He’s the world’s richest man. So why do we hear so little from Bernard Arnault? | Alexander Hurst

France does not expect much in the way of philanthropy from its low-profile billionaire class. Perhaps it should

If you scroll through the first 10 or so pages of Google results for the charitable giving of the world's on- and off-again wealthiest man, Bernard Arnault, you'll find ... practically nothing.

The most high-profile things that do come up when searching for evidence of the generosity of the founder and CEO of the French luxury goods behemoth LVMH look more like acts of billionaire one-upmanship. LVMH paid for the architecturally stunning Fondation Louis Vuitton museum, which showcases Arnault's collection of modern art. The rival billionaire owner of the luxury brands group Kering, Francois Pinault, has his private collection of contemporary art on display in the Bourse de Commerce in Paris's 1st arrondissement. Arnault's 200m pledge towards the reconstruction of Notre Dame came just after Pinault pledged 100m.