Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of French luxury powerhouse LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, saw his personal fortune rise by more than $9 billion on Monday, following a 6.4% surge in the company’s share price.
LVMH shares closed at €532.60, gaining €36.85, after the market responded positively to strong earnings in its fashion and leather goods division. The increase added an estimated $9.4 billion to Arnault’s wealth, bringing his net worth to $156 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire tracker. He now ranks as the sixth-richest person globally.
Arnault, 75, presides over a vast empire of 75 luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, and Sephora. Often seen as a barometer for the global luxury industry, LVMH’s strong performance this quarter highlights continued investor confidence despite global economic headwinds.
The surge in Arnault’s fortune reflects LVMH’s enduring dominance, underpinned by robust consumer demand in the United States and a strong rebound across Asian markets—especially China. The group’s success reinforces its position at the forefront of the luxury sector.
Arnault began building his empire in 1984 with the acquisition of Christian Dior for $15 million, funded through profits from his family’s construction business. Since then, he has orchestrated some of the industry’s largest deals, including LVMH’s landmark $15.8 billion purchase of American jeweller Tiffany & Co. in 2021—still the biggest acquisition in the luxury space.
Outside of fashion, Arnault maintains interests in the tech sector through his holding company Agache, which backs Aglaé Ventures. The venture capital arm holds stakes in major firms such as Netflix and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
All five of Arnault’s children hold positions within the LVMH group, and in 2022, he initiated a restructuring of Agache into a limited partnership to secure long-term family control of his empire.
Beyond business, Arnault has also played a notable cultural and philanthropic role in France. LVMH was a lead sponsor of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and, together with Arnault, donated €200 million toward the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which reopened in December 2024, five years after the devastating fire.
Arnault’s latest financial windfall underscores his status not only as a global business magnate but also as a leading figure in France’s cultural and philanthropic landscape.
