Jean Esch
Meet Jean Esch, E-commerce Operations Specialist at Jaeger-LeCoultre, who has been working with his objective in mind, growing up in the wonderful environment of jewellery, that he discovered with his father. After an internship at Cartier as a Merchandising Intern, he followed his development into the group by joining Piaget in the Distribution Team before entering his current role at Jaeger Le-Coultre as an E-commerce Operations Specialist.
My career journey
My father is a jeweller by trade, so I grew up in this wonderful environment. When I was young, he took me with him on his business travels around the world, where I experienced and participated in international luxury fairs like Basel World or the Hong Kong International Jewellery Fair. Watching so many people from all over the globe trading gemstones made me realize what I wanted to do in my life!
That is why during the last year of my studies, I realized that I wanted to work for Cartier – the king of the jewellers. After an 8-month experience as a Sales Associate for a Jewellery brand at Selfridges in London, I heard that some internships were going to open at Cartier, so I knew that this was my chance. I was selected to participate in a speed recruitment event and my determination helped me to pass the different steps to achieve my dream. I started working at Cartier as a Merchandising intern. My team oversaw the boutique’s stock needs for retail and wholesale. At Cartier, I learned excellence and to always be self-surpassing.
“Dream big, plan well, work hard and good things will happen.”
When my internship ended, a new opportunity came up to join the Swiss subsidiary of Piaget. During my interview, I felt this was the place where I needed to be! I was hired to be the main point of contact for the Piaget boutiques for their visual merchandising and stock management. We were a small team based in the heart of Geneva. It was very exciting! This period is full of good memories. From travelling around Switzerland to visit some retailers to celebrating special moments with the team, it was an amazing time.
One year later, I had the chance to be recruited by the Distribution Team of Piaget Headquarters, which was a team I was in contact with during my previous experience. Even though I started straight at the beginning of the first lockdown, I felt very well in the team very quickly thanks to an inspiring manager and some captivating missions. I was now able to assist the whole world in terms of product allocations, and I was asked to coordinate some completely cross-functional projects, which led me to meet some amazing people.
Finally, I had the opportunity to be recruited by Jaeger Le-Coultre as an E-commerce Operations Specialist. E-commerce is a fast-growing channel and it’s very exciting to be part of this challenge, with the opportunity to learn every day. The atmosphere at Jaeger is amazing, and I can easily picture myself growing and evolving within the Maison.
My biggest learning
My biggest learning is that alone we go fast, but together we go far. You should never be afraid to ask for help when you need it because that’s how we can learn and grow. I think that communication is key to progress!
Some final words
I have been surprised by how long employees stay within Richemont, where the retention rate is quite high and how you can easily meet colleagues that dedicated more than 10, 20, and even 30 years to the Group.
I think the main reason is the overall feeling and quality of the environment where people are encouraged to do their best and have the opportunity to grow. You can discover different roles, locations, and Maisons.
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