MB&F just added a new strategic partner

“Chanel’s minority stake ensures stability and resilience with a strong strategic shareholder, sharing the same values and guaranteeing that MB&F’s long-term strategy will be maintained.”

MB&F – short for Maximilian Büsser & Friends, has welcomed Chanel as a new strategic minority shareholder. Chanel acquires 25% of MB&F.

– Maximilian Büsser (Max), Founder of MB&F retains 60% majority shareholding.

– Serge Kriknoff, Head of R&D and Production, and Max’s partner in MB&F will retain 15% shareholding.

– MB&F will continue to be led by the team of Max, Serge, Chris Yadigaroglou, Head of Marketing Communications and Thibault Verdonckt, Head of Sales.

“It was our responsibility, in today’s very favourable context and with our management team in its prime, to take this major step to ensure our long-term future – a natural evolution for a company celebrating its 20th anniversary next year. In addition to allowing us to pursue our independent path, free of any pressure on growth, the investment by Chanel will strengthen our operations by providing access when needed to their wider ecosystem and network of specialized suppliers.”  Maximilian Büsser. Founder of MB&F.

“We are delighted to sign a strategic partnership with MB&F who share the same values of independence, creativity and excellence. The announcement is part of our long-term strategy to continue to preserve, develop and invest in specialist know-how and expertise, reaffirming our position in high-end watchmaking.”  Frédéric Grangié, President of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery.

Chanel entered watchmaking in 1987, when they established a watch design studio on Place Vendôme in Paris. This was followed by an investment in 1993 in the G&F Châtelain Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland. In addition to MB&F, Chanel has similar investments in high-end independent watchmakers Romain Gauthier (2011) and F.P. Journe (2018). Both these brands are independently run.  

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From Left: HM11 Architect; LM Perpetual EVO Blue; LM FlyingT Onyx Edition; HM8 Mark 2; LM Sequential Flyback Platinum (also the header image); and Tales From The Tribe podcast image. (HM is short for Horological Machine. LM is short for Legacy Machine.)

Our Thoughts

My first article for The Cornea Impression in November 2023 was on an MB&F Horological Machine, the HM11 Architect, pictured above. Since then, I have written on few of their creations. From my first introduction to MB&F – US edition of Robb Report in the mid-2000’s; to seeing them in the flesh in Singapore during 2014-2017 (when I lived there); to interviewing Max for another platform; to covering MB&F creations for The Cornea Impression – I have only admiration and respect for Max and his team at MB&F. Max, together with his team at MB&F and their group of “Friends”, have turned the world of horology upside down in terms of what is possible. I cannot imagine horology without MB&F in it; it would not be the same. In the last 19 years, they have left a mark on horology that is second to none.

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Image is of the LM Sequential Flyback Platinum.

As they approach their 20th anniversary next year, and upon signing this partnership with Chanel, we at The Cornea Impression offer our heartiest congratulations to them and wish them all the best as they move forward. We hope they remain as Mad as ever and continue to delight with their creations.

Also Read

https://thecorneaimpression.com/mbf-launches-tales-from-the-tribe/

https://thecorneaimpression.com/mbfs-exciting-legacy-machine-sequential-flyback-platinum/

https://thecorneaimpression.com/mbf-unveils-a-latest-version-of-the-hm8-mark-2/

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