Ulysse Nardin

Lifetime Award Speech for Mr Rolf Schynder GPGH (Asia)

 

It was a great honor, and I felt that the world of my small hobby, had come a full circle, when Edipiresse invited me to give the speech for UN and Rolf Schnyder's Lifetime Award. With much care, I reflected on my own POVs and how UN and Rolf, had come to this point in time.

In my study room, I carefully recounted and edited the speech to last less than 5 mins (my alloted time), and it was difficult.

The speech for Mr Rolf Schnyder, when I delivered it on the 30th September 2008, the night of the GPGH awards:

Rolf Schnyder was an adventurer with a capital A.

 

Rolf’s values and sense of self were already fully constructed when he enterd the world of watchmaking. Which is another way of saying that he wasn’t going to take any BULLSHIT---from anybody.

 

While he was in no position to force the industry to accept his views, he always let the industry know what his rules were. And this is by and large reflected in the work of his company Ulysse Nardin

 

An athlete of Olympic standards with skiing in his much younger days, and the founder and resurrector of Ulysse Nardin in his middle years, Rolf Schynder turned the world on its industrial head just 8 years ago when he invested a considerable sum of his money in making the legendary Freak.

 

This wristwatch remains the only watch that requires a silicium material for its function.

 

Rolf Schynder had brought about the dawn of the silicium age for watch making.

 

My teachers came in a wide variety of forms and in a great variety of characters , nonetheless, Rolf is the picture of humililty. In the cold morning of winter in Neuchatel, I will always recall the Chairman and Head of Ulysse Nardin waiting at the economy class railroad platform for my  economy class train and to carry my luggage to his car, and to drive me to his home for a warm breakfast.

 

Ladies and Gentleman, I wish to invite Mr Rolf Schynder to receive one of the most honored and desired accolade from the world of watchmaking…The Lifetime Award.

 

 

 

Emcees

Member of the Jury, Dr. Bernard Cheong

Ms Michelle Yeoh

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Mr. Rolf Schnyder, CEO of Ulysse Nardin & Bernard Cheong

(L-R) Marco Cattaneo, Gilbert Cheah,Rolf Schnyder, Bernard Cheong

Seated (L-R): Massimiliano Landi, Tan Sri Dato’ Francis Yeoh, Mr &  Mrs Rolf Schynder
Standing (L-R) : Francesca Landi, Oliviero Bottinelli, Bernard Cheong, Dolly Cheong, Audric Haryanto, Teh May Wan

Tan Sri Dato’ Francis Yeoh

Lisa Lau, Bernard Cheong, Suven Young, Irin Gan

Mr &  Mrs Rolf Schynder, Dolly Cheong, Bernard Cheong, Wei Koh, Lisa Lau, Marco Cattaneo.

Audric Haryanto, Rolf Schynder  & Bernard Cheong

The jury team with guest-of-honor, Minister Lee Boon Yang (sitting, second from left), Mr. Tan Soo Khoon (standing, fourth from left) and Mr Rolf Schynder (sitting, right).

The Winners (from all catergories) with their awards, flanked by members of the jury and event organizing team





This message has been edited by bernard cheong on 2008-10-20 17:18:56

This message has been edited by Kong on 2008-10-20 22:23:49

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