Bernard Arnault & family

Net worth over time

Biography

• Bernard Arnault oversees the LVMH empire of 75 fashion and cosmetics brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora.
• LVMH acquired American jeweler Tiffany & Co in 2021 for $15.8 billion, believed to be the biggest luxury brand acquisition ever.
• Arnault's holding company Agache backs venture capital firm Aglaé Ventures, which has investments in businesses such as Netflix and TikTok parent company ByteDance.
• His father made a small fortune in construction; Arnault got his start by putting up $15 million from that business to buy Christian Dior in 1984.
• Arnault's five children all work at LVMH; in July 2022, he proposed a reorganization of his holding company Agache to become a limited partnership.
• LVMH was the lead sponsor of the 2024 Paris Olympics and, together with Arnault, contributed 200 million euros to the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral, which reopened in December 2024.
• Arnault apparently wooed his wife, Helene Mercier, a concert pianist, by playing Chopin and other classical composers on the piano.
• Arnault and LVMH own a 40% stake in private equity firm L Catterton, which has $37 billion in assets, including investments in Birkenstock and Equinox.
• In 2024, Arnault's holding company Agache bought a majority stake in French soccer team Paris FC.

Financial assets