It's Official: Jean-Christophe Bédos Now Head of Birks & Mayors

Jean-Christophe Bédos

Jean-Christophe Bédos officially became the president and CEO of North American luxury retailer and manufacturer, Birks & Mayors Inc., Monday. The appointment was first announced in January.

Bédos replaces Thomas A. Andruskevich who announced his retirement in September, 2011. Bédos, who is based at the company’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada, was transitioning to the leadership position under Andruskevich since January.

Birks & Mayors operates 59 luxury jewelry stores in Canada and the United States—32 stores under the Birks brand in most major markets in Canada and 24 stores under the Mayors brand in Florida and Georgia. The company also operates two retail locations in Calgary and Vancouver under the Brinkhaus brand and one retail location in Orlando under the Rolex brand.

“The Company has deep roots in Britain and since its founding in Montreal in 1879, has built a solid reputation in Quebec and across Canada,” Bédos said. “The company’s history is rich and vibrant, and its creations are today cherished by many generations, including royalty and celebrities. I look forward to building on the Company’s successes and strong design heritage and brand image.”

Prior to his current appointment, Bédos was president and CEO of Parisian luxury jewelry house, Boucheron Intl., from 2004 to 2011. Previously, he was managing director of Cartier from 2002 to 2004, and international executive manager alongside the president of Richemont International from 2000 to 2002. He started his career in the jewelry industry at Cartier in 1988.

Bédos holds a Sloan Master of Science in Management from the London Business School, a LLB in International Law from Université Paris I Sorbonne, a BA (Honors) in European Business from Trent University, Nottingham and a Bachelor of Arts, European Business, from Toulouse Business School.

Birks & Mayors Holiday Sales Total $79.5 Million

Luxury jewelry retailer Birks & Mayors Inc.said Tuesday that net sales during holiday season (October 30, 2011, - December 24, 2011) increased by 5 percent, year-over-year, to $79.5 million.

The $4 million increase in net sales was driven by 3 percent increase in comparable store sales and higher revenues related to precious metal refining services offered to the company’s customers in Canada, partially offset by $600,000 of lower sales related to translating the sales of the company’s Canadian operations into U.S. dollars with a relatively weaker Canadian dollar.

The Montreal-based company’s primary business is the ownership and operation of the Birks luxury jewelry retail chain in Canada and the Mayor’s luxury jewelry retail chain in the southeastern United States.

Comparable store sales during the holiday season increased by 3 percent on a consolidated basis with comparable store sales in Canada increasing by 4 percent and U.S. comparable store sales growing by 2 percent, the company said. The stronger sales results in both Canada and the U.S. reflect an increase in the average sale.

“The holiday season began with good sales momentum, however, during the final weeks before Christmas we experienced strong declines in customer traffic in our stores,” said Thomas A. Andruskevich, Birks & Mayors president and CEO. “As such, our sales increases during the holiday period were somewhat softer than what we would have liked to see.”