Bernard Arnault
E-commerce and retail#1 IN FRANCE
Bernard Arnault

Bernard Arnault

Chairman and CEO of LVMH · Updated 10 Nov 2026

Bernard Arnault runs LVMH, owner of about 75 luxury brands. Forbes put his family's net worth at $121.8 billion on 4 November 2026, 16th in the world 1.

Compare
Net worthNOV 2026Full breakdown → $121.8B Source: Forbes, 4 Nov 2026
RankingsNOV 2026
Richest in France#1Richest in the world#16
#1France rank
77Age
2Companies
QUICK FACTS
Born5 March 1949, Roubaix, France
Age77
Net worth$121.8B · Forbes, 4 Nov 2026
Known forBuilding LVMH
EducationÉcole Polytechnique
SpouseHélène Mercier
Children5
01 · Biography

Who is Bernard Arnault?

Bernard Arnault is the French chairman and chief executive of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury-goods company. Forbes put the net worth of Bernard Arnault and family at $121.8 billion (about ₹11.6 lakh crore) on 4 November 2026, 16th in the world 1.

How did Bernard Arnault make his money?

Arnault began in his father’s construction business. In 1984 he used $15 million from it to buy the bankrupt textile group that owned Christian Dior, then won control of LVMH by 1989. He has since built it into a group of about 75 brands, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Sephora and Tiffany & Co., bought in 2021 for $15.8 billion 12.

Illustrative luxury textile atelier with fabrics, patterns and an unbranded leather handbag

Luxury boutique on a Paris avenue at dusk, representing Bernard Arnault's LVMH luxury group

Family

Arnault is married to the Canadian concert pianist Hélène Mercier. All five of his children, Delphine, Antoine, Alexandre, Frédéric and Jean, work at LVMH 12. His holding company, Agache, bought a majority of the football club Paris FC in 2024 1.

Early life

He was born on 5 March 1949 in Roubaix, northern France, and graduated from the École Polytechnique 12.

Illustrative mid-century French engineering study with drafting tools and mechanical model

In this profile · 6 pages

Everything about Bernard Arnault

Net worth1 minThe LVMH chief and family are worth $121.8 billion.Read net worth → Biography1 minRoubaix, the Polytechnique, Dior and the building of LVMH.Read biography → Family1 minHis wife Hélène Mercier and five children, all at LVMH.Read family → Companies1 minLVMH, Christian Dior SE, Agache and Paris FC.Read companies → Lifestyle1 minParis, piano, modern art and Paris FC.Read lifestyle → Timeline1 min1949 to 2026: Roubaix to the head of LVMH.Read timeline →
02 · Timeline

Career timelineCareer at a glance

Full timeline
  1. 1949PERSONALBorn on 5 March in Roubaix
  2. 1971EDUCATIONÉcole Polytechnique
  3. 1989ROLETakes control of LVMH
  4. 2021DEALLVMH buys Tiffany & Co. for $15.8 billion
  5. 2024DEALAgache buys a majority stake in Paris FC
03 · Companies

Companies founded 2Companies

See allAll 2
LVMHLVMHChairman and CEO · 1989–now
Paris FCInvestor
04 · Family

Wife, children and family

Family page
Hélène MercierWife (1991-present)
Delphine ArnaultDaughter; CEO of Christian Dior Couture
06 · FAQ

Questions people ask

Forbes estimated Bernard Arnault and family's net worth at $121.8 billion on 4 November 2026, about ₹11.6 lakh crore, 16th in the world.
Yes. All five of his children hold roles in the LVMH group.
In 1984 he used $15 million from his father's construction firm to buy the bankrupt group that owned Christian Dior.

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Sources Last verified 4 Nov 2026
  1. 1Forbes, Bernard Arnault & family profile (real-time net worth), 4 Nov 2026, Net worth, LVMH, family
  2. 2Bernard Arnault, Wikipedia, accessed 4 Nov 2026; biography
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