- Bernard Arnault is the world’s richest man. He has a net worth of $201 billion, according to Bloomberg.
- He controls the massive luxury conglomerate LVMH, and his children all hold roles in the business.
- He’s now in talks to buy French magazine Paris Match, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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No name is perhaps more synonymous with the world of luxury goods than Bernard Arnault.
Arnault, the 75-year-old CEO of French luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, or just LVMH for short, built his fortune over the span of almost four decades, amassing a luxury-goods empire that includes some of the best-known brands in fashion, jewelry, and alcohol, including Louis Vuitton, TAG Heuer, and Dom Pérignon.
Earlier this week, he reclaimed the title of the world’s richest person, and has a net worth of about $201 billion, according to Bloomberg. He, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have traded places on and off over the past year.
Along the way to the top, Arnault has brought his five adult children into the fold, building a family-run business that has resulted in immense wealth and even drawn comparisons to the hit HBO show Succession (which Arnault has dismissed).
Arnault is now in talks to add French magazine, Paris Match, to his growing empire for around $109 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. While the acquisition might be little more than pocket change for the multi-billionaire, Paris Match’s value comes from its social influence. The magazine has long been known for chronicling the upper echelons of French society, according to the Journal.
Here’s a closer look at how Arnault and his family rose to the top:
