Hublot, the innovative Swiss luxury watch brand, named new top executives for its U.S. and worldwide operations. The appointees are already working in their posts.

Fabrizio Cocchiano, an industry veteran with a solid background in high-end watch and jewelry brands, is the new president of Hublot of America, effective Dec 1. Hublot of America, headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., covers the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean markets.

Cocchiano has been with Hublot of America since 1993, where he initially was responsible for the East Coast and the Caribbean. Before that, he was a consultant to Damiani and Technomarine, and earlier helped develop the southern U.S. and Caribbean markets (between 1989 and 2000) for Baume & Mericer, A. Dunhill, Montblanc, Chopard, and David Yurman).

Yvan Arpa, who had been vice president of sales and marketing for Hublot worldwide since 2002, has been named general manager of Hublot S.A., based in Nyon, Switzerland, making him second-in-command of the luxury brand’s worldwide operations. Arpa was previously with the Swiss watch brands Baume & Mercier and Sector, where he was one of the executives responsible for Sector’s successful, late 1990’s “No Limits” campaign.

Jean Claude Biver, who became CEO of Hublot S.A. last summer, had his appointment reconfirmed in the Jan. 11 announcement. The company’s founder, Carlo Crocco, who created the luxury brand, remains president of Hublot.

Bever first made his mark in Swiss watchmaking at Audemars Piguet. In 1983, he bought the venerable Swiss brand Blancpain (1735), which he re-launched and made a leader in top luxury watches. In 1992, Biver sold Blancpain to the Swatch Group, the world’s largest watchmaker, but remained president until early 2002, when he became president of the Group’s upscale Omega brand, which he revamped. He left the Swatch Group early last year to work with luxury watchmaker Franck Muller, but in June, he accepted the offer from Crocco, founder, owner, and chairman of MDM Genève to oversee MDM’s Hublot watch brand.

MDM is one of the few remaining independent family-owned Swiss watch firms. Its innovative Hublot watch has long been popular with celebrities, royalty and affluent watch consumers. MDM produces 15,000 Hublot watches annually. Major markets include the United States, Spain, and Italy.

JCK