Baselworld Owner Gets New Chief

RAPAPORT... MCH Group has appointed Bernd Stadlwieser CEO, as the Baselworld parent company works to reinvigorate interest in its annual fair. "[Stadlwieser] has a great deal of experience in sectors ofindustry that are of importance to us, as well as for taking forward thetransformation process that has been launched," MCH chairman Ulrich Vischer said last week. A 20-year veteran of the watch and jewelry industries,Stadlwieser has previously served as group CEO of Mondaine Watch and Thomas Sabo. MCH has been attempting to reignite the Baselworld show followingthe exit of several large exhibitors, including Swatch Group, Maurice Lacroix,Corum and Audemars Piguet. The group has since made changes to its program, reducingexhibitor prices and negotiating cheaper deals with local hotels andrestaurants. Most recently, it teamed up with Salon International de la HauteHorlogerie (SIHH) to synchronize show dates to allow exhibitors and visitors toattend both Swiss shows consecutively, starting in 2020. "The MCH Group has a strong market position in a fascinatingbusiness segment that I am very familiar with from my work to date, and [from] myrelations with Baselworld and Art Basel," Stadlwieser said, referring to another show that MCH organizes. "The company isfacing major challenges and opportunities. I have seen for myself that thenecessary transformation and innovation process has already been launched, andthat, together with the employees, key steps have been taken to realign thebusiness for the future, ensuring that the MCH Group will emerge stronger thanbefore." MCH has yet to determine Stadlwieser's start date. InterimCEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard will continue to run the company until he begins, thegroup noted. Image: Bernd Stadlwieser. (MCH Group)