Which French billionaire is the chairman of LVMH?

Bernard Arnault is the French billionaire who serves as chairman of LVMH.

Arnault studied engineering and mathematics at École Polytechnique before joining his family’s construction business. His decisive move into luxury goods came in 1984, when he acquired the financially troubled Boussac Saint-Frères group, which owned Christian Dior.

LVMH was created in 1987 through the merger of Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy. Arnault became the group’s leading shareholder and has overseen its expansion across fashion, leather goods, wines and spirits, watches, jewelry, perfumes, and cosmetics.

The wording can cause two frequent confusions. Arnault is not the founder of Louis Vuitton, which was founded by Louis Vuitton in 1854, nor is he the chairman of every brand within LVMH. Xavier Niel, Vincent Bolloré, and François-Henri Pinault are prominent French business figures but lead different companies.