Soon after, French billionaire Bernard Arnault and his luxury goods group LVMH (MC.PA) pledged €200m towards the reconstruction.
Pinault, who is married to actress Salma Hayek, said “my father [François Pinault] and I have decided to release as of now from the funds of Artemis a sum of 100 million euros to participate in the effort that will be necessary for the complete reconstruction of Notre Dame.”
Yesterday, a fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral, gutting the landmark which has a 800-year history and has undergone extensive and expensive repairs and restorations.
François-Henri Pinault is one of the richest people in Europe, thanks to his family’s fashion empire. He is the chairman and CEO of the international luxury group Kering (KER.PA), which owns the Gucci brand. He is also president of the French holding company Groupe Artémis, which owns the fine arts auction house Christie’s. Combined with his wife’s — actress Salma Hayek — wealth, they are worth £5.126bn ($6.71bn), according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
Bernard Arnault is worth over $91.7bn, according to Forbes.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said late Monday in a tweet that “Notre Dame of Paris in flames. Emotion for a whole nation. Thoughts for all Catholics and for all French. Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn.”
Photo - Francois-Henri Pinault and his wife Salma Hayek.
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