Longines - Walter von Känel
" Watchmaking has always fascinated me", says Walter von Känel, who spent his childhood from 1945 at the top of the Saint-Imier Valley in the Bernois Jura, the heart of Swiss watchmaking. " When I was a boy, the great Longines company in the foothills of Saint-Imier, where most of the people of our region worked, always impressed me, and I was convinced that one day, I was going to work there. Already at that time, watchmaking was the life of our region, and I knew that one day it would enable me to discover the world."
Walter von Känel's professional career started with the Federal Authorities, where he worked as a technical officer in the Customs Departments. In 1964, he joined Jean Singer Ltd., a watch dials and cases manufacturer in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
After a few years in the Industrial Accounts, Logistics and Sales Departments, he joined the Longines Watch Company Francillon Ltd. as a Sales Executive. Shortly after, he was sent to the USA for a training course with Longines' American agent: LONGINES - WITTNAUER WATCH Co. LTD in New York. His passion for watchmaking, his abilities, his talent as a negotiator and his b personality are all qualities that enabled him to climb the ladder quickly. In 1988, after having worked as a Sales Executive and then as a Commercial Executive (Sales and Marketing), he was entrusted with Longines' General Management.
In 1990, Nicolas G. Hayek, Chairman of The Swatch Group Ltd., requested him to join the Group's enlarged management. The many years that Walter von Känel served in the Swiss Army as an officer in the militia have enabled this former Major in an Infantry Regiment to acquire ground expertise in the fields of human resources management and general organization.Biography of Walter von Känel, President of LonginesDate of birth: September 1, 1941, in Schwerin, Germany
Nationality: Swiss
Marital status: Married, 2 children
Education: Commercial studies and apprenticeship with Nussle SA, La Chaux-de-Fonds
Many proficiency and advanced training courses in Switzerland and abroad
Hobbies: Target shooting, running, long distance skiing, regional historyProfessional Career
Federal Authority in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Bienne and Brigue
Customs technical officer
Jean Singer Ltd., La Chaux-de-Fonds
Various duties in the Industrial Accounts, Logistics and Sales Departments
Longines Watch Co. Francillon Ltd., Saint-Imier
Sales Executive
Sales Department Manager
Sales and Marketing Manager
Longines Watch Co. Francillon Ltd., Saint-Imier
President
The Swatch Group Ltd.
Member of the Group's enlarged management