Who should Leica hire as their new CEO?

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mr_phillip

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Being that I've had to turn the post down (that commute from Glasgow was looking like a real bitch), who do we think Leica should look to as a replacement to the departed Mr Lee?

I'd like to see someone with an engineering or manufacturing background (rather than another marketing guy), ideally with a history of turning around a similarly 'prestige' (or appallingly old-fashioned depending on your point of view) company.

My vote? Dr Ulrich Bez - what he's done with Aston Martin is just what somebody needs to do with Leica.

Any other suggestions to help the good folks at Solmes out?
 
ZebGoesZeiss said:
Steve Jobs :D
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Well at least the cam in the iPhone would get better. I'd love to see what an Apple Leica would look like - just a shutter button and a touch screen. And a big apple-shaped red dot on the back :D
 
mr_phillip said:
Being that I've had to turn the post down (that commute from Glasgow was looking like a real bitch), who do we think Leica should look to as a replacement to the departed Mr Lee?

I'd like to see someone with an engineering or manufacturing background (rather than another marketing guy), ideally with a history of turning around a similarly 'prestige' (or appallingly old-fashioned depending on your point of view) company.

My vote? Dr Ulrich Bez - what he's done with Aston Martin is just what somebody needs to do with Leica.

Any other suggestions to help the good folks at Solmes out?
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Nicolas Hayek. He is the father of actress Selma Hayak, but more importantly, he is the man who basically single-handedly saved the Swiss mechanical watch industry from doom.

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/news/2002/050702story.html

He just retired from Swatch Group, so he's available. The man is a genius, and he understands niche markets as no one else.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Hayek

I think he could revive Leica, breathe new life into it, turn it around, and get it started on the road to financial stability.
 
Who should Leica hire as their new CEO?

Kaufmann is running the company, so titles don't really matter...In my opinion, you need two top people -- a marketing person to talk to Leica dealers to review what customers want -- and an engineering person to determine what's feasible and at what price...
 
What Bob says is very true, now that Leica isn't public anymore.
 
bmattock said:
Nicolas Hayek. He is the father of actress Selma Hayak, but more importantly, he is the man who basically single-handedly saved the Swiss mechanical watch industry from doom.
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That's an inspired idea (although I feel compelled to point out that Salma Hayak's father is actually an oil exec called Sami). You're right though, the man knows niche marketing like few others.
 
mr_phillip said:
That's an inspired idea (although I feel compelled to point out that Salma Hayak's father is actually an oil exec called Sami). You're right though, the man knows niche marketing like few others.
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Mea culpa. I had read somewhere in a watch collecting magazine that she was his daughter, but I see by Googling that I was wrong. My bad.
 
the current CEO of porsche would be a good idea, cant remember his name, pulled the company out of near bankruptcy with boxster, and made it the most profitable car company there is (ie profit margin per car).
 
How about Mr. Kobayashi? He might even lower the prices and give us an M9 with a spot meter and frame lines for all lenses!
 
bmattock said:
Nicolas Hayek. He is the father of actress Selma Hayak, but more importantly, he is the man who basically single-handedly saved the Swiss mechanical watch industry from doom.

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/news/2002/050702story.html

He just retired from Swatch Group, so he's available. The man is a genius, and he understands niche markets as no one else.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Hayek

I think he could revive Leica, breathe new life into it, turn it around, and get it started on the road to financial stability.
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Bill:

I agree with you although he is a bit long in the tooth. His impact on luxury watch brands in undisputed. What about his son? He appears to be quite capable and has a real appreciation for luxury products of all types.
 
Hayak or Jobs, both have breathed life into dead niches.

But I am sure that Kaufmann would not follow their direction.

On the other hand, Steve has enough money to buy Leica Camera out of pocket change, then he could fire Kaufmann.

B2 (;->
 
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