Georges Kern (CEO Breitling) on success and sustainability

Although Breitling was not present as an exhibitor at Inhorgenta 2025 – the brand is currently waiting for a suitable format regarding trade fair participation – CEO Georges Kern made a brief appearance for a Watch Talk with Gisbert Brunner and an interview with Insight Luxury.

Insight Luxury: When were you last at Inhorgenta?

Georges Kern: I believe that was 20 or 25 years ago, when I was managing director of Tag Heuer here in Germany. That really is a very, very long time ago.

IL: „Swiss Leader of the Year 2024“, Breitling is ranked 6th in the „Best Employers in Switzerland“ ranking (1st among watch brands). What does Breitling do, what makes you different from other watch brands?

GK: We are successful. Our employees want to work for successful companies and clients, and they want to buy products from successful brands. They want to have fun, they want to work in a dynamic environment, and they want to score lots of goals.

And I believe we have delivered that in recent years. And hopefully we will continue to deliver that in the coming years.

IL: You are known for being very passionate about sustainability. How does that fit in with the world of luxury, which, as we know, is all about things that nobody actually needs?

GK: Luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. I believe the most important thing is that, of course, no customer buys a watch solely because it's sustainable. The idea that this is the only important factor is simply wrong. At the end of the day, the brand has to be cool, and the design and quality have to be excellent.

But there are certainly customers who won't buy a brand if it isn't sustainable. Our main focus, thanks to our surfer Kelly Slater and others, is plastic in the oceans. We're working very hard on that.

We also want to become a plastic-free factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds. And that's a key issue. We're not activists. Absolutely not. But I believe we can make a constructive contribution. Not only through what we do, but also through the influence our customers have in this area, to make this planet a better place.