Mill Talk: Disrupting Time

How industrial espionage shaped the future of the American and Swiss watch industries.

In the fall of 1876, two Swiss spies came to America and conducted some of the most covert and consequential industrial espionage in history, changing the course of the global watch industry forever. “Disrupting Time” is a true historical narrative of business strategy, espionage, and consequences. It details the story of Jacques David and Theo Gribi who, in 1876, were commissioned by the Society of Jura Industries, a Swiss trade association, to acquire the secrets of America’s technology sector — the American watch industry. They captured their intelligence in a 130-page report that would remain mostly secret until 1992.

Speaker Bio:

Aaron Stark is the author of “Disrupting Time: Industrial combat, espionage, and the downfall of a great American company.” He currently serves as a director of business intelligence for a Fortune 500 company. Before entering business, he was an assistant professor of economics at West Point, with a specialization in finance. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School with a focus on finance and business strategy, and a BS in Economics from West Point. He is a veteran of the US Army with two combat tours in Afghanistan, serving as an Apache helicopter pilot.

This event is free, but registration is required.