• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
LeadershipBernard Arnault
Europe

Real-life ‘Succession’: LVMH’s billionaire owner Bernard Arnault to extend his tenure as CEO with his 5 kids in the running to take over

Sophie Mellor
By
Sophie Mellor
Sophie Mellor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Sophie Mellor
By
Sophie Mellor
Sophie Mellor
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 16, 2022, 9:23 AM ET
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault
LVMH chief executive and world’s third richest man Bernard Arnault is changing the rules at his company so he can stay at the helm for a little bit longer.Nathan Laine—Bloomberg/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

LVMH chief executive and world’s third-richest man Bernard Arnault is changing the rules at his company so he can stay at the helm for a little bit longer.

Recommended Video

In a regulatory filing, LVMH said it would seek to raise the age limit for its chief executive officer from 75 to 80 at its next annual general meeting. Arnault, who just celebrated his 73rd birthday this month, has run the company for almost four decades.

Extending his tenure gives Arnault more time to decide on his succession plan, and many analysts predict one of his five children will take over—possibly setting up a family competition akin to HBO’s Succession.

All of Arnault’s children work at LVMH. The eldest, Delphine Arnault, 46, who is widely regarded as the strongest takeover candidate, is executive vice president for Louis Vuitton and the only Arnault child sitting on the company’s executive team.

But Delphine’s siblings are also contenders. Antoine, 44, is head of communication and image at LVMH; Alexandre, 29, works as executive vice president at LVMH’s recently acquired Tiffany; Frédéric, 27, is chief executive of TAG Heuer; and the youngest, Jean, 23, acts as director of marketing and development for Louis Vuitton watches.

Arnault also has a number of colleagues on his executive team who may be in the running. Antonio Belloni, a group managing director responsible for the strategic and operational management of LVMH’s companies, Michael Burke, CEO of Bulgari and Louis Vuitton, and Nicolas Bazire, managing director of Groupe Arnault in charge of development and acquisitions, have all been with LVMH for longer than two decades and could warrant serious consideration.

What the analysts say

“This seems to signal that Bernard Arnault is planning to stay longer at the helm of the group—overall a positive for LVMH, as successor candidates would have more time to mature and gain experience and gravitas,” said Luca Solca, senior research analyst in the global luxury goods group at Bernstein.

When asked if one of Arnault’s kids is positioned to take over, Solca told Fortune, “Yes, I believe this is likely to be the case.”

The proposed change in age limit shows that Arnault is “giving himself a longer time horizon to decide” on his succession plans, Philippe Pele-Clamour, an adjunct professor at business school HEC Paris, told Bloomberg.

The Arnault story

Bernard Arnault, who was born to a wealthy family in Lille, first joined the luxury business by acquiring the bankrupt company Agache-Willot-Boussac—a textile and retail conglomerate that owned Christian Dior—from the French government in 1984.

After acquiring the troubled company, Arnault laid off 9,000 workers in two years, a move that earned him the nickname “The Terminator.” He stripped the company of nearly all of its assets, keeping only the Christian Dior brand and the French luxury department store Le Bon Marché, and by 1987 returned the company to profitability.

Then Arnault began expanding. In July 1988, Arnault invested $1.5 billion in a holding company, formed along with Irish drink company Guinness, to purchase a 25% stake in the Louis Vuitton group, which had merged with Moët Hennessy in 1987. Rumors circulated that LVMH would form a “blocking minority” against Arnault, so Arnault spent $600 million more to buy another 13.5% of the group, making him its largest shareholder. More nicknames followed him, including the “Wolf in Cashmere” and the “Machiavelli of Finance.”

After Arnault took control, more acquisitions ensued. Between 1989 and 2001, LVMH acquired Céline, Berluti, Kenzo, Guerlain, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Sephora, Thomas Pink, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, DKNY, and others.

After the acquisitions, Arnault put key figures into creative director positions to revitalize the brands. He hired Marc Jacobs as creative director of Louis Vuitton in 1997, and installed John Galliano as head of Givenchy in 1995 and then Dior in 1996. He also named the recently deceased Virgil Abloh as artistic director of Louis Vuitton in 2018.

The acquisitions have continued to the present day. LVMH recently acquired jewelry maker Tiffany, and rumors circulate that Arnault is looking into buying Ralph Lauren.

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
Sophie Mellor
By Sophie Mellor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

Matt Garman
Successthe future of work
Amazon exec says AI won’t wipe out white-collar jobs—and is hiring 11,000 grads and interns, and has more developers than 2 years ago to prove it
By Preston ForeJune 24, 2026
1 hour ago
t
CommentaryWhite House
Trump mistakes the bully pulpit for bullying leadership — history’s villains were never heroes
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianJune 24, 2026
5 hours ago
mg
CommentaryHealth
The ‘tech neck’ time bomb: why 43 million young Americans could cripple U.S. health care within a generation
By Michael GerlingJune 24, 2026
5 hours ago
Sarah Youngwood, EVP and CFO at Nasdaq.
C-SuiteFinance
Inside Nasdaq CFO Sarah Youngwood’s AI playbook
By Sheryl EstradaJune 24, 2026
6 hours ago
Business is moving past the tech bro era and learning to value ‘real people, real places’
NewslettersCEO Daily
Business is moving past the tech bro era and learning to value ‘real people, real places’
By Diane BradyJune 24, 2026
7 hours ago
Now she’s worth $200 million—and Sarah Jessica Parker thanks being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
SuccessCareer Advice
Now she’s worth $200 million—and Sarah Jessica Parker thanks being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
Banking
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
By Jim EdwardsJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
Real Estate
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
By Sydney LakeJune 22, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.