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TAG Heuer has had some well-known leaders over its 185 years. In fact, the model is outlined by the period of Jack Heuer, who developed and launched a lot of the collections which are emblematic of the model at this time. This century alone has seen TAG Heuer beneath the management of trade legends comparable to Jean-Christophe Babin (now of Bulgari), Jean-Claude Biver (no introduction obligatory) and Stephane Bianchi (now head of LVMH Watch and Jewelry).
Immediately, the model is the area of one other well-known identify, Arnault. CEO Frédéric Arnault is probably finest often known as the son of LVMH supremo Bernard Arnault, one of many world’s richest individuals (some say the richest, relying on how Elon Musk is tweeting) and positively Europe’s richest man. That’s after all unfair, and we deliver it up now simply to get it out of the best way. Simply utilizing the surname Arnault in an LVMH-related story can have you considering instantly of the senior Arnault, so there is no such thing as a avoiding it. In our dialog with Frédéric Arnault, we didn’t talk about his household — aside from one particular point out, associated to his first watch — and the usual publicity strictures across the younger CEO (he’s 28) preclude any private questions. This isn’t uncommon, in itself, as a result of loads of CEOs don’t put themselves on the centre of their model’s narratives.
We lastly managed to get some face time with Arnault in Singapore when he was on the town for the Singapore Grand Prix this 12 months, and we had been excited. The timing was not ideally suited, given the size of time between the interview and publication. With that in thoughts, it was determined to attempt a unique format for this story, on condition that we’ve got by no means spoken with Arnault beforehand, in any capability. This isn’t to say that he’s a cipher or something, though he’s extra reserved than anticipated for a CEO. Definitely, the distinction between himself and different extra established figures at TAG Heuer is a powerful one. Whereas we might have used this story within the Legacy concern, it appeared a greater match for our customary Festive concern as an alternative. We’ve had a deluge of interviews within the second half of this 12 months, ensuing within the greatest interview part we’ve got run since 2016, and we’re managing all this by publishing in chronological order.
Again on Monitor
So far as the story of the Arnault household and their ties to TAG Heuer go, bringing this up in relation to Frédéric Arnault’s high job is especially unfair for various causes. Initially, on the advertising and marketing facet of issues, TAG Heuer devoted will bear in mind Frédéric Arnault as the person who lastly made the Carrera connection between Porsche and TAG Heuer official. Biver didn’t try this, and never even Jack managed it. Frédéric Arnault did, however first he needed to pivot the model away from soccer, or soccer, and again to motorsports, in a transfer that many — inside TAG Heuer and amongst watch lovers too — had been unconvinced by, initially.
“Individuals had been saying, ‘Oh, motorsports, it’s not what it was; it’s not as thrilling; it doesn’t appeal to a younger crowd… Are you actually positive you need to reinvest closely in that course?’ And there’s like all this sustainability points (linked with motorsports), however I had the idea that that was proper for the model, and that’s the place we must be sturdy. That’s the place we would have liked to additionally dominate within the trade as being the watch model most carefully linked with this world. So, after all it was motor racing for us.”
It was a daring transfer, even when it felt like a return to custom as a result of the soccer connection was solely in its nascent section, or beta section as Arnault says, and he notes that it was a significant funding. In any case, TAG Heuer is again in Components 1 now, and climbed to the highest of the rostrum in its partnership with reigning world champions Crimson Bull Racing. The profitable Porsche connection adopted, but it surely was not the case that Arnault might simply journey on each his well-known identify and that of the model he commanded. In accordance with varied sources, together with the superb New York Instances article by Vanessa Freidman referenced closely for this story, Arnault achieved this by making chilly calls and being tenacious.
Digital Renaissance
“He writes a letter to the chairman and will get no reply,” Bianchi informed the New York Instances. “He writes to the VP for advertising and marketing: no reply. He invitations them to see the corporate. He had three or 4 refusals earlier than they even agreed to come back and hear.”
