Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, will receive the Yale Legend in Leadership Award at the Yale CEO Summit, which will take place in New York City on December 17. He was nominated by past award winners and confirmed by Yale faculty members. The award will be presented on their behalf by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ivanka Trump; Condé Nast global chief content officer and artistic director Anna Wintour; and Blackstone chairman and CEO Stephen Schwarzman. The full award ceremony will be carried live on CNBC TV and on CNBC.com.
Summit organizer Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management, said:
“Bernard Arnault stands among the rare titans whose vision has reshaped not just business, but culture and society more broadly. His leadership illuminates the extraordinary possibilities that emerge when commercial imagination is paired with cultural vision, civic engagement, social impact, and long-term stewardship.
“Arnault is at once one of the most revered business leaders of our time and a widely admired patron of extraordinary artistic creativity. Under his stewardship, LVMH became the first European company to surpass a $500 billion valuation, transforming a constellation of independent, often family-run ‘maisons’ into a pioneering global powerhouse—without ever sacrificing their soul, heritage, or devotion to meticulous craftsmanship.
“While his commercial accomplishments speak for themselves, what makes Arnault unique as a Yale Legend in Leadership Award recipient is not simply the scale of his success, but the philosophy behind it. As the architect of the modern luxury industry, he has shown that genuine leadership in this realm is not about excess but about excellence; not about exclusivity but about enduring cultural contribution. He has elevated centuries-old traditions while embracing modern design, digital innovation, social responsibility, and global accessibility—often anticipating trends years before others even recognized them.
“Beyond the extraordinary business empire he has built, Arnault has served as a guardian of culture and a champion of human creativity. His vision gave rise to the Fondation Louis Vuitton, one of the defining architectural and artistic landmarks of this century, and his leadership helped rally global support for the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral after the devastating fire in 2019—just two examples of his deep civic commitment. He has also been a tireless advocate for expanding opportunities within the fashion industry for individuals from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. From fashion to fine art to philanthropy, his impact radiates far beyond balance sheets.
“Arnault embodies the rare combination of business acumen, strategic discipline, aesthetic sensitivity, moral courage, and cultural stewardship that defines history’s most influential leaders. He has preserved and strengthened some of the world’s most treasured legacies while cultivating the next generation of creative visionaries. His legacy is one of building, nurturing, imagining, and inspiring.
For these reasons, Arnault is not only a deserving recipient of the Yale Legend in Leadership; he is a global cultural force whose imprint will endure for generations.”
Arnault has served as chairman and CEO of LVMH since 1989. Under his tenure, the group has grown to encompass over 75 distinguished houses, or brands, across six distinct sectors: wines and spirits, fashion and leather goods, perfumes and cosmetics, watches and jewelry, selective retailing, and other activities.
Key milestones of his leadership include the strategic development of “star brands” such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Tiffany & Co., the latter of which was acquired in 2021 in one of the largest deals in luxury history. Arnault’s philosophy centers on a long-term vision that prioritizes desirability and craftsmanship over short-term volume, a strategy that has propelled LVMH to become one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Arnault began his career as an engineer at the Ferret-Savinel construction company, where he was promoted to various executive management positions before becoming chairman in 1978. He pivoted to the luxury sector in 1984 with the acquisition of the Boussac textile group, which owned Christian Dior. He is Grand-croix de la Légion d’honneur and a Commandeur in the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Yale Legend in Leadership Award
The Yale Legend in Leadership Award was created 35 years ago to honor current and former CEOs who serve as living legends to inspire chief executives across industries, sectors, and nations. Past recipients include: Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Greg Brown, chair and CEO of Motorola Solutions; Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings; Larry Fink, chair and CEO of BlackRock; James Quincey, chair and CEO of Coca-Cola; Marc Benioff, chair and CEO of Salesforce; Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile; Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank; Arvind Krishna, chair and CEO of IBM; Steven Spielberg, filmmaker and chair of Amblin Partners; Darius Adamczyk, CEO of Honeywell; Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine; Doug Parker, chairman of American Airlines; Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer; Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnson & Johnson; Lynn Good, CEO of Duke Energy; Lisa Su, CEO of AMD; Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID; Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart; Arne Sorenson, CEO of Marriott International; Andrew J. Young, mayor of Atlanta (1982-1990) and ambassador to the United Nations (1977-1979); Brian C. Cornell, chair and CEO of Target Corporation; Ivan G. Seidenberg, chair and CEO of Verizon Communications; Ken Frazier, chair and CEO of Merck & Co.; Colin Powell, four-star U.S. Army general, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), and secretary of state (2001-2005); Janet Yellen, United States secretary of the treasury; Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever PLC; Mary T. Barra, chairman and CEO of General Motors Company; Brian Moynihan, chairman and CEO of Bank of America; David M. Rubenstein, co-founder and co-executive chairman of the Carlyle Group; Leonard S. Schleifer, president and CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; George D. Yancopoulos, president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast; Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin; Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase; and Ken Chenault, chair and CEO of American Express.
The 2025 Yale CEO Summit theme is “Is There Any Order to the New World Order? Planning Your Strategic Horizons Through the Global Haze.”
Yale CEO Summit partners and sponsors include AlixPartners, Atlas Merchant Capital, Deloitte, Evercore, Gladstone Place Partners, IBM, McKinsey & Company, Paul Weiss, Pfizer, TD Bank Group, and Yale School of Management Executive Education.