Girard-Perregaux Appoints Marc Michel-Amadry as Managing Director Amid Strategic Restructuring

Luxury Swiss watchmaker Girard-Perregaux has announced the appointment of Marc Michel-Amadry as its new Managing Director, a move that strengthens the maison’s executive team as it navigates a renewed growth trajectory under the Sowind Group umbrella.

Michel-Amadry joins following a successful tenure at IWC Schaffhausen, where he held dual roles as Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director for the EMEA region. He will be responsible for overseeing Girard-Perregaux’s daily operations, with a particular focus on retail development, brand positioning, and international strategy.

He will report directly to Patrick Pruniaux, who continues in his role as CEO of Sowind Group, the entity that encompasses both Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin.

An Experienced Executive with Global Reach

Michel-Amadry brings over 20 years of executive leadership across the luxury industry. Before joining IWC in 2016, he served as:

• Managing Director for TAG Heuer in Southeast Asia, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the brand’s physical and digital presence in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia;

• Manager of LVMH’s Watch & Jewellery Division in Singapore, overseeing multi-brand performance;

• Managing Director of Sotheby’s Switzerland, where he managed high-profile auctions and private client relations, especially in the fine watches and jewellery segment.

His broad international perspective and commercial insight position him well to lead Girard-Perregaux through its next phase of development, with particular attention to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

A New Chapter for Girard-Perregaux

Founded in 1791, Girard-Perregaux is one of Switzerland’s oldest and most historically significant watchmakers, known for landmark horological achievements such as the Three Bridges Tourbillon, launched in its original form in 1867 and continuously reinterpreted in modern times.

In recent years, the brand has reasserted itself as a force in contemporary luxury sports watchmaking through the success of the Laureato line, first introduced in 1975. Especially since 2017, when the model was reintroduced as a full collection, the Laureato has become a cornerstone of GP’s modern identity—competing in a category dominated by Royal Oak and Nautilus, but with distinct architectural detailing and integrated-case elegance.

Alongside the Laureato, collections such as the Bridges, Neo-Bridges, Free Bridge, and Quasar Light have helped reframe the maison as both technically serious and visually forward-thinking. These models showcase GP’s capacity for sapphire-case construction, skeletonisation, and in-house movement development.

Sowind Group: An Independent Direction

Girard-Perregaux and its sister brand Ulysse Nardin were acquired by Kering in 2011, but in January 2022, both brands were spun off into the newly formed independent Sowind Group, still under the leadership of Patrick Pruniaux.

Since then, Sowind has pursued a leaner, design- and heritage-focused strategy. Under Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux has refocused its narrative around manufacture credibility, design autonomy, and limited production—a direction well aligned with current collector demand for authenticity and restraint.

Michel-Amadry’s appointment supports this trajectory, reinforcing management depth at a time of increasing competition in the independent and mid-volume haute horlogerie segment.

Looking Ahead

With the renewed popularity of classic integrated sports watches, growing interest in sapphire-case engineering, and a younger, digitally literate collector base, Girard-Perregaux is well-positioned to capitalise on the broader evolution of the high-end watch market.

Michel-Amadry is expected to concentrate on streamlining international distribution, enhancing boutique strategy, and expanding visibility in growth markets—particularly in Asia-Pacific, where Girard-Perregaux has seen double-digit growth in the past two years.

As the brand approaches key anniversaries for both its modern Laureato and heritage models, the addition of a commercially astute, globally connected executive promises to further anchor Girard-Perregaux as a maison with both legacy and momentum.