Meet Delphine Arnault, Dior CEO and daughter of world's richest man

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 14:22

Louis Vuitton's executive vice president Delphine Arnault, Owner of LVMH Luxury Group Bernard Arnault and Maria Grazia Chiuri attend the LVMH Prize 2019 Edition at Louis Vuitton Avenue Montaigne Store on March 01, 2019 in Paris, France. — Delphine and Bernard Arnault: two of the most powerful people in fashion.
Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

Delphine Arnault, eldest child of LVMH head Bernard Arnault, is the CEO of Christian Dior.
Apart from a brief stint at McKinsey, her career has spanned multiple roles for LVMH since 2000.
All of her siblings also work at LVMH brands, including Louis Vuitton, Berluti, and TAG Heuer.

Delphine Arnault is one of the most powerful women in fashion.

The eldest daughter of the world's richest man, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, the 49-year-old Delphine is now a year into her role as CEO of Dior.

Since 2000, her career has spanned multiple roles with LVMH, including CEO of Dior since 2023.

Here's a look at Delphine Arnault's background and career.

Her father's eldest child (she has four younger brothers), she is the heiress-apparent to his luxury goods empire and fortune worth $218 billion.

LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault poses with five children and wife outside — From left: Alexandre, Frederic, and Jean Arnault, Helene Mercier, and Bernard, Delphine, and Antoine Arnault.
DENIS CHARLET/AFP via Getty Images

Delphine was born near Paris on April 4, 1975, to Bernard Arnault and his first wife, Anne Dewavrin. She attended primary school in Paris, with a stint in the US at a French-American school where she became fluent in English.

After graduating from the London School of Economics in 1997, Delphine Arnault took a job at McKinsey.

Delphine Arnault with her brothers and Bernard Arnault sit front row at a fashion show — From left: Alexandre Arnault, Antoine Arnault, and Delphine Arnault.
Vianney Le Caer/AP

"I was learning strategy," she told the Financial Times of her time at McKinsey. "In a presentation in America they would start with the conclusion and say how they got there, and I found that very interesting. It was straight to the point."

After McKinsey, she joined the fashion designer John Galliano's brand to gain more industry experience.

Bernard Arnualt John Galliano — Bernard Arnault and John Galliano.
Raphael GAILLARDE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

At the time, Galliano was also Dior's creative director.

In 2005, she married Italian wine heir Alessandro Vallarino Gancia in what Forbes called "France's wedding of the year."

delphine arnault wedding — Delphine Arnault and Alessandro Vallarino Gancia.
DERRICK CEYRAC/AFP/Getty Images

Her wedding dress reportedly took 1,300 hours to make, but the marriage didn't last, according to Vogue.

She then began a relationship with French telecom billionaire Xavier Niel. They now have two children.

Xavier Niel, founder, Kima Ventures — Xavier Niel.
Kima Ventures

Niel is sometimes referred to as the Steve Jobs of France, according to Vogue. "She's his biggest cheerleader. He's her biggest cheerleader," artist Mark Bradford told the magazine.

Arnault is credited with elevating Raf Simons to replace John Galliano.

Galliano abruptly left Dior in 2011 after video footage of him making antisemitic remarks led to his ouster, and Delphine played a key role in shielding the company from fallout.

In 2013, Ms. Arnault took over all product-related activities for Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton is the biggest brand at LVMH.

She told the FT her managerial style is "quite calm," though she's known to make surprise visits to stores on busy Saturday afternoons.

"I am always on my phone but it's good to meet people, to see them. To send a clear message," she said.

At 43, Arnault became the youngest member on the LVMH executive committee when she joined in 2019.

Photograph of Delphine Arnault smiling — Delphine Arnault.
Getty Images

She was also just the second woman to join the committee.

In January 2023, LVMH announced she would take over the CEO role at Christian Dior.

Former Dior CEO Pietro Beccari moved over to Louis Vuitton.

"Under her leadership, the desirability of Louis Vuitton products advanced significantly, enabling the brand to regularly set new sales records," her father said in the announcement.

Louis Vuitton's executive vice president Delphine Arnault and Owner of LVMH Luxury Group Bernard Arnault attend the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring Summer 2020 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. — Delphine and Bernard Arnault.
Getty Images

"Her keen insights and incomparable experience will be decisive assets in driving the ongoing development of Christian Dior," he added.

As a group, LVMH posted over $92 billion in sales last year, up 13% from the prior period.

A woman walks with a Louis Vuitton shopping bag as she leaves a Louis Vuitton store in Paris September 24, 2013. — A woman walks with a Louis Vuitton shopping bag.
REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

The company doesn't separate financial information by brand, but half of its revenues come from fashion and leather goods.

Delphine's move is "significant," Citi analyst Thomas Chauvet told Reuters.

Louis Vuitton's executive vice president Delphine Arnault, Owner of LVMH Luxury Group Bernard Arnault and his wife Helene Arnault attend the Dior show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2020/2021 on February 25, 2020 in Paris, France. — Delphine, Bernard, and Helene Arnault.
Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

"Succession planning in strategic roles has been instrumental to the success of LVMH's key brands over the past 20 years," Chauvet said.

In April, Bernard Arnault added two more of Delphine's siblings to the LVMH board.

LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault on board his private jet between Beijing and Shanghai. in Shanghai, China on October 11, 2004. — Bernard Arnault on his private jet.
Marc DEVILLE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Of the five children, only the youngest, Jean Arnault, doesn't sit on the company's board – for now.

LVMH is "the leading business in Europe," Delphine told Vogue, and "Dior is the most famous French name in the world."

Of LVMH's 70-plus luxury brands, Dior has a particularly special significance in French culture, and Bernard Arnault has pledged €200 million to restore Notre Dame and €150 million to the Paris Olympics.

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Meet Delphine Arnault, Dior CEO and daughter of world's richest man