Nick Hayek
Chief executive of the Swatch Group
Nick Hayek is the chief executive of the Swatch Group, the Swiss watch company that owns brands from Swatch to Omega, Longines and Breguet. The son of the group's co-founder Nicolas G. Hayek, he has led the company since January 2003.
| Role | Chief executive of the Swatch Group (since January 2003) |
|---|---|
| Board | Member of the board of directors since 2010 |
| Joined Swatch Group | 1994 |
| Education | Marketing, University of St. Gallen |
| Earlier career | Film director and producer in Paris |
Who is Nick Hayek?
Nick Hayek, born in 1954, is a Swiss business leader and chief executive of the Swatch Group, one of the world's largest watch companies. He is the son of Nicolas G. Hayek, who co-founded the group and is widely credited with saving the Swiss watch industry in the 1980s. Watches and accessories are closely linked to fashion, and the Swatch brand itself was conceived as a fashion product.
Career
Hayek studied marketing at the University of St. Gallen. Before joining the family business he worked in Paris in film, studying at a film academy, founding a production company and directing films including Family Express (1992). In 1994 he returned to Switzerland and joined the Swatch Group as head of marketing at Swatch AG, later becoming president of the executive board.
On 1 January 2003 he became chief executive of the Swatch Group, and in 2010 he joined its board of directors. In early 2026 he remained chief executive; he had said he would not lead the group for another twenty years, but no succession timetable had been announced, while the group reported a sharp fall in profit for 2025. He has led the company for more than two decades, making him one of the longest serving chief executives in the watch and luxury sector.
Influence on the fashion business
Under Hayek the Swatch Group has continued the strategy set by his father of combining mass market fashion watches with luxury brands under one industrial group. His leadership covers:
- A portfolio that spans the fashion brand Swatch and luxury names such as Omega, Longines and Breguet
- Watchmaking rooted in Swiss industrial production
- Marketing expertise developed since he first led marketing at Swatch AG in 1994
The Swatch brand itself showed in the 1980s that watches could be sold as fashion items with seasonal collections, an idea that continues to shape the accessories market.
Why it matters
Watches sit at the intersection of fashion, jewellery and technology, and the Swatch Group is the largest player in Swiss watchmaking. As its chief executive for more than two decades, Hayek is one of the longest serving leaders in the wider fashion and luxury sector, and his decisions influence suppliers, retailers and competitors across the accessories market. His background in film and marketing, rather than finance or engineering, also illustrates the weight that storytelling and brand communication carry in a category where products are often bought as much for their image as for their function.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Nick Hayek?
Nick Hayek is the chief executive of the Swatch Group, the Swiss watch company behind brands such as Swatch, Omega and Longines. He has held the role since January 2003.
How is Nick Hayek related to the Swatch Group's founder?
He is the son of Nicolas G. Hayek, who co-founded the Swatch Group. Nick Hayek joined the company in 1994 after a career as a film director.