Seiko Corporation of America Announces Appointments

MAHWAH, N.J., April 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Seiko Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Seiko Watch Corporation, today announced two new executive appointments to support the growth of the Grand Seiko brand in the United States luxury watch category and optimize its U.S. distribution model for Seiko's core lines.

• Brice Le Troadec, former Brand President OMEGA U.S.A. joins as Executive Vice President, SCA and Brand President, Grand Seiko America.
• John Pistner, former Executive Vice President of Bulova Watch Company and an independent consultant to watch, jewelry and retail businesses, joins as Senior Vice President, Sales, SCA.

"This year at Baselworld, we made the exciting announcement that Grand Seiko would be an independent global brand rather than a sub-category of Seiko, with the intention of scaling new heights of watchmaking excellence and commercial success," said Akio Naito, Chairman of SCA as well as Senior Executive Vice President at its parent company. "Mr. Le Troadec will lead our Grand Seiko efforts in the U.S. together with the other high-end collections of Seiko, including Credor, Galante, etc. Mr. Pistner will help us optimize our distribution of Seiko's core lines, including Coutura, Tressia, Prospex, Presage, as well as Pulsar and clocks, at a time of great change in retail."

"I am confident we are now in a position to gain market share and strengthen our business across all channels of this challenging U.S. watch market," Mr. Naito continued. "These two watch industry veterans will help us implement strategies for Grand Seiko and Seiko that will help us achieve success in this strategically important market as a leading global watch manufacturer."

Prior to these changes, Martin Gormley was Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing. Mr. Naito stated, "Mr. Gormley has provided leadership to SCA through many years of success. We thank him for his active service to Seiko." Mr. Gormley will take on a consulting role.

Le Troadec said he was excited at the opportunity to expand Grand Seiko's U.S. presence. "The Grand Seiko is a singular brand with a distinctive character, legacy and identity," said Le Troadec. "As a worldwide prestige brand, it is on the rise. For years, I have felt Grand Seiko had a tremendous growth opportunity in the luxury watch category and I am extremely excited today to be leading this effort."

Pistner said Seiko's core lines were well-positioned in the marketplace. "In today's ever-changing retail environment, it's important to maintain a position of strength. The Seiko brand has a legacy of success in the U.S. market. I look forward to working with the new management team to execute successful strategies across all channels."

Pistner's appointment was effective April 1. Le Troadec begins his role May 1.

About Seiko Corporation of America

Seiko Corporation of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seiko Watch Corporation, which is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Seiko was founded in 1881, and is the only watch manufacturer with every watchmaking expertise including Mechanical, Quartz, Kinetic, Spring Drive, Solar and GPS Solar. For more information on Seiko, visit www.seikousa.com.

SOURCE Seiko Corporation of America

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