We no longer present Arnaud Lagardère, leader of the eponymous group since the disappearance of his father, Jean-Luc Lagardère. While the documentary “Additional investigation – Lagardère: the end of an empire?” has just been broadcast, the heir seems more than ever on the verge of selling the last shares of his group, including Europe 1 and Hachette, to Vincent Bolloré. How could this entrepreneur squander such capital and how much is his fortune now?
Only son of Jean-Luc Lagardère, former president of Matra and Hachette, and Corinne Levasseur, Arnaud Lagardère was born in Paris in the early 1960s. After a cloudless youth, he obtained a master’s degree in applied economics and a DEA in politics. general and organizational strategy at the University of Paris-Dauphine. As soon as he graduated, he started working in the family business.
First administrator, then managing director, he evolved within the company and rose through the ranks. At only 38 years old, he was appointed CEO in 1999. When his father died in 2003, he became the leader of the Lagardère group and followed in his footsteps. At that time, the group weighed nearly 13 million euros and employed 35,000 people. When he took the reins, the group’s situation became lastingly fragile as the emergence of the Internet caused publishing houses to lose momentum.
At the height of its time, shortly before its takeover by Arnaud Lagardère, the Lagardère group was formed by three major radio stations (Europe 1, RFM, Virgin Radio) and sold magazines such as JDD, Paris Match and Télé 7 jours. He also produced television shows, theaters and published his own books at Hachette.
When he took over the group, Arnaud Lagardère chained projects and notably created a new branch of the company, Lagardère Sports, which was abolished in 2020. He lost nearly a billion euros in this subsidiary. After making controversial choices and sparking debate, he sells his shares in EADS, the aeronautics giant created by his father.
Since then, the entrepreneur has sold almost all of his activities to the media. Refocused around publishing, as well as its Duty Free shops, it has seen its fortune drop drastically in recent years. Ranked 336th in France by the magazine Challenges, his fortune is estimated at 185 million euros in 2020. For comparison, the family heritage amounted to around 800 million euros in 2007.
In the Auteuil district, Villa Montmorency, in Paris, Arnaud Lagardère owns a residence located on Avenue des Sycomores, where Corinne Bouygues previously resided. Often occupied by his in-laws, it has belonged to him since 2006. However, the businessman prefers the tranquility of his estate in Poigny-la-Forêt, located in the forest of Rambouillet. This sports enthusiast finds the time to enjoy its swimming pool and tennis court.
For the holidays, Arnaud Lagardère and his wife Jade Foret go to the Hamptons, where they own a second home. After having acquired a house in Greenwich, Connecticut, the leader set his sights on this luxurious place for the modest sum of 19 million dollars.
