Bernard Arnault

Biography

Trained as an engineer in his family's construction business, Arnault pivoted to luxury in 1984 by acquiring the group that owned Christian Dior. He became chairman of LVMH in 1989 and spent three decades acquiring brands — Tiffany & Co. among them — into a group of 75-plus houses.

French entrepreneur who assembled Louis Vuitton, Dior and dozens more houses into the LVMH empire.

Known for

Building LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods group.

Notable works & defining projects

• LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
• Christian Dior
• Tiffany & Co. acquisition

Notable achievements

• As LVMH chairman and CEO since 1989, built the world's most valuable luxury group
• Oversaw LVMH's acquisition of Tiffany & Co. in 2021, the largest deal in luxury history at the time
• Has ranked as the world's richest person at multiple points in Forbes and Bloomberg listings

Timeline

1. 1984Acquired the textile group that owned Christian Dior
2. 1989Became chairman and CEO of LVMH
3. 2021Completed the $15.8 billion acquisition of Tiffany & Co.

Did you know?

• He trained and worked as a civil engineer before moving into luxury goods
• His five children all hold roles across the LVMH group