CEO of The Month I Chapter 5 :The Wilhelm Schmid Effect: How A. Lange & Söhne Keeps Time On Its Own Terms
4 min read
It’s not often that you meet someone in this industry who makes you pause, not because of a grand launch or a record-breaking auction, but because of the quiet conviction with which they speak about time. For me, Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, has always been that person. Even as the world of watchmaking grows louder, with celebrity ambassadors, social media blitzes, and limited editions by the dozen, Lange moves to its own rhythm. And Wilhelm ensures it stays that way.
I’ve had the privilege of speaking with him several times over the years and every conversation has left me with the same feeling, that behind A. Lange & Söhne's breathtaking watches lies a leader who truly gets it. He doesn’t just run a Manufacture, he cultivates a culture.
I still remember one of our first interviews. Surrounded by the gleam of A. Lange & Söhne's latest novelties, Wilhelm smiled and said, “If you haven’t exercised for a while and you start again, all your muscles open up, well, this is what the experience has been for me.” That line stayed with me. It wasn’t corporate talk; it was human. A reminder that even for the head of one of the world’s most respected watch maisons, passion still feels fresh, like rediscovering your rhythm after a long pause. And perhaps that’s what defines him best: his ability to make something as precise as German watchmaking feel deeply personal.
From BMW to Glashütte: A journey rooted in machines & meaning
Wilhelm didn’t start his career in haute horlogerie. Prior to joining A. Lange & Söhne, he was in senior roles at BMW, spending time in South Africa among other places. That unconventional path gives him an edge: he understands big-industry efficiency and global business, yet he embraces the precision of artisan watchmaking. So when he came to A. Lange & Söhne in 2011, he brought both an appreciation for craft and a vision for structure. The result? Under his leadership, A. Lange & Söhne sharpened its product families and expanded its global presence.
Why Wilhelm Schmid Stands Out
Choosing Wilhelm as our CEO of the Month wasn’t difficult, because his leadership is defined not just by milestones, but by meaning. Here’s what makes him truly stand apart:
1. Pushing the limits of possibility
When A. Lange & Söhne unveiled its Grand Complication in 2013, it wasn’t just a show of technical prowess, it was a declaration. A symbol of what this manufacture, reborn after decades of silence, could now achieve under Wilhelm’s guidance. It reflected the brand’s quiet confidence, its ability to marry precision with poetry.
2. Growth with integrity
The Odysseus, A. Lange & Söhne's first luxury-sports watch, could easily have felt like a detour. Instead, it became proof that evolution and authenticity can coexist. Under Wilhelm, the brand entered a new segment without losing its soul, a rare balancing act in today’s market.
3. The courage of restraint
In a world obsessed with expansion and novelty, Wilhelm believes in discipline. They don’t design watches for X, Y, Z. They do watches in line with the A. Lange & Söhne DNA. That ethos defines his leadership, deliberate, focused, and unshaken by noise.
"Training Company of the Year" to the trainers of the Manufacture
4. Investing in people, not just products
What truly sets Wilhelm apart is his understanding that A. Lange & Söhne's greatest asset isn’t machinery or marketing — it’s people. As he once told us, the brand’s real treasure lies in “the rarest resource on the planet… skilled hands.” He’s not just managing a manufacturer, he’s preserving an ecosystem of artistry, ensuring that every tick of an A. Lange & Söhne movement carries the imprint of human touch.
Why I crown him CEO of the Month
In a world of flashy marketing, celebrity endorsements and rapid growth, what strikes me about Wilhelm is his quiet depth. He leads a brand that doesn’t shout. He values craftsmen over hype. He respects heritage but isn’t tethered by it. And for someone who has long admired A. Lange & Söhne watches not just as objects, but as stories, his leadership makes sense to me. So yes, Wilhelm Schmid is our CEO of the Month. For steering A. Lange & Söhne with purpose. For valuing people as much as product. For being both a petrolhead and a perfectionist, and for letting those dual passions inform his leadership.
His achievements are tangible: product milestones, strategic evolution, global boutique expansion. His philosophy is intangible: respect for craft, commitment to team, clarity of vision. And on a personal level, someone who once remarked about getting his “muscles moving again” reminds me of all of us in creative industries that restarting, rethinking, recommitting are as much part of the journey as launching a new watch.
