Finance
Succession at LVMH? We don't talk about it, says Arnault's wife
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
LVMH's succession plans remain undisclosed as CEO Bernard Arnault's family maintains silence on future leadership, despite investor concerns.
PARIS, Dec 4 - Succession plans at luxury giant LVMH are seldom discussed within the controlling Arnault family, according to remarks by CEO Bernard Arnault's wife published in France's Liberation newspaper on Thursday.
In corporate Europe, questions have long swirled around who will succeed France's wealthiest man Arnault, 76, who is also chairman of LVMH and, along with his family, a controlling shareholder.
"It's a topic that the two of us almost never discuss," his wife Helene Mercier told the newspaper in rare remarks for an article about one of Arnault's five children, Antoine.
"It's entirely up to him," she said.
LVMH did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The group, which is worth some 312 billion euros ($364.32 billion), owns brands including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Tiffany and Dom Perignon champagne.
In April, LVMH shareholders overwhelmingly approved a change to company bylaws that raised the maximum age of its chairman and chief executive to 85 from 80.
While Arnault's age isn't a problem for investors, lack of clarity about who would take over from him has become a concern, some LVMH investors recently told Reuters.
All of Arnault's children hold top management positions in the group. The eldest, Delphine, 50, and Antoine, 48, are children from his first marriage, while Alexandre, 33, Frederic, 30 and Jean, 27, are his children with Helene.
Mercier downplayed suggestions of tension within the family, where Arnault's five children are a constant topic of tabloid gossip and speculation in France.
"We are a blended family, but we are united and we love each other. There is no open conflict," she said.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro, editing by Adam Jourdan and Bernadette Baum)
Succession planning is a strategy for identifying and developing new leaders who can replace old leaders when they leave, retire, or die. It ensures that an organization continues to operate smoothly during transitions.
Corporate governance refers to the systems, principles, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. It involves balancing the interests of stakeholders, including shareholders, management, customers, suppliers, and the community.
A controlling shareholder is an individual or entity that owns a sufficient percentage of a company's shares to influence its decisions and operations. This often includes the ability to appoint board members and approve major corporate actions.
A blended family is a family unit that includes children from previous relationships of one or both partners, along with children they have together. This family structure can involve complex dynamics and relationships.
A chairman is the highest officer of an organization, responsible for presiding over meetings and ensuring that the board of directors functions effectively. The chairman often represents the company in official matters.
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