There is something papal about the appointment of a new group president at Rolex, except the process is arguably more secretive than the election of a new Pope.
We don’t even get a whisp of white smoke from a chimney when the decision has been made.
So it is only this week we learn that Nicolas Brunschwig was been elevated to the post of president for both Rolex SA and Rolex Holdings back in August.
Asked this morning whether it would share any additional information on the news, Rolex declined.
Swiss newspaper reports Mr Brunschwig, a board member for Rolex since 2016 and a former trustee for the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, which controls Rolex, is now president of both Rolex SA in Geneva and its umbrella organisation Rolex Holding.
He takes over from Bertrand Gros, who turned 72 this year, and resigned in July.
Mr Gros, an attorney by trade, was seen as the steady hand on the tiller as Rolex was transformed over the past decade into the CHF 8 billion giant it is today.
Arguably his most significant intervention was the recruitment of Jean-Frédéric Dufour to the CEO’s role in 2015.
Mr Brunschwig is among the most connected executives in Geneva.
Along with his long-standing association with Rolex, he is also part of the dynastic Brunschwig family, which founded Bon Génie in Switzerland in 1891 and now controls Bongénie-Grieder, a chain of high end department stores.
