Frédéric Arnault: 8 Interesting Facts About One of the LVMH Heirs

The son of Bernard Arnault, founder and chairman of the luxury conglomerate LVMH, Frédéric is a member of the second wealthiest family in the world. Here are eight things to know about him.

Summary of Contents:

1. His love for watches originates from childhood
2. He boasts an impressive academic record
3. He started early at Tag Heuer and quickly rose through the ranks
4. He strongly believes in the intersection of tradition and innovation
5. He focuses on bringing the brand to younger audiences
6. He has a deep commitment to sustainability
7. He has a forward-thinking vision for e-commerce
8. He works hard and plays hard

The name Arnault has recently been making waves across the internet—perhaps due to the rumored romantic relationship between Frédéric Arnault (from the illustrious Arnault family) and Lisa (from the globally renowned K-pop girl group Blackpink). The Arnault family controls LVMH, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate.

While Lisa is a K-pop star idolized by millions around the world, the Arnaults prefer to keep a low profile. This is despite owning dozens of famous brands, such as Dior, Celine, Bvlgari, and Sephora. It’s a luxury empire that Bernard’s five children are being prepared to eventually inherit.

At the age of 28, Frédéric was honored as the youngest CEO in the luxury watch industry. He has been leading Tag Heuer for the past three years. Unfazed by the pressure to live up to his father’s reputation, yet unsatisfied with resting on the laurels of the family fortune, Frédéric has charted his own course while demonstrating business acumen at a very young age.

If you’re curious and want to know more about this young entrepreneur, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to discover eight things you need to know about Frédéric Arnault.

1. His love for watches originates from childhood Tag Heuer was acquired by his father in 1999 when Frédéric was just 4 years old. To mark Frédéric’s 11th birthday, Bernard gifted him his own Tag Heuer Aquaracer watch. This gift sparked a lasting passion for watches.

His bond with the brand continues to this day, leading him to personally select brand ambassadors for Tag Heuer, individuals who genuinely love the product. Arnault spoke about his desire to avoid transactional relationships in an interview last year, adding, “The worst thing that can happen is an ambassador who just wears the watch for a picture and then takes it off afterward. That ambassador doesn’t talk about it or promote it to their own friends.”

2. He boasts an impressive academic record Like his father, Arnault graduated from the prestigious École Polytechnique, one of France’s top universities known for producing leading innovators and tech talents. His degree in applied mathematics and computer science equipped him with analytical skills that would greatly benefit his career. As a student, Arnault demonstrated early business acumen. While studying at École Polytechnique, he co-founded a mobile payment startup that was acquired by a French investment company just 18 months later.

Before joining Tag Heuer, Arnault interned at Facebook’s AI department in New York and at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Arnault also possesses impressive language skills—fluent in both English and French as well as conversational in Italian and German.

3. He started early at Tag Heuer and quickly rose through the ranks It’s evident that Arnault is being groomed to one day take over Tag Heuer, the largest watch brand in LVMH’s portfolio. But that doesn’t mean his path was smooth. Back in 2017, Arnault joined the company as head of the connected technology department. Bernard entrusted his son to then-CEO Stéphane Bianchi, reportedly saying, “Report back when you think Frédéric is ready to take over [the company]. And if you think Frédéric will never be ready for that position, then report back to me.”

This wasn’t an easy transition as Arnault and Bianchi were reportedly at odds. However, they later developed genuine respect and friendship. Today, Bianchi heads LVMH’s Watch and Jewelry Company and remains one of Arnault’s biggest supporters. He once said this about the young CEO: “Initially, [Frédéric] never doubted any of his decisions. But now he listens more. Now he can admit when he’s wrong.”

In 2018, Arnault was promoted to Chief Strategy and Digital Officer of Tag Heuer. Two years later, at the age of 25, he ascended to the top CEO position of the company, marking the beginning of a new era for the prestigious watchmaker.

4. He strongly believes in the intersection of tradition and innovation Shortly after joining the company, Arnault recognized the incredible potential in marrying traditional watchmaking with advanced technology. However, most industry leaders at the time were still purists, believing that classic craftsmanship didn’t need any further intervention.

Despite the skepticism, Arnault saw the growing demand for smartwatches and decided to venture into the appropriate field. Under his leadership, the company introduced the Tag Heuer Connected, a luxurious smartwatch that maintains the brand’s distinctive Swiss style while incorporating advanced features such as fitness tracking, GPS, and customizable watch faces. This controversial move proved to be a strategic breakthrough that propelled the historic brand into the smartwatch market.

Arnault continues to push the boundaries of traditional watchmaking, now setting his sights on the Web3 world. The Tag Heuer Connected line now features blockchain technology, connecting devices to cryptocurrency wallets, NFT portfolios, and more.

5. He focuses on bringing the brand to younger audiences As expected from a young CEO, Arnault particularly invests in connecting the Tag Heuer brand with the younger generation. He achieves this through numerous collaborations with major brands like Porsche, creating limited-edition watches that appeal to new demographics beyond Tag Heuer’s traditional audience. Some notable examples include the Tag Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph and the Tag Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition.

Similarly, Arnault leverages the immense potential of “celebrity endorsement” to enhance the brand’s visibility and appeal to heritage enthusiasts. One notable instance is signing a contract with Ryan Gosling as a brand ambassador—a surprising move as the actor had no prior brand deals and limited social media presence.

But this collaboration proved to be an outstanding breakthrough in bridging the gap between Hollywood glamour and classic timepieces. Notable scenes featuring Tag Heuer watches appeared in the summer blockbuster Barbie, in which Gosling starred alongside Margot Robbie.

6. He has a deep commitment to sustainability Arnault is vocal about supporting the reduction of carbon emissions at Tag Heuer. Under his leadership, the brand has embarked on a range of green initiatives, such as the Connected Watch Exchange program aimed at encouraging recycling. Instead of discarding old watches, consumers are encouraged to return them to receive store credits. These credits can then be used to purchase new items.

He also advocates strongly for the use of sustainable materials in watchmaking. The Monaco Green Dial watch features a strap made from recycled plastic; the Carrera Plasma utilizes diamonds grown in a laboratory; and the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph is Tag Heuer’s first