On 5 January 2024, Bernard Arnault-led LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, or LVMH, announced Frédéric Arnault as the CEO of the conglomerate’s watch division. As the young executive takes on the new role, let us have a look at Frédéric Arnault’s net worth and what he spends his fortune on.
For those uninitiated, some of the most high-end heritage designer brands, such as Christian Dior, Givenchy, Sephora, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Dior, Fendi, Tag Heuer and Mark Jacobs, make up the LVMH empire. In 2021, the company expanded its portfolio by acquiring American jeweller Tiffany & Co. for a record USD 15.8 billion.
Frédéric Arnault joined his siblings in a senior leadership role at the family business with his wealth and responsibilities being further propelled.
What is Frédéric Arnault’s net worth?
According to Forbes’ real-time billionaire’s index, the net worth of Bernard Arnault and family is valued at USD 188.2 billion, as of 9 January 2024. This makes them the second wealthiest billionaires after Space X chief Elon Musk.
The majority of the fortune comes from LVMH, of which Bernard Arnault owns a 47 per cent stake. His holding firm Agache is behind the venture capital firm Aglaé Ventures, which has invested in Netflix and TikTok’s parent company ByteDance.
While it is difficult to estimate his salary, his designation, watch collection, lifestyle and work show that Arnault is a burgeoning force in the luxury retail sector just like his father and siblings.
Frédéric Arnault’s role in LVMH and other details about the business scion
His role as the head of LVMH’s watch segment
As the CEO of LVMH Watches, Frédéric Arnault’s responsibilities include helming affairs of three timepiece brands — Zenith, Hublot and TAG Heuer — collectively.
Given his successful streak as the CEO of Tag Heuer to rebrand the label that appeals to the youth while keeping the brand’s heritage and tradition alive, Arnault’s escalation as the head of LVMH’s horological arm is quite natural. According to a report by Hodinkee, the void at Tag Heuer will be filled by Zenith’s now-former CEO Julien Tornare who has held the position since 2017.
Arnault’s addition to the management means a change in reporting positions as well. He will be reporting to Stéphane Bianchi, the CEO of LVMH Watches & Jewelry. On the other hand, Tornare, Zenith’s current chief executive officer Benoit de Clerck and Hublot’s CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe, will be reporting to Arnault.
Impeccable track record at Tag Heuer
Under Frédéric Arnault’s supervision, Tag Heuer steered towards a modern approach while being rooted in its horological heritage. In 2017, Frédéric Arnault joined the brand, which is one of the largest houses under the LVMH banner, as head of connected technologies under then-CEO Bianchi. The latter was tasked to train him to take over, but the two would often clash over ideas.
The following year, Arnault was promoted to chief of strategy and digital officer. In 2020, he became the Maison’s CEO, the second-youngest Arnault to hold the post after his brother Alexandre.
The young executive focused on making the heritage label appeal to the youth. A slew of smart wearables and a line of Tag Heuer Connected watches were introduced that tracked heart rate, fitness, sleep and other health parameters. Such a business masterstroke proved incredibly profitable not only for the Swiss watchmakers but also added hugely to the business and their net worth. According to a 2022 report by Fortune, Connected watches constitute around 15 per cent of all sales.
As a next-gen billionaire with a flair for youth connection, Arnault incorporated new-age technology with Swiss craftsmanship that allowed users to link their Connect watches with crypto wallets and display their favourite non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
View this post on Instagram
In another strive to make the brand youth-friendly, Arnault roped in Canadian actor Ryan Gosling as a Tag Heuer brand ambassador in 2020. The move seemed quite peculiar at first, as the actor has no social media presence. However, it paid off when the partnership became Gosling’s first endorsement, and in 2023, Tag Heuer watches were featured in the Barbie film.
View this post on Instagram
Besides Gosling, the brand has collaborated with Liu Haoran, Cai Xukun, Patrick Dempsey and Jacob Elordi as well.
In 2020, e-commerce also shot up for the horological marque as the CEO tapped into growing its social media presence. Collaborations with other top brands like Porsche and Super Mario gave rise to the likes of the Tag Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph and the Tag Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition.
View this post on Instagram
Fortune states that in the same year, Tag Heuer’s e-commerce grew by 329 per cent, and in the third quarter of 2021, LVMH earned revenues of USD 7.1 billion from its watch and jewellery sector.
