Céline Assimon, De Grisogono CEO, courtesy De Grisogono
High jewelry house De Grisogono has a new boss. Céline Assimon has joined the Geneva-based maison as CEO with the mission to pursue its development on an international scale. The appointment comes following her role as high jewelry and exceptional pieces director at Piaget and worldwide head of high jewelry and high watchmaking sales at Louis Vuitton. As the French executive readies the brand founded by Fawaz Gruosi in 1993 and known for taking the black diamond out of obscurity to become a global luxury name heralded for its audacious gem parings and dynamic designs, she shares her five tips to ace your career.
SERVE WITH PASSION
“’Love what you do and have fun’ is my personal motto. I am a passionate positive person and extremely blessed to be the CEO of De Grisogono, a Maison that has made me dream since I came across some of its iconic high jewellery designs, in the early 2000s. Every morning, I wake up looking forward to spending time in our workshops, meeting with our creative studio, deploying our strategy for the years to come, or visiting our boutiques. The ultimate compliment is when a client wears one of our creation and tells us how much she loves it. It matters to me, but most importantly to our team that works tirelessly with such passion. The days go by way too fast, but it is so worth it when you love what you do!”
De Grisogono diamond and ruby drop earrings and rings. Courtesy De Grisogono
ACT WITH DETERMINATION
“It has always been pretty clear, from my early adulthood, that jewelry would take central stage in my professional life. This is a very special industry I fell in love with; it combines precious materials, miracles of nature, the gift of creativity, and the painstakingly intricate art of crafting jewelry. After business school, I stayed focused on this objective. Day after day, step by step, things fell into place naturally.
STAY CURIOUS
“If you keep an open mind, challenge the world, then you foster innovation. So stay curious. It is the first step towards improvement and ‘émerveillement.’ You know, that ‘A-ha’ moment we all look for at work, when we discover something new and exciting? It all starts by a touch of curiosity and seeking wonder.”
NURTURE YOUR TEAM
“With a team of highly skilled people, you can move mountains. How good we are individually is fundamental but how well we work together is what makes the difference. We are a human-scale team compare to our competitors and it is a real strength. It allows us to be reactive, innovative, and to continue pushing boundaries on a daily basis. It involves nurturing dialogue and exchanging ideas.”
TAKE RISKS
“After business school, I lived in New York for well over a decade. My American experience really shaped my work ethics. It freed me from being afraid to take risks. I learned how to be resilient, decisive, and fast-moving. Risk, freedom, and responsibility are words that mean a lot to me.
There’s this great quote from a French poet, René Char, that I often tell my eight-year-old daughter when she faces adversity. ‘Impose your luck, embrace your happiness, and go toward your risks: by looking at you, they’ll get used to it.’ That sums it up for me!” Degrisogono.com
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