Frédéric Arnault has been named the new CEO of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) watch division.
Arnault is the second youngest son of the French luxury conglomerate’s owner, Bernard Arnault, and has been CEO and chairman of TAG Heuer for the past three years.
The 29-year-old will now oversee the TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith brands, focusing on strengthening LVMH’s presence in the watchmaking industry.
Zenith CEO Julien Tornare will take over as head of TAG Heuer, while Benoit de Clerck will replace Tornare at Zenith. Arnault will report to the CEO of watches and jewellery, Stéphane Bianchi.
“Frédéric has done a tremendous job at TAG Heuer over the past six years. I am eager to see what his unique insights and vision will bring to fuel additional and sustainable growth for [our watch brands],” Bianchi said.
“His unique and disruptive vision for the watchmaking industry led to a spectacular transformation for TAG Heuer, which recovered its credentials in record time as the luxury watch brand driven by high performance.”
In September, speculation about the future leadership of LVMH ramped up as Arnault discussed succession plans. Each of Arnault’s five children holds positions within the company.
LVMH enforces a mandatory retirement age of 80 for the chief executive and chairman position, and Arnault is 74.
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