Ernst Thomke
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Ernst Thomke (born 21 April 1939) is a Swiss physicist and watchmaker. Training first as a mechanic, he later acquired the Swiss federal maturity degree and pursued academic studies whilst in employment.
Early life and education
Thomke was born in Biel/Bienne in the canton of Bern, on the Franco-German linguistic border. He completed an apprenticeship as a mechanic at the factory of ETA SA in Grenchen, canton of Solothurn. Between 1961 and 1967, he studied natural sciences, mainly chemistry at the University of Bern and University of Lausanne. He then pursued medical studies in Bern while working full-time. He was promoted to doctor in 1975. He completed his education with management studies and marketing at the INSEAD, Fontainebleau.
He worked in research from 1970 to 1977 for the British pharmaceutical group Beecham, mainly at their Swiss laboratories, but also at the pharmacological institute of Gothenburg, Sweden. He was appointed head of marketing and regional marketing director in the group's Europe division.
Business career
In 1978, at the peak of the Swiss watch industry crisis, facing competition from Japanese watches, mainly those with Quartz, Thomke became head of ETA SA. He argued that consolidating small companies could save the Swiss watch industry, by ending internal competition between Swiss Ebauches manufacturers.
1978, ETA SA merged with its former rival A. Schild SA. The new ETA, with 2,200 employees, gradually introduced more advanced technology in the manufacturing of quartz movements and full automation throughout its production. Thomke integrated the administrative and production areas of the other factories previously owned by Ebauches SA. In 1982 he became CEO of Ebauches SA and was appointed to the Board of Directors of
On the advice of freelance consultant
Later career
Between 1992 and 1995, Thomke was CEO of Motor-Columbus AG, refocusing its activity on the primary energy sector under the new name of ATEL, with a mandate from the majority shareholder, the Union Bank of Switzerland (now known as UBS).
In addition he worked until 1997 for the
In 1995, Thomke became Chairman of the Board at
He also became an investor in medical technology company
Sources and references
- The Outsiders who saved the Swiss Watch Industry: [1]
- Ernest Thomke: "Father of Swatch"
- [2] "Um Ernst Thomke und Elmar Mock legt Hayek eine grosse Wolke": Macht und Sensibilität: Nicolas G. Hayek
- [3] Thomke: Swatch a Successful Strategy
- [4] Managers and leaders: Are they different?: see Ref. to Ernst Thomke & Nicolas Hayek "Ernst Thomke created the organisation that led to the emergence of the innovative Swatch; subsequent CEO Nicolas Hayek took the invention and relentlessly managed the organisation into a long streak of dominance and profitability".
- [5] Thomke, Ernst, Short Biography
- [6] Ernst Thomke: Chairman BB MEDTECH AG, etc.
- [7][dead link] Thomke, Ernst: Nobel Biocare Holding AG, etc.
- The Swatch Phenomenon Series of articles retracing Swatch's history