Announcing: an exclusive interview with Georges Kern!

VC Portofino in platinum?

sure looks that way to me (nt)

Great news - Thank you.

Interesting but nothing really new...

... in my opinion. Most can be read in other interviews. On the question about why the environment is such an issue I only read what IWC is doing but I miss the personal drive and motivation behind all these efforts. I hope next time George Kern will answer some question from a more personal perspective and doesn't only give the answers we already know and would expect from the CEO of a company.

Regards
Norbert

Thanks Michael and Georges (nt)

Thanks.

Marketing through sponsorship of causes! Love it..

I commend IWC for sticking to their guns (what they are good at), even when the global economy is down.

What focus! What an exceptional leader.

I agree with you but

perhaps a little harsh.

I agree that I have heard directly from the horses mouth or read elsewhere in IWC corporate communications a majority of the themes - but perhaps not everyone here reads or gets around as much as others.

My initial reaction was the same as yours but I did see the overall value - and I was also tempted to perhaps ask MF is it possible to ask other questions.......which would result in different responses ....... but felt that would be pushing the boat out a bit too far.... and besides I am not even sure which questions I would ask. What would you ask ?

• Andrew

Hi Andrew....

I didn’t want to sound harsh, but maybe I was hoping for some more in depth information besides what can be read in the magazines also. Last year there was an interview with Mr. Kern in a Dutch and a German magazine with the same sort of questions and answers.

There are some questions I would like to ask. For example how does he try to balance the thin line between sincere environmental concerns and commercial exploitation on environmental issues? What is his opinion about the collectors forum and has he ever been influenced by something that was written on the forum? What was the greatest mistake he made during his years with IWC? But maybe also some more personal questions as to what challenges him in leading a watch company and could he imagine himself working for another industry?

Maybe it would be a nice idea to let Michael gather some questions from forum members once a year and aks whether Mr Kern would be so kind to answer them? These "forum Q&A" could also be published in Watch International. Maybe Michael could comment on this idea?

Best regards
Norbert

That can be very good news (more)

Hi Norbert,

Sometimes "no news is good news" --especially in a difficult economy. Keeping the ship on course can be a real success.

Also, keep in mind that Georges Kern, and indeed IWC, operates from a set of guiding principles. Some of those principles --Probus Scafusia and the value of tradition-- go back more than a century. Some of those principles have evolved and are newer, such as a commitment to the environment. But principles are principles. They might evolve, but they won't change. The fact that they don't is good news, especially in an economic environment where compromises can be expedient.

In large part because of this forum, you get, over the course of the year, a stream of virtually every tidbit about any development within IWC. In that sense, if you expected new data --for a company mantaining its basic strategies, relatively succeeding in a difficult market, and adhering to its principles-- I'm afraid you may be expecting something impossible. Of course, other or further questions are possible, and if you read closely there is more to the answers than might quickly appear.

Regards,
Michael

A perspective I didn't think of....

.... and thanks for putting the "news" in this other light Michael.

Maybe you could still comtemplate the idea of letting forum members participate in thinking about some questions they would like to ask people in key positions at IWC once a year.

Regards
Norbert

Great read! Thanks Michael.

Could the secret be a new CF watch?

Just wishin' and hopin'

But it would be nice. Georges should think of the CF as another "boutique," another "door," with a dramatic POS.

Thanks for keeping us informed of our favorite brand!

All my best,
Larry

Thank you Michael.....

I enjoyed the glimpse into Mr Kern perspective.

Thank you Michael and Mr Kern !