Bernard Arnault

Biography

Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault ; born 5 March 1949) is a French business magnate, an investor, and an art collector. Arnault is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LVMHAfter graduating from the Maxence Van Der Meersch High School in Roubaix, Arnault was admitted to École Polytechnique, from which he graduated with an Engineering degree in 1971. His father, Jean Leon Arnault, a graduate of École Centrale Paris, was a manufacturer and the owner of the civil engineering company, Ferret-Savinel.

Research Interest

After graduation, Arnault joined his father's company in 1971. In 1976, he convinced his father to liquidate the construction division of the company for 40 million French francs, and to change the focus of the company to real estate. Using the name Férinel, the new company developed a specialty in holiday accommodation. Named Director of Company Development in 1974, he became the CEO in 1977. In 1979, he succeeded his father as President of the company. Christian Dior In 1984, with the help of Antoine Bernheim, a Senior Partner of Lazard Frères et Cie., Arnault acquired the Financière Agache, a luxury goods company.[5] He became the CEO of Financière Agache, and subsequently took control of Boussac, a textile company in turmoil. Boussac owned Christian Dior, the department store Le Bon Marché, the retail shop Conforama and the diapers industrial Peaudouce. He sold nearly all the company's assets, keeping only the prestigious Christian Dior brand, and Le Bon Marché department store.