“You cannot know China until you live in China.” Sonia Benjelloun-Carpentier, Managing Director of Piaget China, has spent two decades across hard luxury—from Tag Heuer to De Beers, Cartier, Bulgari, and now Piaget—leading brands through complex markets where culture, consumer psychology, and timing decide everything.

Sonia’s career arc is a study in mobility and reinvention: born and raised in Morocco, trained in Paris, early marketing foundation at L’Oréal, then a jump into watchmaking and jewelry in Dubai. From there she built retail and high-jewelry depth in London and Paris, returned to the Middle East to lead marketing and communications, then stepped into full P&L leadership—first as Managing Director for Middle East, India and Africa, and since 2022 as MD for mainland China, arriving at the height of uncertainty.

In this episode:

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 — why moving early builds cultural agility that compounds for life
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 — leading in markets where meaning sits between the lines
𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 vs 𝗨𝗞 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝗼𝗹𝘁 — how “close” markets can still work very differently
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗗 — the left-brain / right-brain shift, and the non‑negotiable link between brand and sales
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 — why the deal often closes after the meeting, not in it
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 — COVID, reopening whiplash, real estate shock, and confidence cycles
𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝘅𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 — Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and how one brand speaks to all
𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 — what surprised her about China, and what “having women at the table” looks like in practice

If you lead a business across borders—or you’re trying to translate a market’s real dynamics back to headquarters—this conversation is a practical guide to operating with humility, speed, and clarity.

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Produced by Bonjour Podcast (Melanie Hong), Leaders in Motion blends storytelling, strategy, and data-driven insight, giving today’s leaders a roadmap to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges and lead with intention.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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23. From Dubai to Shanghai: Leading Through Volatility with Sonia Benjelloun Carpentier