The French billionaire Bernard Arnault has begun structuring his succession plan within the leadership ranks of the luxury empire.
Bernard Arnault (France, 1949) is one of the five most influential business figures today.
His impact is so significant that Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) is considering modifying its corporate statutes to extend his tenure as chairman and CEO, postponing any mandatory retirement.
The company aims to keep Arnault, who turned 76 on March 5, at the helm for at least another five years. To achieve this, LVMH plans to raise the current age limit for the presidency from 80 to 85 years.
Meanwhile, the French billionaire has begun structuring his succession plan within the leadership ranks of the luxury empire. The Arnault family currently holds over 48% of LVMH’s capital and controls 64% of its voting rights, solidifying their influence over the conglomerate.
Despite being surrounded by immense wealth, Bernard Arnault has always maintained a reserved public persona. A passionate art enthusiast, he values his private moments with his family, particularly with his five children.
His two eldest children, Delphine (49) and Antoine (47), were born from his first marriage to Anne Dewavrin. Following their divorce, Arnault married Canadian pianist Hélène Mercier in 1991, with whom he shares three more sons: Alexandre (32), Frédéric (29), and Jean (27).
Recently, Frédéric Arnault was appointed CEO of the prestigious Italian cashmere brand Loro Piana, a key subsidiary within the LVMH portfolio. In addition to this role, he also serves as the CEO of Financière Agache, the holding company through which the Arnault family controls its stake in Louis Vuitton.
Both Frédéric and his brother Alexandre Arnault had already joined the LVMH board of directors in April 2024, aligning with their older siblings, Delphine and Antoine. Their increasing presence in executive roles marks a strategic move toward consolidating family leadership within the company.
As of now, every Arnault sibling except Jean holds a significant position within LVMH. However, the youngest of the five is following a similar path, currently pursuing a dual master’s degree in Financial Mathematics at MIT and Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. In addition, he oversees Louis Vuitton’s watch division, further embedding himself in the family business.
Currently, Delphine Arnault leads Dior Couture as its president and CEO, while Antoine Arnault serves as chairman of Loro Piana and also holds vice-presidential and general management roles at Christian Dior. Alexandre Arnault, the third eldest, is the deputy CEO of the French luxury conglomerate’s main spirits and wine brands.
The vast empire that Bernard Arnault oversees today traces back to 1984 when he inherited a construction company from his father. Over the decades, he transformed it into LVMH, the world’s most valuable luxury conglomerate, now worth over €320 billion, cementing his family’s status among the wealthiest on the planet.
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