Majors

Watches of Switzerland Shifts Executive Team

MajorsApr 12, 2022

Watches of Switzerland Shifts Executive Team

David Hurley was promoted to deputy CEO and will also serve as president of the North America division.

20220412_David Hurley.jpg
Watches of Switzerland’s David Hurley was named deputy CEO and will also serve as president of the North America division.
London—Watches of Switzerland is shaking up its executive team following a strong third quarter that saw jewelry sales nearly double.

David Hurley was promoted to deputy CEO and will also serve as president of the North America division.

Hurley joined the company in 2015, then known as Aurum Holdings, and most recently served as executive vice president of Watches of Switzerland USA.

He has a fashion background, previously working for Ralph Lauren, where he met Watches of Switzerland CEO Brian Duffy.

Hurley has overseen a number of acquisitions for the company, including Mayors in 2015 and several independent jewelers, including family-owned Betteridge, in 2021.

His appointment is reflective of the importance of the U.S. market to the group as it continues its North American expansion, said the company.

Its North American expansion began five years ago with the opening of its first U.S. flagship in New York’s SoHo in 2018. It now operates seven multi-brand boutiques, 13 mono-brand showrooms, 12 Mayors locations, and three Betteridge locations.

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Concurrent with Hurley’s promotion is the news that Craig Bolton, who previously served as executive director in the U.K., has been named president. 

“I would like to congratulate David and Craig on their respective appointments. Our management structure continues to develop in response to and in anticipation of our business development,” said Duffy.

Luxury goods veteran Chabi Nouri has been named to the board as an independent non-executive director and will serve on its Environmental, Social, and Governance Committee, effective May 1.

“Chabi has outstanding luxury retail experience, particularly in the watch and jewelry sector, and we are delighted to welcome someone of her pedigree and expertise to the board,” said Duffy.

Nouri is a private equity partner of Swiss private banking group Mirabaud and the co-fund manager of the Mirabaud Lifestyle franchise.

Previously, she served as the president and CEO of Piaget for seven years, then took on a strategic advisory role with Richemont.

Nouri has held various senior roles in the luxury industry in her 20-plus-year career, including management, retail operations, and marketing.

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