GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — Richemont announced yesterday the Group has acquired a controlling interest in the
well known Geneva watch company, Manufacture Roger Dubuis SA in a private transaction
with Carlos Dias, one of the founding shareholders.
Manufacture Roger Dubuis SA will continue to manufacture and distribute watches under the
‘Roger Dubuis’ name and will operate as an autonomous ‘Maison’ within Richemont. Roger
Dubuis will benefit from broader integration of its distribution into the Richemont structure as
a consequence of the transaction, Richemont said in a press release.
Commenting on the transaction, Mr Johann Rupert, Executive Chairman of Richemont, said:
“Roger Dubuis watches are highly innovative in terms of movements and design. As a young
business, it is very different from the more established specialist watchmakers within the
Group today; as such it complements our Maisons perfectly. We look forward to developing
the Roger Dubuis business internationally.”
The transaction will have no material impact on Richemont’s consolidated net assets and is
not expected to have any significant impact on the Group’s overall profitability for the year
ending 31 March 2009, the company said.
Richemont owns a portfolio of international luxury brands. The businesses operate in five areas: Jewellery
Maisons, being Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels; Specialist watchmakers, which is made up of Jaeger-LeCoultre,
Piaget, IWC, Baume & Mercier, Vacheron Constantin, Officine Panerai and A. Lange & Söhne; Writing
instrument manufacturers – Montblanc and Montegrappa; Leather and accessories Maisons, being Alfred Dunhill
and Lancel; and Other businesses, which includes, specifically, Chloé as well as other, smaller Maisons and
watch component manufacturing activities for third parties.
Related
In addition to its luxury goods business, Richemont currently holds a 19.4 per cent interest in British American
Tobacco.
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