Thursday, October 27, 2022

Rolex to Chair Watches & Wonders Foundation




WATCHES & WONDERS CREATE NEW FOUNDATION; ROLEX CEO TO BE CHAIRMAN


ROLEX, RICHEMONT AND PATEK PHILIPPE CREATE 'WATCHES & WONDERS GENEVA FOUNDATION' 
ROLEX TAKES A SEAT AT THE TOP


 By DANNY CRIVELLO


This is such big news I had to borrow HODINKEE's Breaking News header again!

In a press release this morning Watches and Wonders said it is creating its own foundation.
 
Jean-Frédéric Dufour

The largest watch event of the year will be managed by a foundation board with Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour serving as Chairman. Emmanuel Perrin, the head of Specialist Watchmakers at Richemont, will be Vice-Chairman.


It also announced this morning 11 more brands will be joining Watches & Wonders Geneva in 2023, bringing the total to 49. It set the date to the week of March 27 to April 2nd, 2023, and said the first five days will be exclusively reserved to the media and pros while April 1st and 2nd will be open to the public.

Matthieu Humair, current CEO of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), will become the CEO of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation.

Rolex CEO being chairman of the new non-profit foundation is excellent news. Watches & Wonders is the biggest watch show in the world since the demise of Baselworld. Mr. Dufour has said Rolex's mission is the "perpetual pursuit of excellence." 

The new foundation, WWGF, announced their mission is “to promote watchmaking excellence throughout the world by organizing in-person or digital watch and jewelry exhibitions, in Geneva and beyond.”

So, to Geneva and beyond!

.