Mathieu Pointeau, Chief People Officer at Breitling, leads HR for one of the world’s most renowned watchmakers. With a 140-year legacy and over 1,900 employees across 20+ countries, Breitling’s workforce is the engine behind its innovation and craftsmanship, sustaining the brand’s iconic status in the luxury watch industry.
A business-turned-HR professional with an MBA from IMD, Mathieu’s career spans diverse industries, regions, and leadership roles. His innovative approach fosters leadership and shapes an agile, inclusive culture, ensuring Breitling’s people are equipped to craft the future of the brand.
Living in Lausanne with his wife and daughter, Mathieu balances strategic vision with human connection, championing an HR approach that celebrates the people behind Breitling’s enduring legacy.
Why did you want to become CHRO? What fuels your drive?
“It was a long journey before I finally found my place in the HR function. Once I did, my career really started to take off. I’ve always enjoyed doing a variety of things, and the role of CHRO was my ultimate goal because it covers such diverse areas – from talent management to rewards to business partnering – combined with the leadership aspect. I didn’t expect to reach this role so quickly, in all modesty. It’s exciting to know I still have so much to learn. In fact, this is the first time in my career that I haven’t put an end date on my role. I feel like I could happily do this for 10 years—it’s a great feeling!”
“It’s exciting to know I still have so much to learn. In fact, this is the first time in my career that I haven’t put an end date on my role.
How did you prepare yourself for the role of CHRO?
“I didn’t. During my MBA, I learned that you can throw anything at me, and I’ll find a way to get it done. So, I went into the role with self-confidence, as well as authenticity, self-awareness, and vulnerability. You are never going to know everything in HR, so I leverage my team and ask a lot of people for their opinions. I try to learn while doing, seeking feedback from all levels and improving every time. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. My advice for any aspiring CHRO is to make sure you touch all aspects of HR before stepping into the role.”
Is there anything that has surprised you about the role? Something you didn’t expect?
“The loneliness that comes with the role at times. I am very collegial and like to share a lot, but you can’t always share in this role. You need to call the shots, and not all of those decisions will be appreciated—you will face criticism. But at the end of the day, you are the one who has to set the direction. What helps is having people around you who provide constructive feedback—your own personal board of advisors. And it’s essential to maintain a healthy balance between questioning yourself and congratulating yourself.”
If there is one wish you could make for the next generation of leaders, what would it be?
“I would love for them to challenge the status quo and experiment as much as they can. To not follow a fixed path but to find what is in full alignment with who they are as individuals. I believe there is an ideal job out there for everyone—one that matches our personality and who we are. It took a while for me to realize this, but once I did, I set off on a journey of progressively aligning who I am with the role I hold. That alignment is what I would wish for anyone joining—or already in—the employment market.”
“I believe there is an ideal job out there for everyone, one that matches our personality and who we are. That alignment is what I would wish for anyone joining—or already in—the employment market.”
Interview by Joan Beets
Joan Beets, in her global corporate career that spanned 15 years, worked across industries (Oil&Gas, Staffing, Food Ingredients) and functions (HRBP, Talent, Change Management and HR Strategy) for large multi-national organizations. Joan have opened and closed offices in Asia and Europe, led the development of a contingent workforce framework to support multi-year Engineering projects, drove the HR aspects of a business transformation of a Global IT organization, developed and implemented a Global Mobility strategy and led the change management process of the transfer of on-site HR services to a shared service model in Europe and North America (incl. roll out of a new SuccesFactors platform).
