Bernard Arnault
When my brother Bob and I began shaping a vision for our company, we wanted to create a boutique enterprise with a strong presence in diverse areas. To achieve that, we needed to bring in advisers from the worlds of finance, business and media. I realized there was one man who loomed large over each field: Bernard Arnault, 58, chairman of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, or LVMH.
Bernard is a true Renaissance man. He appreciates the power of art to shape every area of our culture, and he unites the competing interests of art and commerce with a businessman's skill and an artist's eye. He has nurtured fashion giants such as Marc Jacobs and John Galliano, and partnered with Frank Gehry to begin work on the Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation in Paris. He feels right at home negotiating complex deals and explaining the intricate genius of haute couture.
Yet Bernard and his wife Hélène, a concert pianist, prefer the simple life. I once asked Bernard why he was skipping a reception after Galliano's Dior show in Paris. He said he had other priorities, like rushing home to cheer on France in the World Cup. So add sportsman to his credentials. His rare combination of artistic knowledge, business sense and creative vision enhances and beautifies our lives.
Film producer Weinstein is co-founder of the Weinstein Co.