In April 2007 when Salma Hayek announced her engagement to French businessman Francois Pinault, rumors started swirling that the Mexican-American actress was only after his money. During her engagement announcement, Hayek also revealed she was expecting a child with Pinault. The couple became proud parents in September 2007 when their daughter Valentina Paloma Pinault was born. In April 2009, the couple tied the knot in a beautiful Paris Ceremony and have remained together ever since.
By her marriage to Pinault, Salma Hayek walked into her happily ever after fairytale and...billions of dollars. As a businessman, Pinault has approximately amassed a net worth of $56 billion from different fields of business. What are some of the ways he has amassed his impressive bank account? Read on to find out!
10 Generational Wealth
Some people have to work really hard to earn their first million but not François-Henri Pinault. He was born on May 26, 1962, to a French man who would later become a billionaire. By the time he was out of his formative years, Pinault's father had amassed a lot of money through his multiple chains of businesses and investments. Therefore when Pinault took over management of these companies and businesses from his father in 2003, not only was he stepping into big shoes, he was also going into a lifetime of wealth.
9 Gucci
In 1963, Pinault's father founded Kering, a corporation that specializes in the production of luxury items. In 1999, the corporation acquired 40% of Gucci shares, making it one of their subsidiary companies. Over the years, the Gucci brand has become a key player in the luxury, raking in billions of euros every year through their exquisite fashion designs. Today, Gucci is the largest revenue to Kering's annual revenue and many of their merchandise has been sported by several of the world's biggest stars.
8 Yves Saint Lauren
In 1999, the same year Gucci was purchased, Kering bought 100% of the controlling stake of French luxury fashion brand Yves Saint Lauren. Also a high-end fashion brand, this fashion house has continued garnering attention from people around the world resulting in high revenue input for the Kering corporation. This, in turn, has exponentially increased Pinault's net worth.
7 Alexander McQueen
In the early 2000s, Kering signed a strategic partnership deal with UK fashion house Alexander McQueen, bringing it into their conglomerate of brands. In the years since signing that deal, Alexander McQueen has placed itself at the top of the list of high-end fashion brands. Like the others, McQueen contributes a high percentage to Kering's annual revenue which in turn translates to an impressive bank account for Pinault.
In addition to Alexander McQueen, Gucci, and Yves Saint Lauren, the Kering corporation is also linked to many other fashion brands including Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney, Puma amongst others.
6 Château Latour
A part of Pinault's net worth also comes from Chateau Latour, a wine estate in France owned by Groupe Artemis, the parent company of Kering. The estate produces three different types of red wines and sells hundreds and hundreds of bottles every year. With the estate's most expensive wine, grand vin averaging at $763 for a 750ml bottle, there is no denying that Pinault makes a lot of money from this venture.
5 Compagnie du Ponant
Groupe Artemis controls several businesses including Compagnie du Ponant, a cruise ship operator which they bought in 2015. With eleven ships in operation and constantly providing transportation to traveling passengers, Compagnie du Ponant also rakes in a significant amount to Artemis's revenue and Pinault's bank account.
4 Stade Rennais
In 1998, Artemis branched into the sports business when the company purchased Staide Rennais FC, a French football club founded in 1901. With several game tickets to their matches, and different merchandise sols, Stade Rennai does make a lot of money annually and in the end, some of it come back to Pinault's bank account.
3 Le Point Magazine
Artemis bought Le Point, a weekly French magazine in 1997. The publication is known for maintaining a conservative stance, making it a top favorite for many French people. With hundreds of thousands of copies sold every year, the Artemis group no doubt makes a lot of money through this.
In addition to Le Point, the Artemis group also has investment in Point de Vue, a magazine focused on the royal families of the world and several other important personalities across the globe.
2 Palazzo Grassi
In May 2005, Pinault bought the Palazzo Grassi, a building in Italy, for 29 million euros. He contracted the renovation of the building to Japanese architect Tadao Ando and reopened it in April 2006. Since then, the Palazzo has been used for numerous art exhibits that attracts people from all over the world. Also, in 2007, Pinault bought Punta Della Dogana, an art museum in Venice, renovated it, and paired it with the Palazzo Grassi for exhibitions.
1 Christie's Auction
The Christie's Auction house was founded in 1766 but it was not until 1998 that it came under the Group Artemis conglomerate. Between now and then, Christie's has hosted multiple auctions, where several valuable artworks have been sold.
With a billionaire husband controlling multiple chains of luxury fashion brands, one can only imagine what Salma Hayek's wardrobe looks like. A successful actress, a proud wife, and a doting mother, this woman sure has it all!