Do you Know the net worth of Bernard Arnault? Have you ever guessed where he comes from and where he attended school? Do you know how Bernard’s career began and how he made his wealth? This article answers all your questions about Bernard Arnault net worth.
Who is Bernard Arnault?
Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault is a French businessman, investor, and art collector. He is the chairman and chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, the world’s largest luxury goods company. Arnault is, as of 31 January 2022, the second-richest person in the world and the richest person from Europe, with an estimated net worth of US $192.6 billion according to Forbes.
Where Bernard Arnault Originated
Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault was born on 5 March 1949, in Roubaix, France. His mother, 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.
Education
Arnault was educated at the Lycée Maxence Van Der Meersch in Roubaix, and the Lycée Faidherbe in Lille. In 1971, he graduated from the École Polytechnique, France’s leading engineering school, and began work for his father’s company.
Three years later, after he convinced his father to shift the focus of the company to real estate, Ferret-Savinel sold the industrial construction division and was renamed Ferinel. Following the acquisition of a textile company and relocation of their headquarters, the company renamed the real estate branch to the George V Group. The real estate assets were later sold to Compagnie Générale des Eaux (CGE), eventually becoming Nexity.
Family and Wealth
In 1973, he married Anne Dewavrin, together having two children, Delphine and Antoine. They separated in 1990. In 1991, he married Hélène Mercier, a Canadian concert pianist, together having three children, Alexandre, Frédéric, and Jean. Bernard Arnault and Hélène Mercier currently live in Paris. Four of his five children — Delphine, Antoine, Alexandre, and Frédéric — all have official roles in brands controlled by Arnault, along with his niece Stephanie Watine Arnault. Since 2010, Arnault’s daughter Delphine has been the partner of Xavier Niel, a French billionaire businessman active in the telecommunications and technology industry.
In April 1999, he became the richest person in fashion, topping Zara’s Amancio Ortega. In July 2019, Arnault became the second-richest man in the world, with a net worth of 103 billion dollars. Arnault briefly surpassed Jeff Bezos to briefly become the richest person in the world in December 2019, and again for a short time in January 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Arnault saw his wealth shrink by 30 billion dollars as sales of luxury goods plummeted. On 5 August 2021, he regained the status of wealthiest man in the world, with his net worth climbing to $198.4 billion. This occurred as sales of LVMH’s luxury goods surged in China and other parts of Asia. Forbes estimates his fortune to be $181 billion.
Arnault owned the 70 m (230 ft) converted research vessel Amadeus, which was sold in late 2015. His current 101.5 m (333 ft) yacht Symphony was built in the Netherlands by Feadship.
Summary of Bernard Arnault net worth
- One of the world’s ultimate taste-makers, Bernard Arnault oversees an empire of 70 brands including Louis Vuitton and Sephora.
- In January 2021, LVMH completed a deal for American jeweler Tiffany & Co for $15.8 billion, believed to be the biggest luxury brand acquisition ever.
- LVMH spent $3.2 billion in 2019 for luxury hospitality group, Belmond, which owns or manages 46 hotels, trains and river cruises.
- 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 1985.
- Four of Arnault’s five children work in corners of the LVMH empire: Frédéric, Delphine, Antoine and Alexandre.