Born in Roubaix, an industrial city in northern France, in 1949, Bernard Arnault is the French business titan, founder, Chairman, and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate. His start was an unlikely one for a future fashion mogul: his father was a prominent manufacturer who owned a civil engineering and property company, Ferret-Savinel.

Arnault received an elite technical education, graduating in 1971 from the École Polytechnique, France's most selective engineering school, with a degree in Civil Engineering and Mathematics. His mother, who was fascinated by Dior, instilled in him a love for high culture. In his first role as chief construction officer, he convinced his father to sell the construction business and pivot entirely to real estate. This early, decisive move, followed by a period of developing timeshare properties in the US, forged his strategic ruthlessness, earning him the nickname, 'the wolf in cashmere.'

Bernard Arnault’s career is defined by one of the most audacious corporate takeovers in French history. He returned to France in 1984 seeking a business with 'French roots and international reach.' He acquired the near-bankrupt textile conglomerate, Boussac Group, primarily to gain control of its most valuable asset: Christian Dior S.A.

Arnault used a strategy often criticized for its 'Anglo-Saxon ruthlessness': he sold off most of the other Boussac businesses and laid off thousands of workers to fund the revitalization of Dior. By 1987, he orchestrated the creation of LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) through a merger and used a series of strategic maneuvers to oust the existing management, gaining complete control. From there, Arnault embarked on a decades-long 'shopping spree,' methodically acquiring the best luxury brands—from Louis Vuitton, Hennessy, Céline, and Givenchy, to TAG Heuer—assembling his vision of a 'luxury-goods supermarket.' His mastery of blending financial discipline with creative management has made LVMH the world's most valuable luxury group and Arnault one of the world's richest individuals.

Bernard Arnault is a major patron of the arts and culture in France and globally. His philanthropy is focused on heritage, music, and the arts, reflecting his personal classical training (piano) and passion for design.

• Fondation Louis Vuitton: He funded the construction of this Frank Gehry-designed art museum in Paris, an immense cultural gift to the city.
• Arts and Heritage: LVMH funds the restoration of numerous French and Italian heritage sites, including major contributions to the restoration of the Notre Dame Cathedral after the 2019 fire.
• Educational Support: He supports music and arts education, viewing creativity as the fuel for his industry. His structural commitment is to maintaining the global dominance of French and European luxury, ensuring the high-value jobs and cultural prestige of these sectors endure.