Bremont, the biggest luxury watchmaker in Britain, announced today that Davide Cerrato, a seasoned executive in the field, has been named CEO of the company and a member of the Board.
A real coup for Bremont, Mr Cerrato is one of the best known names in the watch industry with a global reputation for blazing trails and adding something unique and unexpected wherever he goes – his influence remaining long after he has moved on to pastures new.
Mr Cerrato’s significant background in branding, product design and development, supply-chain management, and production strengthens Bremont’s in-house skills. With experience working with some of the most prestigious watch companies, such as Tudor, Montblanc, and Panerai, Cerrato has a solid track record.
Mr Cerrato served as head of marketing, design, and product development at Tudor, a sister company of Rolex, where he managed the brand’s 2012 relaunch and the creation of its distinctive and pivotal Black Bay watch. The Black Bay collection, which became the most well-known and successful line for Tudor, set the brand apart.
While managing director of Montblanc’s watch section, Mr Cerrato designed the magnificent and distinctive 1858 Geosphere watch, which became the company’s star product and established the watch brand identity. Mr Cerrato’s most recent position was as CEO and creative director of innovative independent HYT.
“We are thrilled to have recruited a world-class CEO to support our ambitious vision,” Bremont co-founder Nick English stated. “Following the £48.4M ($59M) investment by Bill Ackman and Hellcat LP announced in January, Bremont is now well positioned to execute on its future plans for growth.”
“Davide has amazing, complementary experience and is a great cultural fit. We are delighted to welcome him to the Bremont family,” added Co-Founder Giles English.
Mr Cerrato remarks: “I am incredibly excited to be joining Bremont. I have long admired what Nick and Giles have managed to achieve in a relatively short space of time. The brand has been on an amazing journey and I’m looking forward to working with the entire team to take it to the next level.”
“Davide is a proven world class executive who has spent his career leading successful transformations of watch brands and designing some of today’s most iconic watches,” said Bremont investor Bill Ackman. “I am thrilled to have him join Bremont at this pivotal moment in the Company’s evolution. Davide’s passion for the industry, wealth of expertise and great vision will help enable Bremont become a global leader in watchmaking.”
“We were glad to add to our investment in Bremont last year, and we are excited about the company’s extraordinary opportunity over the next decade,” a Hellcat spokesman said. “We believe a leader of Davide’s calibre at this stage will ensure Bremont’s on-going success and place it among the pantheon of the world’s iconic watchmakers.”
