Birkenstock: LVMH heir Alexandre Arnault leaves board of directors

Footwear brand Birkenstock is set to reshuffle its board of directors. Alexandre Arnault, son of LVMH chairman and majority shareholder Bernard Arnault, has resigned from his position effective August 6, 2026, due to professional commitments. The company announced that a search for a replacement is already underway.

The board of directors plans to approve the new appointment at an upcoming meeting once a suitable candidate has been found. Chairman of the board Michael Chu thanked Arnault for his five years of service. He noted that Arnault enriched the board with his experience and commitment to the brand during a crucial phase of the company's development.

Chu also emphasised that strategic investor Financière Agache, the Arnault family's investment company and a strategic investor in Birkenstock, will remain closely associated with the brand following Arnault's departure.

Alexandre Arnault explained his resignation was due to growing professional commitments. He cited the same reason when he resigned from his position on the board of directors at Moncler in July. Arnault was previously the CEO of Rimowa and subsequently moved to Tiffany & Co., where he took a leading role in repositioning the brand. Since 2025, he has been the deputy CEO of the Moët Hennessy wine division within the LVMH group.

Birkenstock is majority-owned by the private equity firm L Catterton, in which the Arnault family holds a stake through Financière Agache and LVMH. The company's operational headquarters are in Linz am Rhein, Germany, while the publicly listed holding company, Birkenstock Holding plc, is based in London.