Bernard Arnault

Career Background Arnault began his career in 1971 at his father’s construction company, Ferret-Savinel, becoming president in 1978 and leading a pivot towards real estate.

In 1984, seizing an opportunity in the luxury sector, he acquired the bankrupt textile conglomerate Boussac Saint-Frères, primarily to obtain its crown jewel, Christian Dior. He revived Dior, sold most other assets, and made the company profitable. In 1987, Arnault was invited to invest in the newly merged LVMH group.

By 1989, through aggressive investment and a renowned boardroom takeover, he became LVMH’s CEO and majority shareholder, steadily transforming it into the preeminent global luxury powerhouse.

Over the next decades, he led a prolific spree of acquisitions—adding such brands as Céline, Givenchy, Fendi, Bulgari, and most recently, Tiffany & Co.—while maintaining strong family involvement and setting new standards for brand building, corporate culture, and innovation in the luxury industry…