A business leader with a long history of success with the New York luxury silver manufacturer Christofle, Nicolas Krafft holds a Master in Economics from the Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris. Over the course of a career that spans several decades as well as multiple industries and marketplaces, he has held executive leadership positions with a number of major international companies. In addition to his extensive administrative work in the United States and France, Mr. Krafft has held prominent positions in China and SouthEast Asia.
In the early 1990s, Nicolas Krafft served as a store manager with the high-quality construction firm Prisunic Builders Pvt. Taking its name from a portmanteau of the words “pristine” and “unique,” Prisunic continues to operate as one of the leading commercial structure and residential home builders in Kozhikode, India. From 1996 to 2002, Nicolas Krafft served as a general manager with the AELIA Group in the Paris-area city of Nanterre, where he headed company initiatives in the fields of gourmet foods. alcohol, and tobacco.
Nicolas Krafft is a highly trained oenophile (wine connoisseur) who also has extensive expertise in fine champagne and alcoholic spirits. A dignified presence in stylish glasses and neatly trimmed white hair, Mr. Krafft is also a jovial host and entertainer who can surprise a crowd by popping open a champagne bottle using a sword (a time-honored skill known as “sabrage”).
In his leadership role with Christofle, Nicolas Krafft trades his ceremonial saber for flatware of fine silver. This high-end brand is also world renowned for its jewelry, accessories, furniture, and home décor. Mr. Krafft praises Christofle for mirroring its typical customer in its brand image – an extremely refined and high net worth professional who isn’t afraid of attending or hosting a good party.
For nearly two centuries, Christofle has been spearheading the manufacture of high-end products from its headquarters in Paris, France. Although it also works extensively with gold, the company is probably best known for its broad spectrum of silver plate and both stainless and sterling silver offerings.
Over the years, Christofle has also expanded into the world of luxury appliances. One of its most recent products is the Anemone-Belle Epoque Champagne Vasque. A standout piece in Christofle’s Manhattan showroom, the Anemone-Belle Epoque Champagne Vasque is a technologically and aesthetically impressive champagne cooler with ornate silver-smithed flowers. Although the Anemone-Belle Epoque Champagne Vasque is explicitly designed to chill nearly a full case of bubbly all at once, Nicolas Krafft is quick to point out that this “champagne” cooler is also ideal for putting cans of beer on ice.
Nicolas Krafft officially joined the Christofle team in 2002 after parting ways with AELIA. He served several years as managing director for Christofle’s Asia-Pacific operations before accepting a post as President and Chief Executive Officer of Christofle’s North American operations. He began overseeing Christofle’s North and South America operations in 2012 as president and Chief Executive Officer of Christofle to the Americas.
The latest major development in professional Nicolas Krafft news occurred in 2019, when he stepped down as Christofle to the Americas President Chief Executive Officer. Handing the reins over to his successor Bentley Frost Hardwick (the former global vice president and managing director of Calvin Klein Home), he settled permanently in Paris. Mr. Kraft has since overseen Christofle’s operations in France and territories of the United Kingdom.