30th August, 2017 by Rupert Millar
1. Bernard Arnault
Worth: €46.9bn
Company: Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy
Sector: Luxury goods
The top dog could only be Bernard Arnault, who in 2017 also reclaims the crown as the richest man in France from Lilian Bettencourt the L’Oréal heiress.
As the head of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH), a greater part of Arnault’s business is fashion, cosmetics, watches and perfumes – the group owns Louis Vuitton, Berluti, Fendi, Tag Heuer, Bvlgari, Givenchy and Acqua di Parma among many other ‘houses’.
This spring when it was announced the group was taking a controlling share in Christian Dior, Arnault’s personal worth spiked by €5bn in the space of little more than an hour or two.
That said, LVMH also possesses a fairly mighty drinks arm as well, amounting to 21 brands not least of which are a raft of the world’s leading Champagne labels including Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Dom Pérignon and Krug.
Furthermore, as well as Clos de Lambrays in Burgundy and Yquem and Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux the group also its Chandon estates in Australia, the US, Brazil, Argentina, India and China, Cloudy Bay, Cape Mentelle, Bodega Numanthia and its Ao Yun project in China.
For spirits brands it leans on Belvedere vodka, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Scotch whisky and, of course, Hennessy Cognac.
