Bernard Arnault is the chairman and chief executive of LVMH, which he has run since 1989. He started in his family’s construction business Ferret-Savinel, renamed Férinel, then took over the Boussac group in 1984. LVMH now has 75 Maisons and generated 80.8 billion euros in revenue in 2025. Forbes estimated his net worth at 118.2 billion dollars on October 22, 2026, ranking him 17th in the world.
At a glance
- Role: chairman and CEO of LVMH since 1989, aged 77 (Forbes).
- Group: 75 Maisons, more than 211,000 employees and 6,283 stores at the end of 2025.
- Results: €80.8bn in sales in 2025 (−1% organic), €38.6bn in the first half of 2026 (+2%).
- Net worth: $118.2bn and 17th in the world according to Forbes on October 22, 2026.
- Control: the family group holds 50.33% of LVMH’s capital and 66.27% of its voting rights.
Bernard Arnault in 10 dates
From Ferret-Savinel to Boussac
Bernard Arnault joined Ferret-Savinel, his family’s construction company, in 1971. It refocused on real estate in the 1970s under the name Férinel. In December 1984 the French state chose Férinel to take over the struggling Boussac group, which owned Christian Dior and Le Bon Marché.
A report from the INA archive dated December 17, 1984 says the plan was to go from 15,000 to 12,000 employees without layoffs. According to Wikipedia, headcount later fell sharply (9,000 layoffs in two years in the English version) and he kept only Christian Dior and Le Bon Marché.
How he took the helm at LVMH
LVMH was created in 1987 through the merger of Moët Hennessy and Louis Vuitton. According to Wikipedia, Bernard Arnault became its largest shareholder in 1988, then chairman of the executive board in January 1989, after a dispute with Henry Racamier and Alain Chevalier. LVMH states that he has led the group since 1989.
Acquisitions and key dates
| Date | Event (announced amounts) |
|---|---|
| December 1984 | The state hands the Boussac group (Christian Dior, Le Bon Marché) to Férinel. |
| 1987 | LVMH is created (Moët Hennessy and Louis Vuitton). |
| 1989 | He takes over the leadership of LVMH. |
| 1995 | The real estate business is sold to the Compagnie générale des eaux. |
| 1996-2001 | Loewe and Celine (1996), TAG Heuer, Krug and Château d’Yquem (1999), Fendi (2001). |
| 2010-2014 | Hermès: about 17% of the capital disclosed in October 2010, €8M AMF fine on LVMH on July 1, 2013 (LVMH says it will appeal), agreement of September 3, 2014 (LVMH distributes its Hermès shares). |
| March 2011 | Bulgari: 50.4% of the capital for 16.5 million LVMH shares, or €3.7bn. |
| July 2013 | Loro Piana: 80% of the capital for about €2bn. |
| 2016-2017 | Rimowa: 80% for €640M (2016). Christian Dior Couture: €6.5bn including debt (April 25, 2017). |
| 2019-2021 | Tiffany & Co.: $135 per share in November 2019 (more than $16.2bn), $131.50 since October 29, 2020, completed on January 7, 2021. |
How LVMH is organized
LVMH has 75 Maisons, grouped into five business groups, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Sephora and Tiffany & Co.
LVMH results in 2025 and 2026
| In €M | 2024 | 2025 | H1 2025 | H1 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 84,683 | 80,807 | 39,810 | 38,644 |
| Change, reported / organic | −5% / −1% | −3% / +2% | ||
| Profit from recurring operations | 19,571 | 17,755 | 9,012 | 8,691 |
| Net profit, Group share | 12,550 | 10,878 | 5,698 | 5,697 |
| Business group | Revenue 2025 | Organic 2025 | Revenue H1 2026 | Organic H1 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wines and spirits | 5,358 | −5% | 2,598 | +5% |
| Fashion and leather goods | 37,770 | −5% | 18,146 | −1% |
| Perfumes and cosmetics | 8,174 | 0% | 3,914 | 0% |
| Watches and jewelry | 10,486 | +3% | 5,225 | +9% |
| Selective retailing | 18,348 | +4% | 8,406 | +5% |
On October 12, 2026, LVMH published €18,504M in third-quarter revenue (+1% organic) and €57,148M over nine months (+2% organic). Fashion and leather goods fell 5% organically in the third quarter, which the group links to demand in China.
