Arnold & Son has parted company with its president and CEO, Bertrand Savary just weeks after he unveiled a family of new Longitude sporty titanium watches and an all-new movement at Watches and Wonders in Geneva.
The Longitude name is a nod to the marine chronometers created by the watchmaker’s founder, John Arnold, for 17th century explorers and is the centrepiece of its 260th anniversary celebrations.
Mr Savary has spend almost quarter of a century in the watch business with senior commercial roles for the likes of Jaquet Droz, Bulgari, Breguet, Corum, Vacheron Constantin and Jacob & Co.
He was CEO at Arnold & Son, and its stablemate Angelus, for four years.
Mr Savary is replaced immediately by Pascal Béchu, currently vice-president of sales, in the role of general manager.
Jean-Claude Eggen, CEO of Manufacture La Joux-Perret, thanked Mr Savary for his contributions during the past four years and confirmed Mr Béchu’s promotion.
“This transition presents a chance to pursue our long-term objectives, and we are committed to enhancing the solid foundation established over these past few years,” Mr Eggen says.
Mr Béchu also has over two decades of experience within the Swiss luxury watch industry, including sales and marketing roles with Harry Winston and TAG Heuer. He was commercial director Watch & Jewellery Division at MCH Group, owner of Baselworld, when it imploded in 2020.
He moved from MCH Group to Arnold & Sons and Angelus, where the company says he has overseen “remarkable improvement in turnover and operating efficiency”.
Until now, he has held the role of vice president of sales and oversaw global sales while playing an integral part in the brands’ recent transformation.
Arnold & Son has 20 calibres designed and developed in-house and produced by its sister Manufacture La Joux-Perret in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
