Bernard Arnault

Extracted Attributes

• Awards

  Grand-croix de la Légion d’Honneur, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, Pushkin Medal

• Nickname

  The Terminator

• Education

  École Polytechnique (Civil Engineering, Mathematics)

• Occupation

  Business magnate, Investor, Art collector

• Nationality

  French

• Date of Birth

  1949-03-05

• Family Status

  Married, five children

• Place of Birth

  Roubaix, France

• Net Worth (May 2025, Forbes)

  US$148.7 billion

• Net Worth (May 2025, Bloomberg Billionaires Index)

  US$155 billion

Timeline

• Born Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault in Roubaix, France. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Wikidata)

  1949-03-05

• Graduated from École Polytechnique after studying civil engineering and mathematics. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Wikidata, Web Search)

  1971

• Began his career in his father's civil engineering company, Ferret-Savinel. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1971

• Strategically acquired the financially struggling textile and retail conglomerate Boussac Saint-Frères, which included the Christian Dior fashion house. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1984

• Named CEO of Financiere Agache, a luxury goods holding company. (Source: Web Search)

  1984

• Played a key role in the creation of LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) through the merger of Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1987

• Became the majority shareholder of LVMH and assumed the role of Chairman and CEO. (Source: Web Search)

  1989

• LVMH made an unsuccessful takeover bid for Gucci. (Source: Web Search)

  1999

• Lost the bid to acquire Gucci to rival billionaire François Pinault. (Source: Web Search)

  2010

• Applied for Belgian citizenship, sparking a debate in France about high taxes and capital flight. (Source: Wikipedia, Web Search, Related Documents)

  2012

• Estimated net worth of US$148.7 billion (Forbes) and US$155 billion (Bloomberg Billionaires Index), making him one of the wealthiest individuals globally. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2025-05

Bernard Arnault

Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault (French: [bɛʁnaʁ ʒɑ̃ etjɛn aʁno]; born 5 March 1949) is a French businessman. He is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods company. Arnault is one of the richest individuals in the world; as of May 2025, he has an estimated net worth of US$148.7 billion according to Forbes and US$155 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Born in Roubaix, Arnault was raised in a devoutly Catholic household. He studied civil engineering and mathematics at École Polytechnique, graduating in 1971. He began his career in his father's company, Ferret-Savinel, shifting its focus to real estate, which laid the groundwork for his future career in the luxury goods market. Arnault's entry into the luxury sector was marked by his strategic acquisition in 1984 of the financially-struggling textile and retail conglomerate Boussac Saint-Frères, which included the prestigious fashion house Christian Dior. His aggressive business strategies earned him the nickname "The Terminator", as he revitalized Dior and sold off other assets for profit. In 1987, he played a key role in the creation of LVMH (an acronym for Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), a global luxury goods company, by merging Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy. Through a series of strategic acquisitions and investments, Arnault built LVMH into a leading company in the luxury industry, overseeing significant growth and expansion into various sectors, including fashion, jewelry, watches, and wine. Arnault's influence extends beyond LVMH, with investments in web companies and philanthropic endeavors, particularly in the arts. He has been involved in notable real estate and yacht ventures. His leadership has led to LVMH becoming the largest company by market capitalization in the eurozone. Despite controversies, including his attempt to become a Belgian citizen, Arnault's business acumen has solidified his status as a key figure in the global luxury market.

Web Search Results

• Bernard Arnault: The Billionaire Behind LVMH's Luxury ...

  Born in 1949, Bernard Arnault is the chairman and CEO of LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA), a luxury goods holding company. Arnault's career began as an engineer and property developer in his family's civil engineering firm in northern France, an uncommon start for a fashion CEO. By 1984, his ambitions stretched far beyond the business. He sought an enterprise he could scale internationally. He now controls 50% of a massive conglomerate that owns more than 70 of the top luxury brands in the [...] Bernard Arnault is the CEO of LVMH, the world's largest luxury conglomerate controlling over 70 top brands. LVMH owns iconic brands, including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Sephora. Arnault's strategy combines financial discipline with creative innovation to maintain brand exclusivity and profitability. Arnault began his rise by acquiring the bankrupt Boussac group, focusing on scaling luxury brands like Dior. [...] Bernard Arnault was born in 1949 in Roubaix, an industrial city in the north of France, where his father, a prominent manufacturer, owned a civil engineering and property company, Ferret-Savinel. Arnault's mother, who had a "fascination for Dior," made certain that her son was classically trained on the piano. Years later, Arnault made Christian Dior, the jewel of haute couture that had fascinated his mother, the cornerstone of his global luxury group.

• The Taste of Luxury: Bernard Arnault and the Moet ...

