Shinola has tapped Ulrich Wohn as its next president, effective immediately, the Detroit-based company announced on Monday.
Wohn will directly oversee merchandising, retail, wholesale, manufacturing, operations and product development. He will report to Steve Katzman, CEO of Shinola parent Bedrock Manufacturing.
“Shinola stands for something truly distinctive in today’s market — a belief in craftsmanship, quality, and creativity,” Wohn said in a statement. “I’m honored to join a team that’s redefining what an American luxury brand can be, and I look forward to building on the strong foundation that’s already in place.”
Most recently, Wohn served as president of North America at Swiss Army knife and watch manufacturer Victorinox for four years. From 2006 to 2015, he served as president and CEO of North America at LVMH-owned Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer.
Wohn succeeds Mark Light, who stepped in as interim president last year and will reassume his position as chairman of Bedrock Manufacturing.
Last month, Shinola named former Coach executive Jonathan Bailey as its creative director. The brand also released a campaign in September entreating Swiss watchmakers, currently navigating a 39-percent tariff on exports to the US, to relocate a portion of their manufacturing to Detroit, to revitalise the city’s once-robust labour economy.
Shinola’s Message to Swiss Watchmakers: Come to Detroit
The American watch brand has launched a campaign to encourage its Swiss rivals to consider manufacturing in the US in the face of steep tariffs.
