After almost 30 years, François-Henry Bennahmias announced that he will be stepping down as CEO of Audemars Piguet, a role that he has held since 2012. The Le Brassus manufacture revealed his replacement yesterday—and the choice may surprise you.
Ilaria Resta is a Swiss-Italian whose most recent job was president, global perfumery & ingredients, at Firmenich, the largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company in the world. Before that, she was at Procter & Gamble for more than 20 years where she built a wealth of experience in FMCG.
Alessandro Bogliolo, the chairman of Audemars Piguet, said: "[Ilaria] is a visionary leader with a passion for craftsmanship who will take Audemars Piguet into the future… Her proven record of delivering results through a clear strategic thinking based on deep consumer insights will keep AP’s legacy relevant for generations to come and ensure long lasting growth. Ilaria’s belief in the empowerment of teams and her accomplishments as an inspirational leader in corporate sustainability fully align with Audemars Piguet’s long-standing values as an independent family-owned company."
Resta will assume her new role on January 1, 2024.
Until then, Bennahmias will continue to fulfil his CEO duties. Under his leadership, Audemars Piguet has multiplied its revenue while also streamlined its number of collections to only four, namely Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore, Royal Oak Concept and Code 11.59. During his time, he had also launched some interesting projects, including an Audemars Piguet hotel called Hôtel des Horlogers in the Swiss watchmaking cradle of Vallée de Joux and the "Black Panther" Royal Oak Concept watch in collaboration with Marvel.
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