The yacht, laid down by William Fife in 1936, became known to a wider audience as the leading actress of the music video produced in 1980 for the Duran Duran hit “Rio”. Lovingly restored, she now serves as a brand ambassador at the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge events. Here, crews of classic yachts like to present their noble boats in front of an audience and appreciate the opportunity to exchange ideas and stories among like-minded people. Before setting sail in the morning and after mooring in the evening and later at the award ceremonies and parties, every opportunity is taken to exchange experiences and spin sailor’s yarns. The atmosphere is open and friendly, interested visitors have access to the docks and can ask questions. New owners of classic boats are welcomed with open arms. In this relaxed atmosphere, we took the opportunity to exchange ideas with Jean-Marc Pontroué, the new CEO of the luxury watch brand Panerai. Pontroué is no stranger to the scene, the striking manager can look back on the experience of a long career in the luxury industry. In 1995, Pontroué joined Givenchy as Sales Manager and five years later he moved to Hamburg to work for Montblanc, where he was ultimately responsible for product strategy and brand development. Prior to his job at the helm of Panerai, since April 2018, Pontroué was CEO of the Roger Dubuis watch brand for six years. He is only the second boss at Panerei, which is characterized by unmistakable Italian design and Swiss interior. Now he is setting out to rejuvenate the brand in order to attract new customers. And not to scare away the Paneristi, a group of hardcore fans. A tightrope walk, as he explains. However, all this was overshadowed by the Corona crisis, which also hit the watch industry hard.
Jean-Marc Pontroué, which crisis comes to mind as comparable to the current one?
We are facing a situation that simply cannot be compared to anything we have experienced before. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that an unprecedented challenge can serve as a basis for thinking carefully about the next steps and setting new milestones for a brand. This approach, I am sure, will lead to unexpected ideas and solutions.
How have you personally experienced the crisis so far?
I’ve been used to being on the road a lot for about 30 years, in a different country every week. We were already aware of the situation in China in February, but we never thought that the virus would leave the country. It turned out differently, as we know, and it became a global threat, which really surprised us. Usually, we plan for the long term, but in view of the pandemic, this is no longer possible. Now we’re trying to keep the business going as best we can, not knowing what’s going to happen in the next 48 hours. I’m an optimist, but no one can seriously say when everything will be back to normal.
Will the current crisis, the war, have a long-term impact on the luxury goods industry?
The desire for luxury will always be there as long as there is something to celebrate – engagements, weddings, birthdays… All of this is happening locally and can partially compensate for the loss we are experiencing due to the collapse of international travel. I believe that we will be even stronger as a result of the crisis.
What is your path at Panerai?
For me, the focus is always on the question of how I can get a customer who already owns several watches to buy another one. This is where the added value comes into play for me. I want to bring the customer closer to the brand by showing them what Panerai is all about. I let him participate in the brand, its unique history. In addition, there are a lot of stories to tell – about its origins in Florence, about its special design, its military origins, the slumber from which Panerai was awakened 30 years ago, et cetera.
Panerai has a particularly loyal fan base with the Paneristi. What is your relationship with this community?
It’s amazing: Panerai is one of the few watch brands that has such a loyal and strong fan base. The Paneristi are completely independent, they organize their own meetings and exchange ideas with each other in a variety of ways. This is done without Panerai’s involvement. In fact, they know the brand better than I do. However, we are in close contact with them and listen to what they have to say.
Isn’t it sometimes difficult to still innovate as a watch brand?
Our innovation lies in presenting Panerai from different angles. In addition, we will continue to try out new materials and develop variants of existing models in the future.
What is your ray of light on the horizon right now, what date are you eagerly waiting for?
Oh, the situation is too unpredictable for that, I don’t like to stick to a specific moment. I prefer to take each day for myself, one at a time, and try to start many new projects with my team.
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