Bernard Arnault

Bernard Arnault is a French business magnate and investor, currently the richest person in France and one of the richest in the world. He has been serving as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Company since 1989, and is also the main shareholder in the company. Born as the son of a businessman, Arnault was blessed with sharp business acumen from a young age. After completing high school he enrolled at the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique and received a degree in engineering. Upon his graduation the young man joined his father’s civil engineering business as an engineer and also started planning for the company’s growth and expansion. He convinced his father to change the focus of their business to the booming real estate sector, and found significant success in the field. He eventually started acquiring other companies and became the owner of the prestigious Christian Dior brand and Le Bon Marché department store. When LVMH was created as a result of a merger between two companies, Arnault invested millions in the shares of the new company and became LVMH's first shareholder. Eventually he was selected chairman of the executive management board and in this position he led an extensive expansion plan and transformed the company into one of the largest luxury groups in the world