Mike France is a prominent British entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Christopher Ward, an independent watchmaker based in Maidenhead, England. His career in retail began in the mid-1970s as a trainee manager at Littlewoods, eventually leading to senior roles at major firms such as BHS and the Sears Group. Alongside his business partner Peter Ellis, France acquired and later sold the Early Learning Centre, a successful educational toy retailer, before turning his attention to the horological industry.

In May 2004, during a boat trip on the River Thames, France, Ellis, and their friend Christopher Ward conceived the idea for a new watch brand. Driven by a desire to challenge the high markups of the Swiss luxury watch industry, they established Christopher Ward in 2005. The brand was founded on a disruptive business model as the world’s first exclusively online-only luxury watch retailer, selling directly to consumers to maintain a transparent 3:1 price-to-manufacturing ratio.

Under France’s leadership, the company evolved from its initial operations in a converted Berkshire chicken shed into a respected global brand. A pivotal moment occurred in 2008 through a partnership with Jörg Bader of the Swiss firm Synergies Horlogères, which eventually led to a merger in 2014. This collaboration facilitated the development of the Calibre SH21, the first commercially viable in-house mechanical movement from a British brand in 50 years.

Beyond his role at Christopher Ward, France is a co-founder of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, a trade organization established to support and promote the growth of the British horological sector. His contributions to the industry have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the brand winning the GPHG Petite Aiguille award in 2023 for the C1 Bel Canto. He remains a central figure in the modern British watchmaking renaissance, emphasizing technical innovation and accessible luxury.