Audemars Piguet Celebrates Reception For Laurence Rochat

On 1 March, Audemars Piguet threw a celebration for cross-country skier Laurence Rochat. This was, for the entire company, the reward for a policy of ongoing support to sportsmen and women from the Joux Valley. Indeed Laurence Rochat, with Andrea Huber, Brigitte Albrecht Loretan and Natascia Leonardi (from left to right in our photo), won the bronze medal in the women's 4 x 5 km relay at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games.

An employee at Audemars Piguet since 1995, Laurence Rochat, who regularly scores well in the World Cup, has been skiing since her childhood. Her last title was that of Swiss Champion in 2000. Her medal from Salt Lake City is the fruit of nearly 700 hours training a year: "I would never have been able to get this result if I wasn't working at Audemars Piguet," she observed. "By offering me a unique employment contract, the Le Brassus firm has allowed me to combine professional activity with competitive sport."

"Laurence Rochat works full-time for us, but she only comes in if she is not in training or taking part in a competition," confirmed Georges-Henri Meylan, Managing Director of Audemars Piguet. Currently, she puts in around 20 % of actual working hours. "I am convinced that this is the best policy to encourage sportsmen and women in our firm. Laurence Rochat's medal is confirmation that our practice is well-founded."

On 1 March, all staff got together to celebrate their champion, to whom Geor-ges-Henri Meylan presented a Promesse watch engraved with her name, as well as ten days' holiday for two at the location of her choice. After thanking her colleagues for the picture containing all the messages of congratulations from the company's workforce, the champion, her face radiant with joy, recalled the emotional moments she has experienced, both at Salt Lake City and since her return to the Valley. She then signed numerous autographs as her medal was passed from hand to hand.

March 28, 2002