  Bernard Arnault was born in Roubaix, France in 1949. He studied at École Polytechnique. He is a French businessman, investor, and art collector. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods company. According to Forbes, as of June 8, 2024, Arnault is the second richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $208 billion. [...] He began his career at his father's company, Ferret-Savinel, and later shifted his focus to real estate, which laid the foundation for his future career in the luxury goods industry. Arnault's foray into the luxury goods market began in 1984 with his strategic acquisition of the financially troubled textile and retail group Boussac Saint-Frères, which included the famous fashion brand Christian Dior. His aggressive business strategy earned him the nickname "The Terminator" as he revived Dior

• Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO

  Bernard Arnault is Chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury products group. Born to an industrial family in Roubaix, France on March 5, 1949, Mr. Arnault attended the Roubaix lycée and the Faidherbe lycée in Lille. He then went on to study at the Ecole polytechnique. [...] In 1989, Mr. Arnault became the majority shareholder of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, creating the world’s leading luxury products group. Mr. Arnault has been Chairman and CEO of the company since that date. Mr. Arnault is also President of the Board of Directors of Groupe Arnault S.E. (his family holding company). Mr. Arnault is married and has five children. He has been awarded the honorary titles of Grand-croix de la Légion d’Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres. [...] Image 3: Picture of Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO, LVMH 0 Home Our Group Governance & Ethics Bernard Arnault Image 4 Newsletters Sign up. FOLLOW US Facebook - LVMH Instagram - LVMH YouTube - LVMH Pinterest -LVMH LinkedIn - LVMH X - LVMH TikTok - LVMH Candidates Work at LVMH Job openings People Gallery Métiers d'Excellence INSIDE LVMH Investors Publications LVMH Share Key figures Events Press

• Bernard Arnault - Bloomberg Billionaires Index

  1949 Bernard Jean Etienne Arnault is born in Roubaix, France. 1971 Graduates from Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. 1971 Joins Ferret-Savinel, his family's construction company. 1984 Named CEO of luxury goods holding company, Financiere Agache. 1989 Assumes control of LVMH and becomes chairman and CEO. 1999 Company makes an unsuccessful takeover bid for Gucci. 2012 Applies for Belgian citizenship, sparking French tax debate. [...] Arnault is the chairman of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest maker of luxury goods. The billionaire controls about half of LVMH, which had revenue of 84.7 billion euros ($91.6 billion) in 2024. It sells products including Louis Vuitton leather goods, TAG Heuer watches and Dom Perignon champagne. As of : Last change +$3.68B ( +2.3%) YTD change -$15.2B ( -8.6%) Biggest asset MC FP Equity Country / Region France Age 76 Industry Consumer [...] Arnault entered the luxury goods market in 1984, when he took over the bankrupt textile group that owned Christian Dior. He sold all of the company's other businesses and used the proceeds to buy a controlling stake in LVMH. Other acquisitions include Fendi, TAG Heuer and Bulgari. He sought and failed to buy auction house Sotheby's and retailer Gucci, which he lost to rival billionaire Francois Pinault in 2010.

• Bernard Arnault

  Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault was born on 5 March 1949 in Roubaix.( His mother, pianist Marie-Josèphe Savinel, daughter of Étienne Savinel, had a "fascination for Dior".( His father, manufacturer Jean Léon Arnault, a graduate of École Centrale Paris, owned the civil engineering company Ferret-Savinel.( Raised in a "strict Catholic-Auvergne" style by his devoutly Catholic grandmother, Arnault took classical piano lessons as a child and was educated at Catholic schools,( the Lycée Maxence Van Der [...] 19. ^ _a__b__c__d_Greenhouse, Steven (17 December 1989). "A LUXURY FIGHT TO THE FINISH". _The New York Times_. ISSN "ISSN (identifier)")0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2023. 20. ^ _a__b_"Bernard Arnault, a French billionaire businessman and art collector". _Dailymi_. 5 March 2021. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021. [...] According to _Bloomberg Billionaires Index_ Arnault was the wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of about US $218 billion in May 2024.( By 14 June 2024, according to _Forbes_, Musk had regained first place, with Bezos in second place, and Arnault, with US$194.2 billion, in third place.( ### Request for Belgian citizenship

• Award

  Pushkin Medal

• Image

  

• Gender

  male

• Educated At

  École polytechnique

• Instance Of

  Q5

• Occupation

  businessperson

• Citizenship

  France

• Date Of Birth

  3/5/1949

• Place Of Birth

  Roubaix

Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault (French: [bɛʁnaʁ ʒɑ̃ etjɛn aʁno]; born 5 March 1949) is a French business magnate, investor, and art collector. He is the co-founder, chairman, and chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, the world's largest luxury goods company. Arnault and his family had an estimated net worth of US$159 billion in October 2022 according to Forbes, making him the second richest person in the world and the richest in Europe.