As you might know, Bernard Arnault is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, the French holding company formed through the merger of Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy. But who is second in command? That would be Stéphane Bianchi.
The Role of No.2
Before Stéphane Bianchi took over the role of LVMH Group Managing Director in 2024, the position was held by Toni Belloni, who had worked alongside Arnault for more than 23 years. Upon Belloni’s departure, Arnault remarked, “Toni has been a major contributor to the success of LVMH. Inspiring, curious and unfailingly loyal, he has participated in all the acquisitions of recent years and has supported the growth of the Group and its teams with agility and pragmatism. ”
Belloni’s contributions were immense, and his departure had a significant impact not only on the company but on the entire industry. At the age of 69, Belloni had been preparing for retirement, while Arnault had been planning to bring younger leadership into the top management of the conglomerate.
Stéphane Bianchi stepped into the role of LVMH Group Managing Director in 2024. This position oversees the group’s strategic direction and operations. Additionally, he took on responsibilities as President of the Regions and the Group’s Digital and Data Transformation initiatives.
Bianchi originally joined the company in 2018 at the age of 53 as the head of LVMH’s watch division, which includes TAG Heuer, Zenith, and Hublot, while also serving as CEO of TAG Heuer. Later, he expanded his responsibilities to include Fred, Chaumet, and Bulgari. Following this change, Jean-Christophe Babin, who had been CEO of Bulgari since 2013, began reporting directly to Bianchi instead of LVMH’s top management.
About the appointment, Arnault said, “Since joining the Group, Stéphane Bianchi has demonstrated rare leadership and management qualities while immersing himself in the Group’s entrepreneurial and family culture.” Bianchi commented, “By joining the LVMH Group at the end of 2018, I made the choice to join a family Group, chaired and led by a visionary man, and carrying values to which I am deeply committed: legacy, long-term vision, timeless desirability of our Maisons and products, and a permanent quest for excellence in all our actions.
Before LVMH
Born in 1965, Bianchi graduated from the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, one of the most prestigious schools in Paris. Early in his career, he worked as a consultant for Arthur Andersen for four years before joining Yves Rocher, the French skincare and cosmetics company founded in 1959. He quickly demonstrated strong leadership and became CEO at the age of 33. From 1998 to 2015, he contributed to the group’s growth and diversification. This broad and international experience prepared him for the next challenge in other family businesses.
Following his tenure at Yves Rocher, he joined the board of the Maus Group, which owns brands such as Lacoste and Gant. He moved to Switzerland for the role, and this decision paved the way for his transition to LVMH’s watchmaking division, which is based in Switzerland. With his extensive experience in family-owned businesses, he joined LVMH in 2018, working closely with Frédéric Arnault, Bernard Arnault’s 29-year-old son, for two years.
At 76, Bernard Arnault is clearly considering his succession plan. Although LVMH Group shareholders amended the CEO age limit to allow him to remain until 80, he has been gradually assigning greater responsibilities to his children.
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