WATCH INDUSTRY / NEWS & PERSPECTIVE
François-Henry Bennahmias, the former chief executive of Audemars Piguet, has reportedly taken on a consulting role at Hublot. It is a development worth watching: an executive closely associated with AP’s modern identity could now help shape the next chapter of a very different watchmaker.
What has been reported
In an article published on 15 October 2026, Hodinkee’s Andy Hoffman reports that Bennahmias has been brought in to advise Hublot, citing people familiar with the matter. The report says Julien Tornare remains CEO. Hublot declined to comment.
The appointment was first reported by Glitz. For now, the reported position is a consultancy. The reports do not establish a change of chief executive or set out a detailed public mandate for Bennahmias.
Why Bennahmias brings a different perspective
Bennahmias spent almost three decades at Audemars Piguet before leaving at the end of 2023. Ilaria Resta succeeded him on 1 January 2024, as set out in AP’s leadership announcement.
His reputation extends beyond managing a watch company. GQ’s retrospective on his tenure describes his role in connecting AP with figures such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay-Z and LeBron James. Those relationships helped place the brand in conversations spanning sport, music and entertainment.
That experience makes the Hublot connection interesting. Both brands invite discussion about the relationship between watchmaking and popular culture, even though their histories, products and positions in the market are distinct.
Hublot already has an identity to build on
Hublot’s story began in 1980 with the combination of gold and natural rubber. The Big Bang followed in 2005. Today, LVMH’s overview of the manufacture highlights its Unico movement, sapphire cases, coloured ceramics and Magic Gold alongside its partnerships in sport and art.
Those are tangible foundations for a brand story. A collector can encounter Hublot through an unexpected design, then discover the engineering and manufacturing behind it. The challenge, in our view, is making that second encounter as compelling as the first.
The Superwatchman perspective
We see the potential value of this reported appointment in the connection between attention and lasting interest. A familiar face can make someone notice a watch. A distinctive product, a convincing explanation and a good ownership experience give that person reasons to stay interested.
For Hublot, the most useful outcome would be a clearer relationship between its creative collaborations and the watches collectors return to year after year. A partnership should help someone understand the brand’s point of view. It should also leave them curious about the wider collection.
Bennahmias’s AP experience could be valuable here, but its application would need to respect what makes Hublot itself. Copying another manufacture’s formula would offer little. The opportunity is to make Hublot’s own ideas more persuasive, from the product in a boutique to the story around it.
That is our interpretation of the opportunity, rather than a description of an announced strategy. The next meaningful evidence will come from Hublot’s decisions: which products it emphasises, how it presents its watchmaking and how it develops relationships with collectors.
A prominent consultant can bring perspective and connections. The watches, and the experience of owning them, will still have to make the case.
From our archive: Future’s Hublot Balloon Dog: Jeff Koons on the Wrist.
News attribution: Hodinkee and Glitz, 15 October 2026. Background: Audemars Piguet’s leadership announcement, GQ and LVMH. The consulting appointment is reported information; the Superwatchman perspective is editorial analysis.
