Two second-generation leaders are reshaping Richard Mille’s worldview—and redefining new possibilities in luxury watchmaking.
In the male-dominated world of haute horlogerie, Richard Mille stands apart. The Swiss watchmaker has built its reputation not merely on technical innovation but on a belief that excellence knows no gender. At the heart of this philosophy are Amanda Mille, Brand and Partnerships Director, and Cécile Guenat, Creative and Development Director—two extraordinary women whose leadership is reshaping luxury watchmaking.
As second-generation leaders (Amanda, the daughter of founder Richard Mille, and Cécile, daughter of co-founder Dominique Guenat), they represent more than executive appointments; they are shaping the very future of Richard Mille.
Amanda Mille’s arrival at the brand began in Dubai, where she was brought into the fold specifically to engage women in the Middle Eastern market. “When my father created the brand, his focus was naturally on men,” Mille acknowledges, “because women already had jewelery and men had nothing equivalent.”
Mille saw untapped potential. Today, as Brand and Partnerships Director, she has fundamentally shifted Richard Mille’s universe to genuinely include women as central protagonists in the brand’s ongoing story.
Similarly, Cécile Guenat’s journey reflects the brand’s evolution. When she joined Richard Mille eight years ago, she was initially asked to create “special, more ladies-oriented jewelery pieces”—a natural fit given her training as a jewelery designer. Today, as Creative and Development Director, Guenat helms the entire creative output of the brand, bringing a fresh perspective that challenges watchmaking conventions while honoring technical excellence.
Mille’s work in partnerships reveals another dimension of Richard Mille’s commitment to empowering women. In 2020, she spearheaded the creation of an all-female Richard Mille Racing Team to challenge gender biases in motorsport—one of the most traditionally male-dominated arenas in sport.
The brand’s partnerships with elite sportswomen extend beyond marketing into genuine collaboration. Athletes such as Ukrainian high jumper Yuliya Levchenko, a Richard Mille partner since 2018, take real risks wearing these timepieces during competition. “We’re lucky to have these partners,” Mille reflects.
This trust is reciprocal: Richard Mille incorporates athlete feedback into development from inception, ensuring women’s needs shape design rather than being mere retrofits.
Mille’s focus on women’s inclusion is reflected in the watches themselves, which showcase the same mechanical sophistication and technical innovation found across Richard Mille’s collections.
The RM 037 features the first in-house automatic CRMA1 caliber, crafted from grade 5 titanium, and a patented crown mechanism. The RM 07-01 collection, powered by the CRMA2 caliber, showcases intricate skeletonized mechanics, while the Intergalactic edition fuses Carbon TPT® with diamonds for unprecedented artistry and innovation.
Richard Mille’s commitment to combining technical excellence with women’s inclusion not only enhances the brand’s narrative but also sets a new standard in luxury watchmaking. Each timepiece embodies innovation and responsiveness to women’s needs, ensuring sophistication and artistry are paramount. As the brand evolves, it continues to inspire and empower, making a notable impact in high-end horology.
Under Guenat’s creative direction, Richard Mille continues to expand the visual language of watchmaking. Infused with her jeweler’s sensibility, the RM 07-01 Intergalactic collectionshowcases her bold vision and mastery in reimagining the art of gem-setting within contemporary watchmaking.
Rendered in Carbon TPT® and set with diamonds held by polished red-gold prongs, the timepieces seem to suspend a moment of cosmic creation—where darkness gives way to light. It was this celestial imagery that inspired Guenat. She says, “It all started with the vision of an explosion of stars taking place in the darkness. We wanted to rethink our approach to gem-setting as a way of bringing the elements together in an intense way.”
This fusion of light and shadow reflects Guenat’s instinct for blending emotion with precision—an approach that continues to push Richard Mille beyond convention and expectation.
Under the creative direction of Mille and Guenat, Richard Mille is redefining the landscape of women’s watchmaking. Guided by their vision, the maison fuses cutting-edge technology with an intuitive understanding of women’s perspectives—ushering in a new era where innovation and emotion coexist in perfect harmony. The brand’s pioneering use of materials such as Carbon TPT® and high-tech ceramics speaks to this philosophy.
By embracing complexity, Richard Mille crafts timepieces that empower women to express their individuality through aesthetics, resilience and precision. The maison’s first automatic movement developed specifically for ladies’ watches stands as both a technical triumph and a symbol of purpose.
In a field where women were once confined to limited roles, Amanda Mille and Cécile Guenat are pioneering a new vision of leadership in luxury watchmaking. Through strategic vision and creative innovation, they exemplify the essence of empowerment, demonstrating that women can shape every facet of the brand—from partnership and design to business and cultural initiatives.
Their influence at Richard Mille demonstrates that authentic female leadership can elevate the entire industry. The timepieces they create not only break technical and aesthetic boundaries but also set new standards for excellence. The partnerships they cultivate celebrate women as genuine athletes and creators, while the inclusive culture they foster ensures that future generations see themselves represented at every level of haute horlogerie.