Retail Director, Germany & Southern Europe
A. Lange & Söhne is hiring a Retail Director, Germany & Southern Europe in Berlin to lead luxury retail operations and drive regional growth.
Overview
A. Lange & Söhne is a German haute horlogerie manufacture recognized for its technical mastery, artisanal finishing and restrained design language. As part of an international luxury group (Richemont), the maison combines traditional watchmaking craft with a global retail footprint and selective distribution, serving discerning collectors and connoisseurs worldwide.
Role & Responsibilities
- Define and execute the retail strategy for Germany and Southern Europe to achieve top-line and profitability targets, aligning with global brand positioning.
- Own P&L responsibility for the region, including budgeting, forecasting, margin management and corrective action plans.
- Lead, coach and develop a distributed team of boutique managers, regional managers and retail staff to elevate selling performance and client service standards.
- Manage key retail accounts and selective wholesale partners; negotiate commercial terms and monitor contractual compliance.
- Drive clienteling initiatives and CRM-driven retention programmes to expand high-value client relationships and lifetime value.
- Coordinate store opening, refurbishment and visual merchandising projects to ensure consistent presentation of the brand’s heritage and product DNA.
- Set and monitor KPI dashboards (sales, conversion, average sale, stock turn) and implement ongoing performance improvement measures.
- Collaborate with product, marketing and after-sales teams to align assortment, events and service standards with local market dynamics.
- Represent the brand at industry forums and with key clients, acting as the regional ambassador for A. Lange & Söhne.
Qualifications
- Proven leadership experience in luxury watchmaking, high-end jewellery or premium fashion retail, with responsibility for a multi-country region.
- Track record of P&L ownership and delivering sustained revenue and margin growth in selective distribution models.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience managing wholesale accounts and boutique networks.
- Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop and retain high-performing retail teams and boutique managers.
- Fluent business-level German and English; additional Southern European language skills (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese) advantageous.
- Willingness to travel frequently across the region and to relocate to the assigned hub if required.
Skills
Experience
Typically 8–12 years in luxury retail with at least 4–6 years in regional or multi-boutique leadership roles; demonstrable experience in the watch or jewellery sector preferred.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Luxury Management, Marketing or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience in lieu of formal qualification accepted.
Culture
The company cultivates a culture of precision, discretion and craftsmanship, where technical excellence and heritage are paramount. Teams operate in a collegial, detail-oriented environment that values long-term client relationships, meticulous execution and a commitment to artisanal quality.