Francois-Henri Pinault is a French billionaire who leads two of the most influential companies in the luxury and art sectors.
He is the chairman and CEO of Kering, a global fashion group that owns brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen.
He is also chairman of Groupe Artémis, a holding company that controls Christie’s, the world’s largest auction house, several vineyards, museums and prestigious newspapers.
He is married to famous actress and producer Salma Hayek and is known for his philanthropic and environmental initiatives.
File
- Full name: Francois-Henri Pinault
- Date of birth: May 28, 1962
- Age: 62 years old
- male
- Place of birth: Rennes, France
- Nationality: French
- Occupation: Businessman
- Height: 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
- Parents: Francois Pinault and Louise Gautier
- Siblings: Not applicable
- Spouse: Salma Hayek
- Children: Francois Pinault, Mathilde Pinault, Augustin Pinault and Valentina Paloma Pinault
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: 43.3 billion USD
Early life and education
Francois-Henri Pinault, 62, was born in Rennes, northwestern France, on May 28, 1962. He is the only child of Francois Pinault and Louise Gautier, both of whom came from humble backgrounds.
His father was a timber merchant who started the business in 1963, later expanding into retail, construction and finance. His mother is a housewife who always supports her husband’s business.
Francois-Henri Pinault attended a Jesuit school in Rennes, where he excelled in mathematics and physics.
He then moved to Paris to study at the HEC School of Management, one of France’s most prestigious business schools.
He graduated in 1985 with a degree in management and finance. He also did military service in Los Angeles, where he worked as an intern at Hewlett-Packard.
Personal life
Francois-Henri Pinault has been married to Salma Hayek, a Mexican-American actress and producer, since 2009.
They have a daughter, Valentina Paloma, born in 2007. Pinault also has three other children from his previous relationships.
He has a son, Francois, and a daughter, Mathilde, with his first wife, Dorothee Lepere, whom he divorced in 2004. He also has a son, Augustin, with supermodel Linda Evangelista, whom he he dated briefly in 2006.
Pinault and Hayek live in Paris, London and Los Angeles and often attend high-profile events in the fashion and film industries.
They are also involved in various charitable causes such as women’s rights, education, health and environment.
In 2019, they donated $113 million to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after the fire. In 2020, they pledged $1 million to support explosion relief efforts in Beirut.
Career
Francois-Henri Pinault began his career in 1987 when he joined his father’s company, then called Pinault SA
He has held many different positions such as CEO of CFAO, a subsidiary specializing in sales and distribution in Africa, and CEO of Fnac, a bookstore and electronics chain.
In 1999, he became vice president of Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), the company’s new name, after it acquired several retail and luxury brands.
In 2003, he became president of PPR and in 2005, he succeeded his father as CEO. He then embarked on a strategic transformation of the company, focusing on luxury and lifestyle, while selling off the retail and distribution businesses.
He also acquired new brands, such as Puma, Bottega Veneta, And Volcomand changed the company’s name to Kering in 2013. Under his leadership, Kering has become one of the world’s largest and most profitable fashion groups, with revenues of $17.5 billion in 2020. .
In addition to his role at Kering, Pinault is also chairman of Groupe Artémis, the family company he founded in 1992.
Groupe Artémis owns 40% of Kering, as well as other assets, such as Christie’s, the world’s largest auction house, Chateau Latour, a leading wine estate in Bordeaux, Le Point, magazine weekly news and Palazzo Grassi, a contemporary art museum in Venice.
Pinault was an avid art collector, amassing more than 3,000 works by artists such as Picasso, Mondrian, Rothko and Koons.
Prize
Francois-Henri Pinault has received many awards and honors for his achievements and contributions to business, fashion, art and philanthropy. Some of them are:
- Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest order of commendation, 2006
- Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) International Award 2011.
- Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 2018.
- United Nations Foundation Global Vision Award 2019
- Corporate Citizenship Award from the 2020 Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Net value
Francois-Henri Pinault’s net worth is $43.3 billion, making him the 27th richest person in the world and the fourth richest person in France.
His wealth comes mainly from his shares in Kering, which has a market value of $89 billion, and his ownership of Groupe Artémis, which has a valuable portfolio of assets.
Argumentative
Francois-Henri Pinault has faced a number of controversies in his personal and professional life. One of the most notable issues is his paternity dispute with Linda Evangelista, who claims he is the father of her son, Augustin, born in 2006.
Pinault initially denied it but later admitted his paternity and reached a settlement with her in 2012.
The incident attracted a lot of media attention and raised questions about his relationship with Salma Hayek, who was pregnant with his daughter at the same time.
Another controversy Pinault has faced is the tax evasion investigation by Italian authorities, who have accused him and his father of tax evasion on their luxury brands, such as Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. , using a complex scheme of offshore companies and trusts.
The case was resolved in 2019 when Pinault agreed to pay $1.4 billion to the Italian government, the largest tax settlement in the country’s history.
Social Media
Francois-Henri Pinault is not very active on social media but he does have several accounts that he uses from time to time to share his views and activities. His social media is:
- Instagram: @fhp
- Twitter: @fhpinault
- LinkedIn: Francois-Henri Pinault
