Laurent Ferrier has a new CEO. His name is Florent Périchon. His previous job was as CEO of Cerruti (!), so he's clearly a luxury goods company, and doesn't seem like a good fit for this niche brand. Why did he join Laurent Ferrier?
Photograph by Yu Mitamura
Masamasa Hirota (this magazine): Interview and writing
Text by Masayuki Hirota (Chronos-Japan)
Edited by Yukiya Suzuki (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2025 issue of Kronos Japan]
The brand must be stronger than the people
Laurent Ferrier, CEO. After earning a degree from the Paris Polytechnic University, he began his career in the watch industry at dial manufacturer Stern. He later worked as a director at TAG Heuer and De Beers around the world for six years. He then served as CEO at clothing manufacturer Cerruti, where he successfully rebuilt the brand. He has served as a director at Laurent Ferrier since 2013, and has held his current position since January 2025.
"No, I first worked for the dial company Stern, before it was acquired by the Richemont Group. At the time, they supplied dials to Audemars Piguet and Rolex. After that, I joined TAG Heuer, and after the acquisition by the LVMH Group, I became commercial director, and then I worked for De Beers. My previous job was as CEO of Cerruti." We now know that Périchon has a background in watches. But why Laurent Ferrier?
"I met the founders Laurent Ferrier and François Servanin in 2012, and I served as an outside director thereafter. That led to my current position. They are both nearly 80 years old, so I think they wanted to bring in some young blood. Well, I'm younger than them, after all (laughs)."
Laurent Ferrier is doing pretty well at the moment, so what would he like to change?
"We want to continue what's going well, and it's important to us that we maintain stable growth and the feel of a family business. We're independent and not seeking excessive profits. We want to convey value to our customers through our designs and complications. But please don't expect any major changes. We now have 40 staff and 35 retailers."
Laurent Ferrier, a brand that advocates modern classics, presents a new watch with a nature-inspired horizon blue dial. The extremely pared-down design embodies what CEO Florent Périchon calls "the power of simplicity," but in keeping with Laurent Ferrier's recent trends, it also incorporates unique features such as a horizontally cut date window. Automatic (Cal. LF270.01). 31 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 72 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 40mm, thickness 11.94mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Pin buckle: 8,415,000 yen (tax included). Folding clasp: 8,690,000 yen (tax included).
So how do they survive in today's watch market?
"The current situation doesn't scare me, because we haven't expanded into China yet. China is of course a huge market and there is potential, so we will enter in the future, but not yet. I'm 100% positive about the future. I've been involved in the luxury business, seen many different situations, and traveled to many different countries. Laurent Ferrier is unique."
What will happen to the continuity of the project in the future? Laurent Ferrier himself is already nearly 80 years old.
"Our style has been established, and we don't need to please every market. I think our strength lies in simplicity. Some watchmakers are chasing Richard Mille, but that's foolish. Laurent is 78 years old and still active. But at the same time, I think we need to leave behind a DNA code. A brand needs to be stronger than others. To achieve that, we're giving our staff a 'vaccine.'"
