Yesterday, news broke from the French publication Challenges that LVMH Watch Division President Jean-Claude Biver would be stepping down from his day-to-day role overseeing the conglomerate’s “operational responsibilities” due to health concerns. That article was later confirmed by Biver himself during a phone interview with Reuters.
In this exclusive interview from Baselworld that WatchTime first published in April, Chronos Editor-in-Chief and Ebner Publishing International Editorial Director Rüdiger Bucher talks with Biver about many things, including his potential retirement at age 70 (today is actually Biver’s 69th birthday) and which of his brands he is most proud of.
Jean-Claude Biver, president of LVMH Watch Divison The watch industry has just experienced one or two years of crisis, but now there seems to be a feeling of optimism everywhere. What is the outlook for your brands"

It’s just like for most of the Swiss watch industry, which is very good. But if everything is going well for everybody it’s impossible to know who is successful because of their substance and strength, and who is successful only because of the general trend. It is easier for us to gain market shares in times of crisis. TAG Heuer gained a total 39.5 percent from 2015 to 2017. The industry lost 12% during this same period.
To what do you attribute this ? that TAG Heuer got this share of the market and gained in strength"

Many brands lose their...