Founder Profile
Bernard Arnault
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Bernard Arnault?
Bernard Arnault is a founder of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, which was founded in 1987 with Alain Chevalier and Henry Racamier.
- Company founded
- LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE
- Founded
- 1987
- Co-founders
- Alain Chevalier and Henry Racamier
Background
An engineering graduate of Ecole Polytechnique who began his career at his family's construction firm, Ferret-Savinel, before moving into luxury through Boussac and Dior.
Founding Story
Bernard Arnault, born in 1949 in Roubaix, France, is the Chairman and CEO of LVMH. After running his family's construction company, he bought the bankrupt Boussac group in 1984 for its Christian Dior brand, then built a controlling stake in LVMH and became its chairman in 1989. He has since expanded the group through acquisitions including Sephora, Bulgari, Loro Piana, Belmond and Tiffany & Co. His five children hold senior roles in the group.
Education: Lycée Faidherbe.