Guido Benedini
Riva San Vitale
Summary
Entrepreneurial and passionate marketeer with a significant experience in the emotional products, luxury and industrial B2C industries who has consistently delivered in shaping and managing strong brands and teams at world-class companies, with a track-record of building revenue, increasing brand equity and turning prospects into customers and customers into loyal and engaged community members.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
CWA (Chief Watch Angel)
GFF Suisse SA / Watch Angels
Mendrisio
2020.01 - Current
- Co-founder responsible for sales and marketing
- Grew the community to 100k members, grew revenue to 1.6mio and brought the company to be cashflow positive
Private Label Division Head
FM Group
Mendrisio
2019.01 - Current
- Manages the private label business
- Has devised and implemented a new 'Watches as a Service' model and grew turnover by cumulated 100%, acquiring prestigious brands in the watch and fashion industry
Brand Director
Alpina Watches
Geneva
2014.01 - 2018.12
- Responsible for the Alpina Brand and P&L
- Grew the business by a cumulated 150% through effective strategies in sales, product design, pricing and supply chain management
CEO
Classic Driver
Zürich
2011.01 - 2012.12
- Responsible for the market place and the online publication
- Introduced a new economic model for participating car dealers and an innovative content driven marketplace which has increased turnover by 40%
CO-Founder
Be Arty (formerly Cultwork)
Geneva
2008.01 - 2011.12
- Co-founded the company and helped to raise 750K seed finance
- Scaled and sold company
- Signed license contracts with prestigious brands such as Ducati, Alfa Romeo and Alinghi
Product Director
Longines (Swatch Group)
St. Imier
2006.01 - 2008.12
- Developed the new Longines sports collection and the related communication concept, marking the return of the brand in the sports watch segment
- The collection contributed to a 150 million sales increase for the company in 24 months
Marketing Director
Rado (Swatch Group)
Legnau
2004.01 - 2006.12
- Responsible for the Rado brand and product art direction
- Developed the 'fusion' concept in communication and product design that has made the high-tech materials positioning of the brand relevant, emotional and therefore desirable for customers
- The concept is still in use today
Marketing Director
Blancpain (Swatch Group)
Paudex
2002.01 - 2004.12
- Global Brand management responsibility
- Developed a storytelling approach to market the über luxury and technical Blancpain products
- Supported the launch of the iconic 50th Fathoms and the Equation Marchante collections
Marketing Director
Tissot (Swatch Group)
Le Locle
2000.01 - 2002.12
- Global marketing management responsibility
- Developed and introduced the Tissot 'T' communication concept and supported the introduction of the iconic T-Touch model
Communications Manager
Longines (Swatch Group)
St. Imier
1998.01 - 2000.12
- Global communications management responsibility
- Developed the 'Elegance is an Attitude' communication concept, the longest lasting in the watch industry
- Repositioned Longines from a male oriented 'watch for pioneers' Brand to a unisex elegant-lifestyle Brand
Communications Manager
Swatch (Swatch Group)
Biel
1996.01 - 1998.12
- Global communications management responsibility
- Developed and executed 12 global communication campaigns
- Developed and executed the Swatch Irony and Swatch Skin communication concepts
- Created and implemented the first Swatch website
- Developed the 'Swatch Time' global time concept
Brand Manager Italy
Blancpain Italy (Swatch Group)
Milano
1994.01 - 1996.12
- Brand and sales Responsibility for the Italian market
- Re-qualified and enlarged the distribution on the Italian market
- Doubled turnover year-on-year
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Business Economics
University of Reading
ReadingMBA - Business
SDA Bocconi
Milano, ItalySkills
Team building and manangement
Brand building
Brand management
Brand positioning and narrative
Digital Marketing
Event management
Brand ambassador management
PR
Community marketing
Creative and innovation direction
Trade marketing
International implementation and evangelisation
Timeline
CWA (Chief Watch Angel)
GFF Suisse SA / Watch Angels
2020.01 - Current
Private Label Division Head
FM Group
2019.01 - Current
Brand Director
Alpina Watches
2014.01 - 2018.12
CEO
Classic Driver
2011.01 - 2012.12
CO-Founder
Be Arty (formerly Cultwork)
2008.01 - 2011.12
Product Director
Longines (Swatch Group)
2006.01 - 2008.12
Marketing Director
Rado (Swatch Group)
2004.01 - 2006.12
Marketing Director
Blancpain (Swatch Group)
2002.01 - 2004.12
Marketing Director
Tissot (Swatch Group)
2000.01 - 2002.12
Communications Manager
Longines (Swatch Group)
1998.01 - 2000.12
Communications Manager
Swatch (Swatch Group)
1996.01 - 1998.12
Brand Manager Italy
Blancpain Italy (Swatch Group)
1994.01 - 1996.12
Bachelor of Arts - Business Economics
University of Reading
MBA - Business
SDA Bocconi