The beginning of the year is always an exciting time for the watch brands of LVMH, as they present their new launches in their solo event, LVMH Watch Week. In 2024, something else is new at Zenith: the man behind the rudder. Benoît de Clerck has entered the historic brand with a sense of vigour and purpose, taking up the mantle of chief executive and bringing with him his years of experience as a watch industry executive across various international markets. Read on to discover his journey to his current position, his take on leadership, and what he sees as Zenith’s greatest unexplored potential.
Suzanne Wong
Benoît, it’s so good to see you here, in a new environment, in your new role. Tell us about how you came to take up this exciting challenge, embarking on the next chapter of your career. What really attracted you to this opportunity?
Benoît de Clerck
First of all, I’m very thankful for this opportunity and to LVMH for entrusting me with this role. Of course, I owe a lot to my previous time with Richemont, where I spent over 20 years, and I’m proud to say that I was able to successfully complete all the missions that were given to me; I was lucky to surrounded by great people. I was able to learn a lot there. Some people say I’m crazy to leave the great position I had, after 22 years building my professional life there, but complacency has never been a part of my character. I’m hungry to discover new things, to have different experiences and interactions, to take on a new scope of work — and so when LVMH approached me with this opportunity, I saw that it was exactly what I was looking for.
SW
When you say “scope”, are you referring to what you can do within the brand or what you can do with the brand?
BC
It's definitely both. And this is what attracted me. Then, I did a lot of research, I got to know the brand. And I said to myself, “Man, this is made for me.” You have human side of the brand, which is so strong. The size of the brand is perfect. The authenticity immediately comes through. You don’t have to make up any stories about the brand, because the stories we find there are already so rich. Everything about Zenith attracted me, and the more I learned about the brand, the more I discovered my natural affinity for it. It’s a very rich brand, whether you’re talking about the Pilot or the El Primero. I spent two days with the museum and patrimony team, and I was blown away. The vision of Georges Favre-Jacot when he registered the name of the Pilot collection, even before creating the watches, even before the rise of aviation… it’s unbelievable. He established a manufacture that has not moved in the last 160 years, he knew he wanted to make watches in gold, so he built the foundry, which is still there today.
SW
You said that you researched the brand a lot before you took your first step onto the premises, and you really did your homework on Zenith. What would you say was the biggest change made to your perception of the brand, before and after you officially took your place as CEO?
BC
That’s a very interesting question. First of all, I wasn't disappointed in any way, because everything I experienced only improved my perception of Zenith. For example, although I read everything I could find about the brand, I still didn’t understand how rich its patrimony really was until I arrived. And then in terms of where the company is today, I was looking at the numbers, and what they managed to do with those numbers, and I was impressed by the good job they had done, like for example in the marketing department. So far, I’ve had only positive experiences. I’m here to listen. I’m on Day 23 of my time with Zenith, and I’m not here to make judgements or decisions on anything until I’ve heard everything and learned everything I need. I’m learning also from people like you, from journalists, from non-industry people, watch collectors who love Zenith. There is such a great community around this brand. I want to continue the good work that has already been done here. Julien [Tornare, former CEO of Zenith, current CEO of TAG Heuer] and his team did a super job. This brand was Sleeping Beauty for a long time; thanks to those before me, she’s now awake, and it’s time for her to go out into the world. It will be a natural progression. My role is to continue on the path that has already been set. I'm not here to create a revolution at all.
SW
You talked about being here to listen, about the things you learned once you entered the brand. Tell us about your style of leadership, and how we can expect to see you bringing direction to Zenith.
BC
Regarding leadership, first of all, I don't like to lose. So that's one signature of my leadership style, that I don't like to lose—
SW
Okay, but come on, Benoît, no one likes to lose.
BC
No one likes to lose, but there are some people who aren’t as affected by loss. If they lose, they lose — okay, whatever. For me, if I lose an argument, I’m upset. I lose a game, I’m upset. Not everyone is like that. That’s the first thing: I don’t like losing. Secondly, I don’t believe in a solitary style of leadership. I have an executive committee, and we make decisions collegially, as a team. I have a CMO, a CFO, a CCO; these are important jobs and these are very smart people who have been in the brand longer than I have. Whatever decisions we take, we take them together. Yes, it’s true, the CEO has the final say, but I will definitely make sure that it’s a decision based on our collective input. That’s how I function. I’ve set a meeting every two weeks for the executive committee, everyone participates, everyone has a point of view that is heard, I don’t impose any protocol; we’re able to discuss openly. It’s very enriching for all of us.
SW
I really like that you use the word “we”, it reminds me of something you said earlier, about how the appeal of Zenith was how human and authentic it was. It’s clear that this hands-on, interpersonal style of operating resonates with you. On an individual level, what do you think is the biggest asset or the most important quality that you bring to Zenith, that sets you apart from its previous leaders?
BC
I'm fortunate to have worked in various places all over the world. I worked in Switzerland, in the Middle East, in Asia and in America. I don’t mean I visited those places for work — I actually lived there. And wherever I went, I really embedded myself. When I was based in the Middle East, I learned Arabic. When I went to Asia, my kids and I learned Chinese. We really wanted to understand the local culture, and this is something everyone can do as a part of self-education and growth and evolution and all that. I tried to experience the region to the fullest extent that I could. And I’m aware that I don’t know everything about those countries, but I definitely have a real competitive edge compared to someone who hasn’t lived there, who hasn’t personally connected to the region.
SW
And from where you’re standing, what do you think is Zenith’s greatest area of unexplored potential in 2024?
BC
I’m still in the process of finding out, to be honest with you. I don’t want to say definitively that it’s this or that. But I will say that right now, I see a lot of capacity for growth in the Pilot. That’s why I’m wearing it today, because I love it; I like the big date, I like the chronograph model. If we ask ourselves if we have reached the limit of what we can do with the Pilot, my answer would be (with my humble experience of three weeks in the brand) — we can go much further with it.
