– You are a commander of one of the most established brands in luxury watches. What is the most important decisions you make in a year?
– There is a mix of long- and short-term decisions. Wristwatches today is a product you strictly need, all have smartphones, and we get to know the time everywhere. People call it an old-fashioned technology, and they are right. But many will still have it, and we try to take the history that is in the best bells and look at it with the future in mind, with new materials and techniques, such as future consumers want. Therefore product decisions the most important. The main long-term decision I have been instrumental in taking was to implement George Danielsens coaxial mechanism in 1999. It was once controversial, one would certainly not have the technique to some English clock maker Omega. But today we have got a lot out of it, the technique is incredibly reliable. It goes enough even a few years before people are going to go into a watch shop and ask about it or the Omega-one coaxial, but I think we get there.
– You travel a lot as sponsor of various events, including Norway to initiate clock that counts down to Youth Olympics in Lillehammer next year. Omega also has employees in many countries. Which leadership is important in such international setting?
– The word “leader” makes me think of a kavalerikaptein storming forward on a horse with all other neck end for. That’s not it. I believe in team spirit and to work jointly. Put that way is actually the choice of the people around me also very important decisions. Watch Business is human business, it is very much about personality and emotions. We do not need a bunch of rocket scientists full of formulas and analyzes, but need to find the right people that fit, which may relate to products and understand them. It is not always so easy. I can meet people in an interview situation, but we have not much else to go on a gut feeling.
That said, I try to be a listening leader. It’s amazing what you can learn by listening to what people around you are saying. A shopkeeper who works behind the counter in one of our outlets may have unique insight into how customers think. It’s so important to let stuff come out.
– What annoys you among your employees?
– That people do as they say they will, and then fail to tell about it. It is very unproductive. I’m not an angry man, I realize that there may be things in your way. But prowl around and not dare to say that to me, I become irritated by.
– You have been referred to as an optimist, including having strengthened sponsorship activity in American golf in a period where the sport was not in particular growth, and for having sponsored the World Cup in China in 2011. Are you there?
– Yes, I’m probably it. But not naive, I think. We continually reviews about how we will be active. In China we saw along the way that was a miscalculation. China was not ready for such a large, international event, and it was not right for Omega. But it is not worse than that we do not go back there again before we feel safer in the event.
– Takes you company ups and downs personally?
– Yes, to certain extent, I have responsibility. But I is rarely awake at night over things, precisely because most decisions are made in a community. And fortunately, most errors possible to rectify.
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