Georges Kern, 37, has been chief executive officer of the International Watch Company (IWC) since January 2002. He has worked in the watch industry since 1992, when he was responsible for TAG Heuer’s global distribution network. Kern recently sat down with Executive for a one-on-one interview to offer up a CEO’s view of how IWC and the watch industry are weathering the current global recession. E Are Swiss watch manufacturers and the IWC focusing more on the Middle East and the Levant region? What’s your strategy? The Middle East is a strong buying region for all brands and luxury goods, specifically the Gulf region. Dubai has been booming for years, they have a slowdown now, but the fundamentals are there and the region will continue to grow. Concerning the Levant, let’s face it, it’s Lebanon. In Lebanon you have a much more developed luxury culture than any other country [in