“So the administration, and the household as effectively as a result of you understand it’s a family-owned enterprise, noticed the historic connection,” stated Arnault. “They noticed the imaginative and prescient we’ve got for the model, and so they needed to be a part of it. For now, it’s doing very effectively for us.” It appeared to line up completely, what with Porsche virtually sure at one level to re-join Components 1 with none aside from Crimson Bull Racing. Occasions have put paid to that plan, however the mud has not but settled.
Arnault can be the architect behind the digital renaissance at TAG Heuer. It’s no small feat that TAG Heuer stays the main Swiss participant within the smartwatch recreation, giving fellow LVMH manufacturers comparable to Louis Vuitton and Hublot a leg up on this space.
“We’ve a imaginative and prescient and technique that’s completely different from our watch rivals as a result of we determined to take a position closely, and construct (the Linked Watch) as a pillar. Of the watch manufacturers, we’ve got legitimacy as a result of avant-garde is a part of our identify [this was in response to our suggestion about the meaning behind TAG – Ed] therefore innovation as effectively…additionally due to our relationship with the worlds of sports activities, well being and wellness. This has all the time been so vital for TAG Heuer, and can be one of many key options on the Linked Watch. Our values (thus) enable us to make it work higher than different manufacturers.”
Rising Up Arnault
It’s this improvement of smartwatches that appears most salient with regards to discussing the youthful Arnault. It’s no exaggeration that a lot of the Swiss watch commerce by no means actually tried to make a go of grabbing a part of the smartwatch pie. So why and the way did TAG Heuer handle it? The reply in a single identify is Frédéric Arnault, though he was behind the scenes on the time and has by no means actually made the TAG Heuer Linked Watch about himself. There may be an fascinating story right here, which requires us to backtrack somewhat and get into Arnault’s historical past.
The fourth youngster of Bernard Arnault, Frédéric is on the file saying he by no means felt pressured to hitch what quantities to the household enterprise. Notably, he’s additionally one in every of 5 Arnault kids to search out himself working at LVMH, and now the second within the watch enterprise; youthful brother Jean works at Louis Vuitton watches, however Frédéric paved the best way for him, arguably. The New York Instances and South China Morning Put up, amongst others, notice that Frédéric and the opposite Arnault kids all grew up in, or round, the enterprise, which can be a supposition however not an unfair one on condition that they’re primarily a part of a household enterprise. Consider it this fashion: What do you name a farmer’s spouse, and youngsters? The reply is farmers, after all.
Like a lot of France’s elite, Frédéric Arnault attended the École Polytechnique, rising with a level in utilized arithmetic and pc science. He later interned at Fb and McKinsey & Firm, earlier than co-founding a cellular cost start-up with a pal from college. On the identical time, he was already engaged on the Linked Watch at TAG Heuer. The beginning-up was offered to funding agency BNP after 18 months and Arnault correctly joined TAG Heuer in 2017 in a short lived function because the boss of linked applied sciences. On the identical time, he indulged in his love of music, reportedly enjoying piano at spectacular ranges. He used to offer live shows every year, till he turned CEO after all, in accordance with the New York Instances.
Software program Engineering
Whereas Arnault’s rise could have been meteoric, he did study some spectacular classes throughout his expertise stints. For instance, in our dialogue, he expressed a level of incredulity in regards to the fascination Swiss watchmaking companies have with vertical integration, though he does notice the significance of leveraging TAG Heuer’s know-how in assembling nice wristwatches. He simply didn’t suppose the corporate wanted to be within the micro-electronics enterprise. Arnault understood instantly that software program was the sport.
“After I joined, emphasis had been placed on the manufacturing, making all the things Swiss-Made, so investing in our personal factories to construct the Linked Watch. After I studied the trade, the applied sciences evolve so quick that it’s virtually unimaginable (to perform) with the volumes that we had, and what we deliberate to attain… It took a while for me to shift this (to say) truly we’re not going to take a position ourselves in manufacturing (of the Linked Watch). The place we have to make investments is on differentiation (between all the numerous smartwatch choices), which suggests software program, and that’s why we constructed our personal software program crew.”
