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Apple Recruits Tag Heuer Executive for iWatch Launch
Jul 6, 2014 7:22 AM
By Deena Taylor
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RAPAPORT... TAG Heuer's vice president of sales, Patrick Pruniaux, left the Swiss luxury watch brand to take up a new position at Apple on July 7, Reuters reported.
Tag Heuer is owned by luxury goods group LVMH. A Tag Heuer spokesperson said that Pruniaux was likely recruited in a move to help Apple launch its iWatch in the third quarter, according to Reuters.
Pruniaux's appointment is another sign that Apple plans to position the iWatch as a luxury item. Jean-Claude Biver, the head of the watches division at LVMH which oversees Tag Heuer, Zenith and Hublot, told Reuters that the threat of smart watches needs to be taken seriously by the Swiss watch industry.
He also told CNBC in an interview that Pruniaux's new role at Apple is a great opportunity. “If he would have gone to my direct competitors, I would have felt a bit betrayed, but if he goes to Apple, I think it is a great experience for him,” he said.
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Tags:
apple, Deena Taylor, iWatch, Jean-Claude Biver, LVMH, Patrick Pruniaux, Tag Heuer
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