Clerc SA

Having a business whose roots date back 1874 you'd think watchmaker Clerc would know how to treat people. That's not the case here. The address I have brings me to a four-story building near Geneva's old town area.

Looking at the building's directory I see it's filled with law offices. It's up to the fourth floor I go where I explain myself to a woman. While talking to her a man walks in and the woman starts talking French to him. I assume it's CEO Gerald Clerc and start explaining how I sent him a letter of introduction here four weeks ago. It turns out not to be Clerc but Baudouin Dunand, a lawyer who sits on the board of Clerc's company.

I then spend the next few minutes trying to find out from Dunand where the head office for CEO Gerald Clerc is located. Thanks to Dunand's obfuscation I get nowhere. Dunand says it's in New York City but I tell him the company's website gives this address. Finally I get fed up and say, "why can't you tell me where Gerald Clerc hangs his hat?" Dunand, with a slight smile replies, "I'm a lawyer, what do you expect?"

I leave background material and say I'll check back in a week. I decide it's not worth the hassle and elect not to return.