Famous Entrepreneurs Information

Bernard Arnault
Net Worth: $16.5 billion
Source: Luxury goods/France
Age: 60
Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; five children

• France's richest man lost $9 billion in the past year, as shares of his $22 billion (sales) luxury goods group, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, dropped 29%.

• Sailing into new waters: bought Princess Yachts, one of Britain's oldest luxury motorboat manufacturers, last summer; picked up yacht builder Royal van Lent soon after.

• Via his investment arm, Groupe Arnault, owns French tour operator Go Voyages and has a stake in French retailer Carrefour.

• Built Le Cheval Blanc in French ski resort town of Courchevel, where he often likes to spend New Year's Eve.

• Also owns two wineries with good friend, Belgian billionaire Albert Frere.

• Father made small fortune in construction; Arnault put up $15 million from that business to buy Christian Dior in 1985. Still a family affair, as both son Antoine, 31, and daughter, Delphine, 33, sit on LVMH's board.

• Wife is a concert pianist; Arnault himself reported to be an excellent piano player.

by Luisa Kroll, Matthew Miller, and Tatiana Serafin

Labels: Albert Frere, Bernard Arnault, Carrefour, Christian Dior, famous entrepreneurs, Groupe Arnault, Le Cheval Blanc, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Princess Yachts