What are your priorities this year as the new President of the Fondation Genève Tourisme?
First of all, I am both deeply honored and fully aware of the responsibility that comes with this appointment. After more than twenty years at the helm of SIHH, renamed Watches and Wonders in 2020, I have a strong connection with Geneva, a city where I have lived for 30 years and whose potential I fully appreciate. Geneva has always been a welcoming destination, ideally suited to hosting major congresses and trade shows. As a result, my priority is to strengthen its appeal as a leading business tourism destination, while further developing leisure tourism, which is still too often underestimated. Geneva has unique assets: remarkable diversity, an exceptional natural setting between lake and mountains, and an international dimension that makes it a powerful brand on the global stage. I wish to build on the remarkable work already carried out by the teams in place, 65 people brilliantly led by Adrien Genier, while capitalising on this momentum in an uncertain international context. Tensions in the Middle East are affecting certain tourist flows, and we are already feeling the impact, but they also present an opportunity: to reposition Geneva as a safe destination, capable of attracting new visitors and hosting more events.
To what extent does watchmaking play a role in Geneva's landscape for the Foundation?
Watchmaking is not only one of the pillars of Geneva's appeal. Geneva is the birthplace of watchmaking – the two are inseparable. The Swiss watch industry in the broader sense extends well beyond the canton, yet the entire world regards Geneva as the capital of watchmaking. Watchmaking is therefore one of the strategic drivers of tourism development in Geneva, as reflected in the excellent Geneva Watch Guide we published in collaboration with the Fondation de Haute Horlogerie.
Speaking of foundations, will you be working with the Fondation Watches and Wonders?
Our goal is naturally to maintain relations with all the watchmaking stakeholders in the region: of course the Fondation Watches and Wonders, but also the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, the Fondation du Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, the Geneva Watch Days Association, and this new World Watch Day initiative. Anything that contributes to raising Geneva's profile internationally will have our attention. That said, I would like to clarify that the mission of Genève Tourisme is not to organise events, but to welcome visitors and promote the destination, this is enshrined in law.
What is your most memorable moment from your 22 editions leading the SIHH?
One rather particular episode comes to mind: managing the SARS crisis in 2003. At the time, we were facing a virus that was still poorly understood, coming notably from Hong Kong, a key market for watchmaking. The situation was all the more tense as Baselworld, held just before, had closed its international pavilions. The day before the opening of SIHH, I was summoned by the cantonal health authorities: no one really knew what decision to make, as there were no clear guidelines. We were, in a sense, left to our own devices. Despite this uncertainty, we chose to keep the show open, implementing strict health measures: doctors on site, symptom screening, and mandatory mask-wearing. It was a moment of intense pressure, with an immense sense of responsibility. My phone was ringing non-stop, with everyone looking for answers we did not always have. Looking back, I believe we managed the situation with composure and efficiency, working closely with the cantonal and health authorities.
And perhaps a happier memory?
Yes, the very next year! We organised the first watch fair under the name Watches and Wonders in Beijing in 2004, at the heart of the Forbidden City. There was something almost surreal about bringing high watchmaking into dialogue with such a historically significant setting, particularly in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. We even had the honour of welcoming the brother of the last emperor, Pu Ren, a presence that made the moment all the more extraordinary. After several months spent in Beijing under grey skies, the day of the inauguration opened onto a brilliantly blue sky, casting a magical light on the ochre tones of the Forbidden City. It was a moment of pure grace. I carry a very vivid memory of it, tinged with pride: the pride of having helped place watchmaking within such an iconic setting, long before the Olympic Games. And of course, it was the very first Watches and Wonders.
Since then, you have also created the ReLuxury fair. Why not bring it back to Geneva?
It is indeed a question that my associates and I are asked frequently. ReLuxury was born in Geneva in 2022, with the ambition of creating the first fair dedicated to the second life of luxury goods and the circular economy. The concept is built around the many facets of "Re": resale, repair, recycling, practices such as upcycling that extend the lifespan of objects. This approach is entirely in keeping with the DNA of luxury, which is founded on quality, transmission and durability.
Faced with shifting expectations, the industry must today reinvent itself by placing greater value on these principles. After a first edition in Geneva in 2022, followed by a confirmed success in Paris in 2024 with 10,000 visitors over three days, the project is gaining momentum. With this in mind, both an international expansion and a return to Geneva are being seriously considered. We are currently in discussions with our partners to finalise our roadmap. So stay tuned!
