News After several years of fat pickings, the Swiss watch industry is tightening its belt. It does however have the strength to bounce back.
With an increase in exports of 6.7% to more than 17 billion francs, the Swiss watch industry registered another record year in 2008, albeit the last for some time. A sharp downturn was recorded at the end of the year, which became an abrupt decline in exports of 25% during the first five months of 2009… Such is the hard reality of the figures cited by Jean-Daniel Pasche at the FH general meeting held on 25 June in Geneva. "In the light of global economic turbulence, this development is not surprising," continued the president of the association. "Throughout its history, the watch industry has suffered from fluctuations of the economy. After five years of significant progress in terms of exports and jobs, we must, as is the case for so many industries, confront a more difficult year. Moreover, recovery plans can have only a limited effect on an industry geared to exports such as our own. However, we support the policy of the Federal Council which is working towards targeted measures, particularly in the realm of unemployment, as part of a curb on debt to avoid over-indebtedness, which would create obstacles for the future of our economy and our country." Nonetheless it was with a message of hope that the president of the FH closed the economic part of his report: "Swiss watchmaking remains in good shape and is not weakening in relation to competing watch industries. It will therefore be ready to seize the opportunity for recovery when the time comes, because all its major strengths remain intact."
Regarding the purely statutory part of the meeting, delegates approved the annual report and 2008 accounts, and also the scale of contributions for 2010, which remains unchanged. The meeting also gave a vote of confidence to Jean-Daniel Pasche, who was re-elected as president for a further period of three years, and to Fiduco, who were retained as auditors for a one year term. Meanwhile, for the period 2009-2012, the Board will be composed of the following 20 members with, in parenthesis, their alternate (respective corporate affiliations are not mentioned if they are the same as that of the incumbent): Jean-Pierre Aebischer, Rolex (Alberto Tellan); Jean-Christophe Babin, TAG Heuer (Tangi Basle); Denis Bolzli, Aero Watch (Emile Charrotton, Société anonyme de fabricants suisses d’horlogerie); Jacques G. Duchêne, Rolex (Ulrik von Barnekow); Jean-Paul Girardin, Breitling (Dominique Stoll); Albert Kaufmann, Richemont International (Cédric Bossert, Manufacture Cartier); Marc Küffer, Roventa-Henex (Kurt Grünig); Richard Lepeu, Richemont International (Claude Vuillemez); Hannes Pantli, IWC (Hugues Fauchille); Hanspeter Rentsch, Swatch Group (Thierry Kenel, Breguet); Daniel Rochat, Patek Philippe (vacant); Roland Streule, Rado (Hans-Rudolf Sutter); Roland Bloch, Swatch Group (Peter Steiger); Pierre-André Bühler, ETA (Franck Eckhard); Claude Calderari, Stettler Sapphire (Jean Hirt, Estoppey-Addor); Philippe Membrez, Simon & Membrez (Jean-Claude Probst, Prestige d’or); Pascal Queloz, Oréade (Jean-Lucien Guillod, Guillod Gunther); Thierry Straehl, Nivarox-FAR (Christian Feuvrier); Pierre-Alain Storrer, Coloral (Philippe Bauer, Groupement des fabricants d’aiguilles); Erich Mosset, Ronda (vacant).
Guest of honour Doris Leuthard, Federal Councillor and Head of the Department of the Economy, closed the meeting with a talk devoted essentially to the Confederation’s recovery plans and Switzerland’s foreign economic policy.
July 01, 2009
