Nicolas Puech
Nicolas Puech | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 (age 81–82) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Owner of 5% of Hermès |
| Relatives | Thierry Hermès (fifth-generation descendant) |
Nicolas Puech (born 1943) is a French billionaire heir and businessman, a fifth-generation descendant of fashion designer Thierry Hermès. He resigned from the company's supervisory board in 2014, but maintained 5% of Hermès shares. Puech has attempted to sell this stake, but maintains he does not have access to his shares.[1]
Early life
Nicolas Puech was born in 1943 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, the son of Francis Puech and Yvonne Hermès.[2][3] He is the brother of Bertrand Puech and the cousin of Jean-Louis Dumas.[2]
Personal life
Puech lives in Martigny, Switzerland.[4]
Wealth
In 2023, the Swiss media reported that Puech intended to cancel his inheritance contract with the Isocrates Foundation and leave half of his fortune to his former gardener, who he planned to adopt. The charitable foundation, which Puech founded and served on as board president, formally opposed the annulment.[5]
As per Forbes list of The Richest People In The World, dated 8 March 2024, Puech ranked #121 with a net worth of $15.6 Billion.[6]
In 2025, Forbes removed him from its billionaires list because according to Puech, his "fortune has vanished".[7] According to The New York Times, Puech had agreed to sell 6 million Hermès shares to the Qatari royal family, but Puech had told the Swiss government that his shares had allegedly been taken by a wealth advisor. A related lawsuit was filed against Puech in the United States.[1]
Fraud
Puech's "vanished" fortune is the subject of ongoing investigation. Puech has accused his former money manager, Eric Freymond, of isolating him from friends and family so that he could siphon away a massive fortune.
According to testimony reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Freymond admitted to magistrates that he sold off most of Puech's Hermès holdings to LVMH more than a decade prior, and that Puech was aware of the sales. However, Puech denied that claim in his own testimony. He admitted that he had signed a sweeping agreement for Freymond to manage his money and dispose of assets, but claims his original inherited shares in Hermès were not to be touched.[8]
Independent audits found varying money trails that appeared to be connected to Freymond, including the opening of joint accounts. The audit showed that Puech had put €35.8 million into Geneva bank Gonet and that outgoing transfers mainly benefited Freymond who spent money on a range of purchases, from stocks to art. When the account closed with €15 million in it, the balance was also transferred to Freymond. [8]
Freymond killed himself on 23 July 2025 when he was struck by a train in Switzerland.[9]
References
- ^ a b Livni, Ephrat (9 April 2025). "The Strange Case of an Hermès Heir, an Emir and a Deal Gone Wrong". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ a b G. Auguste; M. Gutsatz (28 March 2013). Luxury Talent Management: Leading and Managing a Luxury Brand. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-137-27067-2. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^ "Profil d'un personnage - Société Genevoise de Généalogie". Gen-gen.ch. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^ "Nicolas Puech". Forbes. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ Neate, Rupert (19 December 2023). "Hermès billionaire plans to leave half of fortune to ex-gardener and cut ties with charity". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Forbes 2025 Billionaires List - The Richest People In The World Ranked". Forbes.
- ^ Peterson-Withorn, Chase (1 April 2025). "Forbes' 39th Annual World's Billionaires List: More Than 3,000 Worth $16 Trillion". Forbes.
- ^ a b Kostov, Nick (18 October 2025). "How a Handyman's Wife Helped an Hermès Heir Discover He'd Lost $15 Billion". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ^ WW, FashionNetwork com (24 July 2025). "Hermes heir's ex-adviser dies as $16 billion legal fight endures". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 21 October 2025.