Antoine Arnault Officially Takes Over as CEO of LVMH Holding Company

Antoine Arnault, the oldest son of French billionaire Bernard Arnault, is officially stepping in as CEO of Christian Dior SE, the holding company through which the family controls luxury goods conglomerate, LVMH. Antoine has been named both CEO and vice-chairman and replaces the 71-year-old Sidney Toledano, who was the president of LVMH’s Fashion Group and former chief of the Christian Dior Couture brand. Pietro Beccari still remains as chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture.

While Antoine now has a larger role within the billionaire family’s luxury empire, Bernard’s second-oldest child will continue to carry out his other roles as a member of LVMH’s board of directors, as well as continue to oversee and lead the Berluti brand in image and communications. The Christian Dior SE brand merged with LVMH’s wider portfolio in 2017 and reported identical revenues since selling its namesake to the larger group for €6.5 billion EUR. Christian Dior SE now holds 41% of LVMH. The move for Antoine to succeed Toledano stirs additional speculations of success at the group. In a statement, Bernard thanked Toledano “for the utmost professionalism he has always demonstrated while serving this mandate of trust” as CEO of Dior SE. Toledano is also the chairman of French fashion school IFM and was recently appointed president of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, also known as the governing body for France’s prestigious haute couture designation.

All of Bernard Arnault’s five children hold senior positions at LVMH. According to Reuters, Antoine’s appointment comes after a change in the legal structure of the Arnault family’s investment to ensure its control of LVMH. Besides his new role with Christian Dior SE and continued executive position at Berluti, Antoine will also remain the chairman of Loro Piana. Antoine’s father and LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, 73, has not yet publicly named his successor to lead the sprawling fashion luxury empire though it is widely speculated that one of his five children will take over one day.

In other fashion news, Billionaire Boys Club x First Down have linked up for a winter-ready capsule collaboration.