James Marks becomes the new CEO of Biver
Russell SheldrakeWe don’t seem to be out of CEO silly season yet. Coming shortly after the announcement of the Richemont reshuffle, independent brand Biver – founded by father and son Jean-Claude and Pierre Biver – are welcoming a new CEO, James Marks. Having held a prominent position at Phillips auction house for many years as the Deputy Chairman, Watches and International Head of Phillips Perpetual Marks oversaw the physical and e-commerce side of the auction house.
Biver was founded in 2022 and spearheaded by the industry legend that is Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre. Jean-Claude is responsible for many of the biggest moves in the watch industry, whether it is resurrecting Blancpain in the wake of the quartz crisis, before joining Hublot and making the company profitable enough to be bought by LVMH in just four years. This latest family venture is removed from his previous work purely on an execution level, with the first watch they released, the Carillon Tourbillon, ticking nearly all of the haute horology boxes.
Adding Marks to the company seems to be a shrewd move by the Bivers, given that Jean-Claude is now 74, adding a more experienced and well connected head to the team will give Pierre a massive boost moving forward. Marks was actually the person who first introduced me to Pierre a couple of years ago at a Phillips preview, and it was clear then that Marks had believed in what Pierre and his father were trying to accomplish. Marks will be staying on as a consultant at Phillips while starting this new role.
In the release announcing this addition to the team, Marks is quoted saying,“I am deeply honoured to be part of this esteemed venture and to collaborate with both Bivers in safeguarding their legacy. Together, we will uphold our commitment to high-watchmaking and luxury while charting new territories.” By the sounds of it, there will be plenty more to come from this young brand, following the same high watchmaking path the Carillon Tourbillon set.