy to date has missed the mark. I expect this means that we will see a lot clearer positioning (relative to Tag and Hublot...
Maybe interesting as well: it goes the same way...
Link to ablogtowatch: www.ablogtowatch.com
Some surprises
Well I guess we will se a lot of surprises this year. I've heared that Kevin Spacey will be the new brand ambassador and maybe you will see this watches on the next season on "House of Cards"... as well I expect the new ElPrimero for this years Baselworld...
Good bye Aldo!!!
I\'ll give Aldo credit for taking Zenith away from the previous disco bling position they occupied. That being said Rolling Stone and Cohiba models were equally bizarre. I think Aldo was doing some good things but the latest Tipo 2 launch was a great exam...
nice to see you here
It was me who referred you to this site ( via Instagram) I agree 95% with your post. The Tips 2 was indeed strange. Just like you I had pictures of that watch a long time ago ( Basel 2016) But for a strong reason they kept it under embargo . This site res...
I agree with you last sentence.
But they are (sadly) a loooooooong way from that position. PS Is there any watch company in the Rolex category apart from Rolex itself?
I think you are referring to Mr Dufour who brought Z back to its historical roots...
most of the work was already done when Aldo Magada took over after Dufours abrupt departure to Rolex. Aldo Magada continued that path, but I think he needed more time before his vision of Zenith was concluded. The current market situation did not grant th...
Execution issues....
So basically the ships direction had been set and the only thing he had to do was execute. Information Embargo on historic Tipo 2 was an atom bomb execution blunder. As far as relevant launches go .. you might struggle to find a nicer f - up.
I am with you here... but Zenith has a solid track record...
of - euphemistically phrased - 'mysterious' product launches, with different embargoes in different regions of the world, and press embargoes although the watches are already on the owner's wrists... So, the Tipo CP2 was proably a masterpiece so far. Magn...
That's honestly some good news!
Dufour was the real man for the job. He did great while being on board and has put Zenith back on track. Aldo's strategy was really weird especially all these bizarre edition (rolling stones and then Range Rover?) seriously guys what are you thinking abou...
Dufour
Wasn\'t Dufour the guy that added all the bling and stars and overblown designs to Zenith ? Designs Russian former Disco kings would covet ...WhoeverAldo replaced was taking Zenith straight over the cliff of hell. Zero consistency for any sustained period...
Exactly!
Dufour drew the way, put the plan and Aldo did nothing new. Instead he came up with these ridiculous SEs that messed everything upside down. I mean seriously? All the fantastic piece we saw the last couple years were executed by Dufour! Let's hope another...
No, I think you mean Thierry Nataf who presented us with *this*...
BTW these watches enjoy a small but dedicated (and growing) group of followers amongst collectors... Magnus ...
On a contrary I didn't like what Nataf did during his stay at Zenith!
These models don't represent Zeniths legacy at all. Just 2 cents Laurent
Growing ?
I heard wife beaters were thrown in and that helped give provide sales growth.
But I think we should also mention the other aspect of the Nataf period ...
... I I am ware that he is mostly remembered for weird pieces like the one shown above. Howeer, it was the time of the somtimes bizarre novelties from Concord and many others. However, Nataf must be given credit for investing serious effort and money into...
Thanks, Marcus, for this very important message...
indeed, Thierry Nataf really pushed the company forward, much more so than one is inclined to credit him. Funny that he instigated moves which on the technical side are so much appreciated today, whereas his design concepts are mostly rejected (except, as...
this is truly an executive move....
If one gives trust and relative freedom to a valued, long-time watch-industry exec, and that person fails to accomplish the goals you set out, you take it on yourself and show us how it's done. I'm very interested to see how Mr. Biver handles this.... fro...
Omega Special Edition
Omega launches a special edition Speedmaster first thing in the morning and sells all 2000 plus pieces by dinner time the same day. They do so by targeting their customers on social media. These pieces will never hit retail display cases. I wonder if Aldo...