He acquired experience in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) sector as a brand manager with Kraft Foods Switzerland before gaining a foothold in the watch industry at TAG Heuer (LVMH Group).
He joined the Richemont Group, the Swiss luxury goods corporation, in 2000. Following that group's acquisition of A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC, he was active in the integration of these three brands. When Georges Kern joined IWC Schaffhausen early in 2002, at the age of 36, he became the youngest CEO within Richemont.
Alongside his corporate objectives, he is also committed to charitable causes, for example through his position on the Board of Trustees of the Laureus Foundation, which helps young people to overcome their social problems through sport. Georges Kern is a patron of the Fondation Antoine de Saint-Exupéry pour la Jeunesse, which supports disadvantaged young people on their path to adulthood.
Georges Kern counts active climate protection among his corporate responsibilities. Upon his initiative, IWC was certified as a carbon-neutral company; he is also a trustee of the London-based organisation “The Climate Group”. The goal of this independent, non-profit organisation is to help government and business leaders worldwide to achieve a rapid reduction of CO2 emissions.
As a representative of the watch industry and the CEO of a brand founded by an American, Georges Kern sits on the board of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce.
