Mark Hearn has taken the decision to step down as managing director of Patek Philippe UK, Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe, says in a statement today.
Mr Hearn, who is being treated for Parkinson’s disease, has been a giant of the watch world, overseeing a transformation of Patek Philippe in the UK since taking charge.
The company now has sales of over £163 million in the UK, around 15% of the company’s global turnover, making it one of the biggest markets in the world for Patek Philippe.
Mr Hearn was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease four years ago, and has taken the decision to take early retirement so he can be fully dedicated to his treatment. He has been appointed by Mr Stern in a new role of chairman for Patek Philippe UK.
He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the industry at the 2018 WatchPro Awards (pictured top with his daughter at the dinner).
“We all agree that it has been a privilege to work with Mark for almost 20 years. When he joined the company in 2000, there were eight members of staff and today approximately 80. Due to his hard work and commitment to develop Patek Philippe in the UK, the company is now established as one of the brand leaders in the country, an achievement that we will always be proud of,” Mr Stern says.
“Mark’s loyalty and passion for the company reflects not only in his strong and long standing relationship with our retailers, but also business partners, the media and his team. As Mark says, the success of the company is a combination of hard work, strong focus on customer service and personal relationships, a formula that he and the UK team have been applying with excellence,” he adds.
Adrian Lurshay, the current deputy managing director, has been promoted to managing director starting from January 2020. He has been with the company since 1994.
“Please join me to wish Mark all the very best and to thank him for such devotion to Patek Philippe and his team. We also wish Adrian a continued success at Patek Philippe UK,” Mr Stern concludes.
I had the privilege of meeting Mark at a watch evening and dinner held at Boodles Jewellers in Liverpool We sat next to one another and I recall the passion with which he spoke that inspired me to add other pieces to my Patek Philippe collection.
I wish Mark all the very best in his retirement and his focus on greatly improved health.
Kind regards
Tom Wright