Ilaria Resta’s path to the summit of Swiss watchmaking was far from linear. Before stepping into the role of CEO at Audemars Piguet in 2024, she built a formidable, cross-disciplinary career spanning consumer goods, manufacturing, and global beauty. When Eyes Magazine met with her at Dubai Watch Week, that breadth became unmistakable, a leader shaped not by a single industry, but by a mosaic of global experiences. The transition into haute horlogerie was, as she admits, entirely unexpected. But the maison saw in her the rare quality she has championed throughout her career: a leader unafraid of fresh perspectives and unburdened by industry orthodoxy.
This attitude permeates her vision for Audemars Piguet. “The identity of AP is yes, tradition, and of course, looking back at our roots,” she reflects. “But at the same time, we have branches on our tree that reach very high.” Her leadership embodies this duality: steadfastly anchored in Le Brassus, yet expansive in its creative ambitions. She has never believed that expertise should become a cage; instead, her philosophy of circular leadership places the CEO at the centre of the organisation rather than above it, creating a culture where collaboration sparks faster, braver ideas.
Meeting with Eyes Magazine at Dubai Watch Week, Resta reflected on how the brand’s 150th anniversary has become a defining milestone under her stewardship. “We wanted to share our story with the world,” she explains. The travelling house of wonder exhibition, marking its last stop of its global tour in Dubai, embodies that philosophy —“a party not for clients, but for everybody interested and curious about AP. It’s a contagious passion.”
Connection, for Resta, is not rhetoric but strategy. “We don’t think and talk clients. We call our partners friends of the brand. By creating connection you inspire better ideas. By creating connection you turn buyers into friends,” she says, underscoring her commitment to building community both within and beyond the industry. It is also reflected in the maison’s evolving philosophy. AP no longer categorises watches by gender, a shift aligned with her belief in inclusivity and creative autonomy.
Looking ahead, she hints at a new chapter driven by deeper technical synergy. “You can expect continuous innovation and more inter-connected innovation,” she affirms. Materials, movements, and decoration will no longer be separate pillars but “an ecosystem of creativity”. For the first female CEO in the company’s history, one truth is evident: Audemars Piguet is honouring its roots by daring, once again, to reinvent them.