Such an impeccable track record added to Frédéric Arnault’s net worth and LVMH’s soaring business, as well as propelled the Swiss label to newer heights.
Frédéric Arnault is a watch aficionado
When you are the top boss of one of the world’s biggest watch brands, it is only natural for the person to be a timepiece connoisseur.
For Arnault, it all started when his father acquired Tag Heuer in 1999. At the time, the former was just four. Later, Bernard Arnault gifted a TAG Heuer Aquaracer when his son turned 11 and that encouraged his fascination for timepieces and the Swiss luxury brand.
A reflection of Arnault’s net worth and his passion for timepieces, his Instagram shows a stunning variety of watches that he wears and glimpses of horological events where he represents the company.
Frédéric Arnault’s education and other work stints
Born in 1995, Frédéric Arnault is Bernard Arnault’s third son and fourth child. Following in his father’s footsteps, he graduated from École Polytechnique with a degree in computational and applied mathematics. While studying at the prestigious French university, Arnault co-founded a mobile payment startup that was sold to Banque Nationale de Paris, also known as BNP Paribas.
Prior to joining LVMH, Arnault had interned with Facebook’s AI New York division and McKinsey & Company. Such noted stints have sharpened his business acumen and led him to take Tag Heuer to unprecedented heights.
It’s not just work for Frédéric Arnault
View this post on Instagram
Besides work, the young executive is often seen jetted out for vacations with his siblings and playing tennis. He has hit the court with tennis greats like Roger Federer and Félix Auger-Aliassime.
According to The Richest, he has also served as a lead paramedic for the Paris Brigade of Sapeurs-Pompiers between October 2014 and March 2015.
The multifaceted talent plays the flute and piano, like his mother Helene Mercier. He has attended Coachella and was spotted at the BLACKPINK concert in 2023. His Instagram also shows images of him spending time playing chess with his father.
View this post on Instagram
Arnault is also linked with K-pop idol and BLACKPINK member Lisa. On many occasions, he is seen spending time with her and attending her shows. HITC states they were seated together at the May 2023 Bulgari show.
An advocate of nature and sustainability
Arnault has pushed the boundaries of sustainability at Tag Heuer. For example, the Connected Watch Trade-In programme encourages customers to exchange their old timepieces for credits, instead of discarding them and, in turn, contributing to landfills.
Clean materials are also a part of the label’s watchmaking. For instance, material made from recycled plastic goes into making the strap for the Monaco Green Dial watch. Meanwhile, the new Carrera Plasma watch uses lab-grown diamonds and the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph is the first Tag Heuer model to be powered by a solar module that can be recharged by sunlight or artificial light.
Such important business moves and actions not only proved beneficial for the brand but also contributed heavily to his net worth and LVMH’s revenues.
About the other Arnault siblings
While Frédéric Arnault is making headlines for his recent promotion as the new CEO of LVMH watches, his other siblings also hold senior positions in the LVMH empire.
Eldest daughter Delphine Arnault is the CEO of Christian Dior. Before joining the brand in 2001, she entered the fashion industry while working at designer John Galliano’s company in 2000, helping to develop the brand.
Antoine Arnault heads LVMH’s communications. He is also the chairman of Loro Piana and the chief executive of Berluti. In 2007, he became the director of communications at Louis Vuitton, where he launched the “core values” campaigns, featuring noted personalities like Muhammad Ali, Angelina Jolie, Mikhail Gorbachev and Bono.
While Alexandre Arnault is the executive vice president of Tiffany & Co., the youngest son Jean Arnault is the director of watches at Louis Vuitton.
(Hero and feature image credit: Frédéric Arnault/ @frederic.arnault/ Instagram)
This story first appeared on Augustman Singapore
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-How much is Frédéric Arnault’s salary?
Frédéric Arnault was named CEO of LVMH’s watch segment on 5 January 2024. According to Forbes, Bernard Arnault and family, which own a 47 per cent stake in the company, is valued at USD 188.2 billion. In addition to this and as the CEO of Tag Heuer, it is safe to deduce that Frédéric’s income and salary will be a staggering figure.
Most Popular
You might also like
Home Is Where The Art Is: Meet Hong Kong Digital Artist Jonathan Jay Lee
Nicole Kidman on Expats and Being “Too Tall” to Make It in Hollywood