Succession and governance
The family group controls LVMH through a chain of holding companies. In July 2022, Bernard Arnault turned Agache into a partnership limited by shares; Agache Commandite, held in equal shares by his five children, controls this holding company (Reuters). According to Bloomberg (February 2023), they cannot sell their shares for 30 years without the board’s unanimous approval.
On September 23, 2026, Christian Dior announced a simplification plan: a single company, named Agache, would directly hold 49.76% of LVMH’s capital and 65.55% of its voting rights, out of a family total of 50.33% and 66.27%. Bernard Arnault would remain managing partner.
The CEO age limit rose to 80 in 2022, then to 85 in April 2025. Asked about his succession on April 23, 2026, Bernard Arnault answered: “We’ll talk about all that again in seven or eight years, if you don’t mind” (translated from French). No successor has been publicly named. His five children work in the group and four sit on the board.
| Name | Role at LVMH in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Delphine Arnault | Chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture (since February 2023), director, Executive Committee |
| Antoine Arnault | Director of Image & Environment, director, Executive Committee since February 2026 |
| Alexandre Arnault | Deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy, director |
| Frédéric Arnault | CEO of Loro Piana since 2025, director |
| Jean Arnault | Watch marketing director at Louis Vuitton |
Bernard Arnault’s net worth: rank, source and date
| Ranking | Date of measurement | Rank | Net worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forbes, real time | October 22, 2026 | 17th | $118.2bn |
| Forbes, annual list (“Bernard Arnault & family”) | March 1, 2026 | 7th | $171bn |
| Bloomberg Billionaires Index | April 5, 2023 | 1st | $201bn |
These estimates depend on LVMH’s share price and on each index’s method.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Bernard Arnault’s net worth?
Forbes estimates it at 118.2 billion dollars on October 22, 2026, 17th in the world. Its annual list of March 2026 showed 171 billion (7th).
Is Bernard Arnault the richest man in the world?
Not on October 22, 2026, when Forbes ranks him 17th. He has been first on specific dates: Bloomberg ranked him first on April 5, 2023, with 201 billion dollars.
How many brands does LVMH have?
LVMH has 75 Maisons, grouped into five business groups: wines and spirits, fashion and leather goods, perfumes and cosmetics, watches and jewelry, selective retailing.
What are Bernard Arnault’s major acquisitions?
Boussac and Christian Dior in 1984, Bulgari in 2011, Loro Piana in 2013, Rimowa in 2016, Christian Dior Couture in 2017 and Tiffany & Co. in January 2021.
Who will succeed Bernard Arnault?
No successor has been publicly named. At the shareholders’ meeting of April 23, 2026, he pushed the subject back by seven or eight years. His five children work in the group.
What are LVMH’s results?
In 2025, LVMH posted 80.8 billion euros in sales (−1% organic) and 17.8 billion in profit from recurring operations (−9%). In the first half of 2026, sales reached 38.6 billion euros (+2% organic).
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Sources
- LVMH, 2025 annual results
- LVMH, first-half 2026 results
- LVMH, third-quarter 2026 sales
- LVMH, January 2026 letter to shareholders
- LVMH, our history
- LVMH, governance
- LVMH, agreement with Hermès (September 3, 2014)
- Forbes, Bernard Arnault profile (October 22, 2026)
- Statista, Forbes 2026 list
- Fortune, Bloomberg index (April 5, 2023)
- Blick, LVMH shareholders’ meeting (April 23, 2026)
- FashionUnited, family control structure (September 24, 2026)
- Reuters via Euronews, Agache (July 22, 2022)
- Bloomberg via The Business Standard, heirs (February 7, 2023)
- INA, Boussac takeover (December 17, 1984)
- Wikipedia (fr), Bernard Arnault
- Wikipedia (en), Bernard Arnault
Updated October 22, 2026. Figures: LVMH press releases; Forbes ranking on October 22, 2026.
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