It takes immense discipline, a good measure of luck, and yes, a helping familial hand in the early days to become a billionaire. It takes even more to earn the hotly contested title of world’s richest man. So what does the daily routine of a largely self-made power player like LVMH Founder, Chairman, & CEO Bernard Arnault involve? More importantly — what makes the 75-year-old emperor of luxury goods tick?
Married to the money
Anyone who’s successfully amassed centi-billion-dollar net worth will obviously be a workaholic. Bernard Arnault famously once said:
“As long as I’m not the richest man in the world, I won’t really be happy.”
12-hour-plus days are reportedly the norm, kickstarted in the morning at 6 AM with some yoga/stretching and meditation/quiet reflection; plenty of classical music; along with a nutrient-rich breakfast of fruits, nuts, and wholegrains, e.g. oatmeal topped with fresh berries, almonds, green tea.
From there, the 8 AM to 8:30 PM grind can begin in earnest.
Bernard Arnault’s Daily Schedule
Morning
During the business week, the earlier hours are dedicated to the expected strategy meetings with various lieutenants that manage LVMH’s vaunted portfolio; ranging from Louis Vuitton and Moet & Chandon to Christian Dior, Tiffany & Co, and Sephora. Think executive teams, brand managers, other key stakeholders, etc.
This is followed by a review of the previous day’s financials: to stay informed about every aspect of his US$397 billion luxury empire, which spans around 6,097 stores globally. Sales figures… market trends… you name it.
Fun fact: apparently the worst way you can start a meeting with him is to comment on how “robust” the sales are due to his near-violent aversion to complacency (“That would get you killed,” observed one former employee).
Arnault takes an even more hands-on approach on Saturdays, when he visits his own stores accompanied by a “rotating entourage” of deputies, bodyguards, and offspring. This reportedly occurs as often as 25 times per day: to evaluate inventory for “discrepancies and imperfections,” as per Fortune, and occasionally even his competitors’ retail fronts.
On weekends, he’ll take 20-minute breaks to play his Yamaha grand piano in LVMH’s Paris headquarters like the classically trained pianist he is; and spends “rare free time” playing tennis against the likes of friend and legendary Big Three player Roger Federer. As you do.
“Every morning, I have fun when I arrive.”
Bernard Arnault, Bloomberg (2024)
Midday
A little before lunchtime, the focus shifts towards “innovation and creativity.” The detail-oriented Bernard Arnault plays an active role in most facets of product development and design reviews. Collaborations and partnerships are also explored in this portion of his day.
Eldest child and CEO of Dior, Delphine Arnault, explained to Forbes: “He works 24 hours. When he sleeps, he’s dreaming of new ideas.”
As for lunch itself, as sources have pointed out, it’s not so much about dining as it is about scheduling in networking opportunities with his fellow captains of industry. But for those who simply must know: in typical fashion, Arnault reportedly favours the cuisine of his native France — preferring light seasonal dishes with a glass of wine.
Afternoon
Weekday afternoons often mirror Saturday mornings: store inspections and site visits to production facilities/design studios, with specific attention paid to the overall customer experience and product quality control.
In the latest Bloomberg feature article about him, a longtime LVMH employee remarked upon the serious nature of these drop-ins; and that whenever Arnault enters the room, “the temperature drops about 8°C.”
The man himself admitted: “Maybe I’m a bit less, how would I say, warm.”
Then it’s onto more strategic planning sessions and reviewing of KPIs. Given his academic background as an engineering graduate of École Polytechnique, Arnault’s decisions are understandably equal parts creativity and ruthlessly data-driven. Those who fail to perform are not spared.
A member of the Hermès family, whose business Arnault has attempted a hostile takeover of on more than one occasion, described him as “The Wolf in Cashmere.”
Evenings
A much-needed bit of unwinding is required once Bernard Arnault clocks off at around 8:30 PM.
Sources indicate he prioritises family dinners whenever possible, which one might also read as a more subtle extension of his lunchtime philosophy (considering one of the Arnault children will eventually be handed the keys to the LVMH kingdom).
Currently, son and LVMH Watches CEO Frederic Arnault is in pole position after the transformative work he accomplished with TAG Heuer; having already earned his father’s nomination to serve as #2 at one of his holding companies. Though the aforementioned Delphine shouldn’t be ruled out just yet: in light of her stewardship over Dior and status as the only other family member on LVMH’s executive committee.
“This suggests that Arnault is still assessing whether the rest of his offspring are truly up to the task,” explains Bloomberg’s Brad Stone and Angelina Rascouet.
“I have five members of the family working in the group. Let’s see if one of them has the capacity to take over.”
Bernard Arnault, Bloomberg (2024)
From that point forward, it’s simply a matter of reflection and preparation for the following day.
Bernard Arnault Net Worth (2024)
At the time of this writing, LVMH Founder, Chairman, & CEO Bernard Arnault retains a net worth of approximately US$173.3 billion, according to Forbes.
Depending on any given stock price fluctuations regarding his own company (EPA: MC), Elon Musk‘s Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), and Jeff Bezos‘ Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), along with the financial performances of these entities, Arnault is considered the world’s richest man.
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