Tiffany Names New Head of Its Japan Venture

Tiffany & Co. announced yesterday that it has named Michael C. Christ as its new President of Tiffany & Co. Japan Inc. 

Christ, 55, joined Tiffany in 1995 and has most recently been group vice president of U.S. Retail sales.

Tiffany’s president, James E. Quinn, said, “Mike has a solid background in luxury retailing and, in his nine years at Tiffany, has made substantial contributions to the overall success of our U.S. retail business. He is insightful, enthusiastic and exceptionally well-suited to lead our organization in Japan."

The firm’s sales in Japan have been suffering, and far from the performance the company saw in other regions. Earlier this month Tiffany said results were below expectations, even after it has changed its product mix, brought in new products, and opened new stores in order to boost sales.

“While dealing with challenging conditions in Japan, we have gained better insights into the business issues that need to be addressed. Under the direction of (current President of Tiffany & Co. Japan) Mr. Katsuhiko Nitta, we have assembled a management team over the past year to take advantage of Tiffany's long-term growth opportunities.

“We appreciate Katsu's contributions and, following a transition period, he will return to New York and resume his role as vice president in our international division,” Quinn added.