On Monday 27 July, Bernard Arnault, the 77-year-old chairman of LVMH, made his personal debut on X with a single word: 'Thank you.' The post was a direct response to supporters after a tense stand-off with journalists from Le Monde, which had just published the final instalment of a six-part investigation into France's richest man and his luxury conglomerate.
The investigation, by reporters Raphaëlle Bacqué and Vanessa Schneider, traced the construction of the Arnault empire, described tensions within his companies and family, and referred to a 'court' phenomenon around the billionaire. Arnault, who had previously used LVMH's official X account to publish a right of reply, now took the unusual step of opening a personal channel.
In his open letter, laced with sarcasm, Arnault wrote: 'I hadn't been treated like this since the takeover of Boussac in 1984. Back then they called me "The Terminator". I prefer "the last royal family": it's more elegant, and it's better for sales at Dior.' He dismissed the journalistic work as a 'serial' and condemned what he saw as melodrama and a taste for the 'novelistic'. 'Apparently, in the Arnault family we don't talk things through, we plot [...] What in an ordinary family is called a Sunday is called an intrigue in ours.'
A strategic shift in communication
For Ariane Ahmadi, a communications expert and president of Kerman consulting, the Le Monde articles were 'the last straw' for Arnault. 'I think this is the start of a public and political communication strategy. He wanted to say that he will not let himself be pushed around and that he is opening his own information channel so that he can communicate in his own way,' she said.
Elon Musk, owner of X, welcomed Arnault's arrival with a message that echoed this sentiment: 'The best way to communicate with the world is to address the public directly in your own words, rather than going through the distorting mirror, a real nightmare when it comes to bending reality, that is the traditional media.'
Ahmadi noted that Arnault is 'taking back power, regaining control of the narrative' by bypassing traditional media. 'He no longer wants to be the object of fantasies against which he never defends himself. Because the game with great fortunes is that you do not own your image in the court of public opinion.'
The billionaire also deployed humour and irony, as in the closing line of his letter: 'I will continue to do Le Monde's crossword puzzles, which, for their part, are excellent.' Ahmadi observed that 'humour and irony are what allow you to undermine your opponent.'
Political overtones and national narrative
Arnault's move goes beyond personal defence. Ahmadi argued that he is 'taking big business out of the realm of collective imagination and popular fantasy and turning it into something more political. He is putting himself in a position where he is not simply a company boss, but also a businessman whose opinion may be of interest.' She added that he is 'almost positioning himself as a national asset.'
In his letter, Arnault highlighted his contributions: 'I contributed 200 million euros towards the reconstruction of Notre-Dame. I gave Paris and France the Fondation Louis Vuitton. [...] I have given, and that seems suspicious.' Ahmadi interpreted this as embracing a narrative that France penalises success. 'What he shows in his response is that he helps France and is part of its national story. And, overall, that he pays enough tax. He is politicising his stance because he is politicised, in spite of himself.'
Whether Arnault aims to influence the next presidential election remains unclear. 'In this context, he will give his views; he is bound to become more political. But I am not sure he will give his opinion on a particular candidate. He will focus on issues rather than on individuals,' Ahmadi predicted.
Vincent Bolloré, another prominent French industrialist who has been active on X since October 2025, welcomed Arnault's arrival. 'I welcome the arrival of Bernard Arnault. Everyone knows about his exceptional success, which contributes enormously to our country. At a time when France, through disastrous management, is sinking into serious difficulties, his views will be invaluable,' Bolloré wrote.
Arnault's first steps on X have already drawn an audience: in just over 48 hours, he amassed nearly 108,000 followers, nearly four times as many as Bolloré. The move marks a clear departure from the media shyness that long defined one of Europe's most powerful business figures.
