Bangkok--Feb 9--Francom Asia
Airtimes: Saturday, February 12 at 11:00, 20:30, 24:00
Sunday, February 13 at 18:30 and 22:00 (replays)
Monday, February 14 at 10:30 (replay)
This weekend on CNN’s TALK ASIA, join host Lorraine Hahn for a chat with French businessman Bernard Arnault, a visionary who has gone from engineering to owning LVMH, one of the world’s biggest luxury products groups.
Chairman Arnault talks about the challenges he faced while trying to turn LVMH into a luxury empire, an empire which consists of numerous high-end retail brands such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Dom Perignon.
“In the luxury business you have to build on heritage, on the brands, on the history, and part of France’s history. And it takes time… If you take Louis Vuitton for instance, we have constantly new products, and the problem we are constantly facing is to be able to deliver the products because we are so attached to the quality. When we have a product like the multi-colored bag of Louis Vuitton, we cannot produce as many as we can sell, because we want to keep the quality at the highest level.”
The 55-year-old businessman also shares with CNN’s international viewers ways in which he manages his business, ensuring that one brand doesn’t take precedence over the others. He also attributes his business skills to the influence of his grandfather, who made him CEO of the family business at age 25.
Additionally, Arnault talks about LVMH’s presence in China, and how the luxury group continues to stay competitive in the marketplace. “The key is to be the best, to offer the best products. In China, customers look very much at quality …that’s why we are so successful, even with expensive products.”
The entrepreneur concludes the interview by discussing his vision for the future of luxury brands in Asia, his collaborations with Asian designers such as Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, and his future business aspirations.
Log onto TALK ASIA’s website at www.CNN.com/talkasia for details on upcoming guests.
AIR TIMES AND GUESTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
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