The spring 2022 relaunch of the Baselworld show has been shelved as the organisers have opted for more time for the launch of the new concept. The show stated that this decision is based on the experience gained from the Pop Up Event at the Geneva Watch Days and on intensive discussions with manufacturers and retailers. “It is particularly difficult to launch a new concept for a new target segment due to the renewed aggravation of the Covid situation and the associated uncertainty among customers,” it added.

Beat Zwahlen, CEO of the MCH Group, said, “Over the past few months, we have studied in detail our Watches, Jewellery and Gems ecosystem and gained important insights from discussions with major industry representatives. The conclusion is that the market exists for a B:B:C platform that brings together medium-sized and specialized manufacturers with independent retailers. But their needs must be analysed in more detail. This means we need to have significantly more time to get there.”

In the coming months, therefore, an MCH interdisciplinary team will analyse the target segments and, in close exchange with manufacturers and retailers, make a deep dive into their marketing and transaction needs. In this context, particular attention will be paid to the latest trends in marketing and distribution with a view to the post-pandemic period, especially internationalisation and digitisation. The goal remains to create added value for the community’s business in its target markets with the internationally anchored Baselworld brand and innovative platforms.

Due to the cancellation of Baselworld 2022, Managing Director Michel Loris-Melikoff has decided to leave the company and take on a new challenge. Loris-Melikoff had taken over the management of Baselworld in 2018 under difficult conditions and brought it to a successful execution in 2019, the organiser said. Loris-Melikoff was responsible for initiating the transformation and repositioning of Baselworld.

Photo by Stefan Schmidlin / © MCH Messe Schweiz AG