From the desk of Mr. Magada himself, word is out that he has effectively decided to step down from his role as CEO of Zenith. Mr. Magada took stewardship of the role in 2014 upon the departure of Jean-Frédéric Dufour, who is the present CEO of Rolex.
The decision was one reached in consensus with Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, who agreed that the brand as a whole needed a hard long look at its recent management practices in order to take on the challenges that lay ahead.
Once Mr. Magada’s exit has been formalized, Mr. Biver will take on the task of leading the brand in the interim.
It is no secret that the brand has seen better days, but it’s also unfair to say that Zenith has not been creative in its efforts to revive itself.
With recent partnerships such as that forged with Land Rover and hallowed Cuban cigar producers Cohiba, and long standing ones such as their support for the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride or even their iconic partnership with the legendary Rolling Stones — the brand has done much to take the right steps towards a push to continue to remain culturally relevant today; firmly backed by its watchmaking heritage.
But perhaps troubled times call for more than this. And it’s what Mr. Biver has masterfully demonstrated in achieving with the present successes of TAG Heuer and, no doubt, Hublot. Now we wait for the Biver-magic to bring life back into Zenith, like never before.