Ultimately, Arnault leveraged on his experience within the expertise sector to arrange store in Paris, the place TAG Heuer takes care of design and mechanics by leveraging off the experience of the Swiss manufacturing groups. He notes that they now give attention to growing software program, and making some {hardware}, to construct the model’s use-cases and drive the expertise behind the success of the Linked Watch. The remainder of the electronics {hardware}, effectively that’s constructed by companions and distributors. One main pay-off right here is that TAG Heuer has the most well-liked golf app on the planet, in accordance with the Instances.
Superdiver
This partnership narrative performs out in different areas of manufacturing as effectively, with quartz expertise being one other instance. It additionally explains one of the crucial talked-up and stunning developments arising from TAG Heuer this 12 months: the Aquaracer Superdiver, powered by a Kenissi computerized motion.
“What’s vital is differentiation on the merchandise and the extent of high quality we provide to our clients. Typically for some actions, we make investments in-house for a lot of the features just like the Heuer computerized motion and the place we go very deep. We’re investing additionally on the hairspring…it’s not industrialized but so we will solely provide it on very high-end items comparable to our tourbillon or among the Solely Watch items that we do. We’re engaged on industrializing it as a result of it has quite a lot of advantages for the shopper: higher precision, higher sturdiness, and a few manufacturing advantages as effectively.
“So, there’s causes for us to take a position there, however we don’t essentially need or aspire to do all the things ourselves. For some actions, we accomplice with the very best…so with Kenissi for a threehand motion in our Aquaracer. Additionally, for quartz, we’re not going to develop and construct quartz ourselves once we can have entry to the very best expertise and work hand-in-hand with a accomplice that can enable us to develop unique applied sciences for us.”
This level-headed and pragmatic strategy just isn’t restricted to manufacturing and the digital realm, and goes a good distance in the direction of explaining why Arnault (and LVMH) usually are not shy about Web3 components comparable to cryptocurrency and NFTs, present headwinds however. Why ought to manufacturers not hedge their bets, in any case. Maybe probably the most well-known of Arnault’s partnership strikes is his greatest publicity coup: securing Ryan Gosling as a TAG Heuer model ambassador. Identical to the Porsche partnership, Arnault drove the hassle to safe the Drive star. Gosling had by no means accepted any model partnerships, and famously doesn’t play this recreation. Nonetheless, Arnault felt he was an ideal match.
Thought Chief
“Sure, sports activities performed an vital function within the historical past of the model, however we additionally all the time had a really sturdy reference to Hollywood, being current in some iconic films. In fact, there’s Steve McQueen (whose relationship with the Monaco is famous, see #65 – Ed) and extra just lately we had additionally some very iconic ambassadors on this world (Chris Hemsworth, notably).
“We need to construct the connection with Ryan Gosling (he’s at present designing a watch with TAG Heuer). , that’s how we strategy it. We don’t need a one-way partnership the place the ambassador is simply there as a result of he’s been referred to as upon by the model (to do one thing). No, he must need it. To provide his time, to offer enter; it’s actual collaboration we’ve got with him, and he’s very concerned within the particulars of all of the creatives with him. He offers quite a lot of concepts. He challenges us.”
Clearly, Arnault relishes challenges, and is himself considerably difficult. He’s actually an interview problem, as famous earlier, and maybe Gosling’s rejection of social media (he has no public presence on any platform, besides TAG Heuer’s now) resonated. Internally, Arnault clashed with loads of TAG Heuer executives, with varied information experiences harping on his tendency to be cussed about getting his approach. “We clashed all over the place to start with, however now we snort about it,” Bianchi stated. “You may have a giant mind and never be a frontrunner. He has each.”
It appears Arnault has mellowed considerably, if he values partnerships as a lot as stated he does on this interview. Provided that these initiatives are all long-term, then his actions give power to his phrases. We look ahead to checking in with him once more quickly.
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