Born in 1972, Manuel Emch took the helm of Jaquet Droz in 2001, becoming the youngest CEO in the Swatch Group. He held the position for over eight years, coordinating the rebirth of the brand and its illustrious name, and positioning it as a benchmark in haute horlogerie. He was responsible for the creation of the Jaquet Droz contemporary identity in its entirety, as well as the accompanying icons, notably the Grande Seconde. He oversaw the brand’s international growth, establishing a retail network with over 200 outlets and six stores bearing the Jaquet Droz name. Meanwhile, in 2005, he became a member of the Swatch Group’s wider leadership team, with responsibility for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and heading up creative work for the group’s Russian subsidiary. In 2007, he also joined the management team for the Swatch brand, alongside Nicolas G. Hayek.
In 2010, Manuel Emch embarked on a new challenge, taking the reins of RJ Watches (Romain Jerome). As CEO and Artistic Director of the independent brand, he entered into a series of original, innovative partnerships in the world of fine watchmaking, in particular with the ‘Generational icons’ series (featuring Super Mario, Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Pokemon, Batman, and more), stimulating growth for the brand in over 50 countries.
He is a contemporary art enthusiast, setting up the chair in watchmaking design at the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD), whose Academic Board he joined in 2015. He has been a member of the FHH (Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie) Cultural Council since 2017.
Drawing on this wealth of experience, Manuel Emch has now put his expertise at the disposal of others. In 2017, he set up Le Büro, a business consultancy with a special focus on watchmaking and contemporary art. Amongst other clients, he is a consultant for Louis Erard; he also chairs the Board of Directors of Raketa, owners of Russia’s oldest factory and the country’s largest watchmaking group.
*Written by Xavier Markl
*On the occasion of GMT Magazine and WorldTempus' 20th anniversary, we have embarked on the ambitious project of summarising the last 20 years in watchmaking in The Millennium Watch Book, a big, beautifully laid out coffee table book. This article is an extract. The Millennium Watch Book is available on www.the-watch-book.com, in French and English, with a 10% discount if you use the following code: WT2021.
