Hartmut Kraft new head of Kering luxury watch division North America

Kering, the luxury goods conglomerate, has named a new head of their luxury watch division for North America: Mr. Hartmut Kraft. Kraft will be stepping into his new role immediately, and will be responsible for overseeing Swiss watch manufacturer Ulysse Nardin Inc. and Tradema of North America. The luxury watch market is getting increasingly tougher, especially with classic luxury watch brands trying to figure out how to compete with Apple's upcoming smartwatch.

Kraft won't be arriving at Kering without knowing what he's doing, however. He previously served as President and CEO of DKSH Luxury Lifestyle North America. If there is anyone who can figure out how to keep a luxury brand thriving in the face of its competitors it's him. In addition to overseeing Ulysse Nardin and Tradema of North America, Kraft will also be overseeing the Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard brands.

Aside from their array of watch companies, Kering is also the company famous for owning famous luxury brands, such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Balenciaga. Kraft has some excellent room for growth at the company, and who knows, he could be the next CEO of Alexander McQueen in the near future. But, for now, we'll just keep an eye on what he does with Kering's watch offerings in North America.