Delphine Arnault

Delphine Arnault
Born	(1975-04-04) April 4, 1975 France
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, business executive
Years active	1996–present
Known for	Chairwoman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture; Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton; member of LVMH board

Delphine Caroline Marie Arnault (; born 4 April 1975) is a prominent French entrepreneur who has held the position of chairwoman and chief executive officer at Christian Dior Couture since February 2023.

As the daughter of Bernard Arnault, she holds a directorship at LVMH and has been serving as Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton since 2013.

Early life

Arnault is the eldest offspring of Bernard Arnault and Anne Dewavrin. She has a younger sibling, Antoine Arnault, along with three half-brothers from her father’s subsequent marriage, including Frédéric Arnault.

From ages seven to ten, she resided in New Rochelle, New York, where she attended a French-American educational institution. She completed her higher education at the London School of Economics and EDHEC Business School (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord).

In 1994, she was introduced as a debutante at Le Bal des débutantes in Paris.

Career

Arnault launched her professional journey with a two-year tenure at McKinsey & Company, before joining LVMH in 2000, initially collaborating with Dior’s creative director, John Galliano.

Since 2003, she has been part of LVMH’s management board, distinguishing herself as both the youngest member and the first woman to occupy this role. Additionally, Arnault sits on the boards of Moët Hennessy and M6, and acts as managing partner of a wealth management enterprise.

In 2008, she was appointed deputy chief of Christian Dior Couture, a role she held until 2013 when she transitioned to become director and executive vice president at Louis Vuitton.

Arnault established the LVMH Prize in May 2014, an international contest designed to identify and nurture emerging fashion designers by supporting their business development.

Her appointment as CEO of Christian Dior Couture was announced in January 2023 and took effect in February. In the same year, she was ranked 45th on Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women.

Other directorships

• Board member at Gagosian Gallery (since 2021)
• Board member at 20th Century Fox (since 2013)
• Board member at Céline (since 2011)
• Board member at Pucci (since 2007)
• Board member at Loewe (since 2002)
• Board member at Ferrari
• Board member at Havas (2013–2019)

Political activities

On 1 December 2022, Arnault was present at the state dinner hosted by President Joe Biden at the White House, honoring French President Emmanuel Macron.

She also participated in the church service alongside Donald Trump at St. John's Episcopal Church during his second inauguration in January 2025.

Personal life

In 2005, Arnault wed Alessandro Vallarino Gancia, heir to the Italian wine producer Gancia, though they divorced five years later in 2010.

She is mother to four children: two daughters born in 2010 and 2012, and two sons born in 2013 and 2017. Her two children with French entrepreneur Xavier Niel—Elise and Joseph—were briefly referenced in an interview with Vogue. The family resides in Paris’s 16th arrondissement.