LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault (77) is postponing his succession by several years
Last Thursday, the luxury goods group held its annual general meeting at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. For the first time, all five children of LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault took the floor.
Bernard Arnault (left), who is also the majority shareholder of LVMH, has been at the helm of the company since 1989. All five of his children now hold executive positions within the group, but the CEO—who ranks among the world’s wealthiest individuals—has not yet named a successor.
He did not provide any further details on the matter at last Thursday’s annual general meeting either. When asked by a shareholder about the future leadership of the group and his children’s ambitions in that regard, he pointed out that he had been re-elected last year with 99 percent of the vote and suggested revisiting the topic of his succession in seven to eight years.
In that case, Bernard Arnault would still be in office in his mid-80s. This is made possible by an amendment to the articles of association, which LVMH shareholders approved last year with 99.18 percent of the vote. The amendment raises the age limit for the company’s CEO from 80 to 85 years. The limit had already been raised to 75 in 2022.
Given the current turbulent geopolitical situation, Arnault is focusing his attention first and foremost on the next five years. At the annual general meeting in Paris, he said: “What really interests me is what the group will look like in five years and what advantages it will have by then. As for the Middle East, everything depends on how this crisis plays out. Either there will be a global catastrophe with very negative economic consequences, or the crisis will resolve quickly, and then business will return to normal.” Even in the event of a prolonged crisis, Arnault expects “that we will gain market share.”
LVMH – a true family-owned business
All five of Bernard Arnault’s children hold senior positions within the company. Delphine Arnault is CEO of Christian Dior Couture. Antoine Arnault is in charge of corporate image and communications at LVMH. Alexandre Arnault is deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy, LVMH’s wines and spirits division.
Frédéric Arnault was appointed CEO of TAG Heuer in 2020, took on the then-newly created position of CEO of LVMH Watches in January 2024, but left the watch division just about a year later. In June 2025, he moved to the LVMH brand Loro Piana as CEO. The Italian fashion label specializes in rare, luxurious fabrics.
Has the crown prince already been chosen?
According to insiders, the youngest son, Jean Arnault, is set to replace longtime LVMH executive Jean-Christophe Babin as CEO of LVMH Watches in June. He is already being touted as the “crown prince” in the succession to his father, after successfully repositioning Louis Vuitton’s watch division in the high-end mechanical segment.
At the same time, he revitalized the Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth brands, which had long been overlooked within Bulgari’s portfolio, and in doing so won awards at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Through the acquisition of L’Epée 1839, in which he played a key role, he also secured specialized expertise in mechanical watchmaking for LVMH.
