Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, the world’s leading luxury group, was inducted into the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques on Monday.

The billionaire was elected in December 2024 to chair 1 of the “Political Economy, Statistics and Finance” section, previously held by Denis Kessler, the former chairman of the reinsurer SCOR, who died in June 2023.

“I take up the baton that, beyond death, my friend Denis Kessler extends to me, so that within this Academy, but also beyond it, I may contribute to the spirit of freedom, ambition, generosity, uncompromising standards and entrepreneurial passion that he embodied in his own way,” said Arnault, in a tribute to his predecessor.

His sword, a ceremonial element of the Institut de France that was presented to him by Bruno Le Maire, was designed by architect Frank Gehry, who died in December and who also designed the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

The green uniform was made by Dior, one of the LVMH group’s brands.

“As for great entrepreneurs, I believe I can demonstrate that Mr. Arnault does indeed belong to this category if we consider only the objective data: the importance of the company in France and worldwide, its contribution to the prosperity of the French economy – and the European economy -, and its decisive role in disseminating and promoting French and European excellence in the global economy,” said Jean-Claude Trichet, former president of the European Central Bank, in his welcome address.

Among the guests were First Lady Brigitte Macron, Culture Minister Rachida Dati, billionaire Vincent Bolloré, Maurice Lévy, honorary chairman of Publicis, the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, the President of the Île-de-France region Valérie Pécresse, and several ambassadors, an AFP journalist observed.

The LVMH CEO was accompanied at the event by his family, several group executives and a number of designers, including Pharrell Williams, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collections.

Like the Académie Française, the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques forms part of the Institut de France and comprises fifty full academicians, elected by an absolute majority of their peers to a chair left vacant by the death, prolonged absence or resignation of their predecessor.

Arnault adds this title to the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, which he received in March.

Paris (France), 12 Jan 2026 (AFP)