LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault once said: “Until I am the richest man in the world, I will not be truly happy.” Luckily for Arnault, with a net worth of $200 billion, he often manages to hold onto that title, sharing it with Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, depending on the day. While by this definition Arnault will only be happy for a while, he says it's the daily joys that keep him going during the long workdays, which often last from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“I have fun every morning when I arrive,” Arnault said in an interview with Bloomberg.
The 75-year-old CEO often starts his day with classical music and spends Saturday mornings in his own stores—from Louis Vuitton to Dior—checking inventory for inconsistencies and shortcomings, then he relays the information to his management team. He takes 20-minute breaks in his Paris office to play the Yamaha grand piano, and spends his rare free hours playing tennis with opponents such as friend and tennis legend Roger Federer.
“He works 24 hours a day,” Delphine Arnault, Arnault’s eldest daughter and Dior CEO, told Forbes about her father. “When he sleeps, he dreams of new ideas.”
His fastidiousness and workaholism are part of the secret sauce that has allowed Arnault to run the world's largest luxury goods conglomerate, worth $397 billion and 6,097 stores worldwide, despite a downturn in the sector. It has been a big coup for Arnault since he took over LVMH in 1989, spending $2.6 billion on the company's shares to become its largest shareholder.
And Arnault shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to snapping up real estate in Miami, New York, and Paris to maintain its position in areas where consumers spend the most on luxury goods, LVMH announced this week it was buying the 100-year-old French bistro Chez l'Ami Louis. Along with LVMH's investment in luxury train company Orient Express earlier this month, it's a clear signal that LVMH is looking to expand its presence beyond luxury clothing and accessories.
But some of the CEO's business decisions are not without controversy. The Hermès family dubbed him the "wolf in cashmere" due to his aggressive approach to acquisition targets and cost-cutting measures.
Arnault admitted that as he gets older, he will have to loosen his grip on his empire, although he is not ready yet. Five of his children have already made waves as leaders within the company, including four who have held positions on the board of directors.
Although he is entrusting more responsibilities to his children, Arnault told Bloomberg he plans to wait until at least 2030 to pass the torch. “Let’s see if one of them can take over,” he said.
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