HAUTLENCE enters a decisive new leadership phase

Key Highlights

• Appointment of Cédric Joos as Brand Manager at a pivotal moment for HAUTLENCE.
• Return of founder and former CEO Guillaume Tetu as Chairman and Advisor.
• Creation of a steering committee with key H. Moser & Cie. board members.
• Focus on new complications and bold designs to support the brand’s relaunch.
• Reaffirmation of HAUTLENCE’s role in independent watchmaking.

A new chapter for an independent pioneer

From its base in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, HAUTLENCE is resetting its leadership as it prepares a fresh wave of complications and daring designs. The brand has appointed Cédric Joos as Brand Manager, while founder and former CEO Guillaume Tetu returns as Chairman and Advisor, with both roles aligned to support the next phase of growth among independent watchmakers.

With new pieces set to be unveiled at Watches and Wonders, HAUTLENCE is aligning governance, creative direction and strategic oversight to keep its design language and technical ambition coherent. The aim is to build on its bold, architectural watchmaking with renewed clarity of purpose.

Cédric Joos: strategy, markets and client focus

Born and raised in the Jura at the heart of Swiss watchmaking, Cédric Joos combines industry roots with formal business training. After a degree in Business Administration, he built close to a decade of experience in luxury watchmaking, starting at Bucherer, where he gained an understanding of the retail environment and the expectations of clients and partners.

He then joined H. Moser & Cie. as Customer Relationship Manager, contributing to the development of the brand’s direct-to-consumer strategy and strengthening relationships with watch enthusiasts. Over three years, he helped structure direct sales and international market development with a client-centric approach. This experience is now being channelled into HAUTLENCE, with the mandate to drive the maison forward while preserving its distinctive DNA of bold design and technical excellence.

The return of Guillaume Tetu and a strengthened governance

HAUTLENCE has established a steering committee that brings together key members of the H. Moser & Cie. board: Edouard Meylan, Bertrand Meylan, Nicholas Hofmann and Maurizio Tallero. Their mandate is to provide strategic direction and oversight and to foster synergies between HAUTLENCE and its sister brand within MELB Holding, while respecting each maison’s identity.

Within this framework, the return of founder Guillaume Tetu as Chairman and Advisor carries particular resonance. As the original creative force behind HAUTLENCE, his presence underscores the brand’s commitment to inventive watchmaking and continuity of vision for collectors who have followed the brand since its early Neuchâtel days.

Brand context and production philosophy

Founded in 2004, HAUTLENCE – an anagram of Neuchâtel – pays tribute to the cradle of Swiss watchmaking while challenging traditional codes. In 2022, the maison refined its signature design cues with a more contemporary and sporty approach, supported by a streamlined structure, a more exclusive distribution network and a visual identity aligned with its positioning.

With an annual production of around 200 pieces and nine calibres designed and developed in-house, HAUTLENCE balances internal development with carefully selected external partners for certain movements. Supported since 2012 by MELB Holding, the independent family watchmaking group behind H. Moser & Cie., the brand continues to explore alternative ways of displaying time, uniting architecture, design and mechanical invention.

The focus remains on functional beauty and on respecting every stage and every person involved in the creation of each timepiece.

Why it matters

This renewed leadership structure signals a clear commitment to HAUTLENCE’s independent vision at a moment when the brand is preparing to present new complications and designs. For collectors who value creative risk-taking and coherent governance, the combination of a seasoned brand manager, a founder returning as Chairman and a dedicated steering committee offers a reassuring framework for the maison’s next chapter.

HAUTLENCE invites watch enthusiasts to discover its new creations at Watches and Wonders, where it aims to continue stretching the boundaries of creativity and innovation in haute horlogerie.