Michael burke louis vuitton biography
The Man Behind Louis Vuitton
Culture
By Dan Ahwa
Viva
It's a balmy Sunday morning and I'm sitting in Tucker's Bar at the luxurious Rosewood Tucker's Point Hotel in Bermuda. It may have been a potent blend of jet-lag (the 28-odd hour journey from Auckland to Bermuda two days before included four layovers) and humidity, but the surroundings play out like a dreamy scene from some turn-of-the-century tale such as Out of Africa.
Bermuda’s colonial roots are proudly displayed in the bar’s interior, made to look like a gentleman’s club complete with Persian rugs, paintings of cricket players in cable knit vests, a blue marble bar serving lager on tap and ceiling fans rotating at a glacial pace. White muslin curtains flutter in the Caribbean breeze to a soundtrack of jazz, and palm trees sway in the distance.
A sobering cup of Bermudian black coffee snaps me out of my trance. In 10 minutes I will be meeting Michael Burke, Chairman and CEO of the world’s most prolific luxury brand, Louis Vuitton. I’m told he rarely conducts interviews with the press.
When Burke walks into the room he is as understated and elegant as the brand he represents, a white linen shirt tucked into crisp chinos, a pair of Louis Vuitton trainers on his feet. The look effortlessly casual, perfect spectator attire.
Calm, softly-spoken and with an easy air, Burke adds to the languor of the day's mood. There is no bravado or ego. Our discussion is a stimulating mix of breezy humour and intense gravity.
Burke’s relationship with Bernard Arnault, billionaire CEO of the LVMH group, is deep-seated. He joined the Arnault Group from university, and took charge of its real estate operations in the United States. In 1986 he joined the LVMH group as head of Louis Vuitton America where he stayed until 1993.
“I had job offers from L’Oreal and Unilever, and all my friends were like ‘okay, so you’re going to L’Oreal’, because that was the holy grail. There were people from those c
Full Name
Michael Burke
Job Title
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Company
Louis Vuitton
Speaker Bio
Michael Burke is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Louis Vuitton. Earlier in his career, he was responsible for investments in the United States for the Groupe Arnault before becoming Chief Executive Officer of Christian Dior USA in 1986 and then of Louis Vuitton North America in 1992. In 1997 Mr. Burke became Worldwide Managing Director of Christian Dior Couture followed by becoming Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fendi in 2003. In 2012 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Bvlgari and then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Louis Vuitton. Since January 2021 he has served as Chairman of Tiffany’s board of directors. Mr. Burke is also a member of the LVMH executive committee, and in 2016 he was elected a member of the management board of the Fédération Française de la Couture.
LVMH Fashion Group names Michael Burke as new CEO
The new year brings a new chapter for luxury group LVMH's fashion division. After six years as the chief executive officer of LVMH Fashion Group, Sidney Toledano is stepping down from this role. Michael Burke will take on the role of CEO.
After joining the Arnault Group where he oversaw investments in the United States, Michael Burke led the American subsidiary of Dior from 1986 to 1992, followed by Louis Vuitton from 1992 to 1997. In 1997, he was appointed CEO of Dior and in 2003, the president and CEO of Fendi.
In 2012, he successively became the CEO of Bulgari and the President and CEO of Louis Vuitton. In January 2021, he also became the non-executive chairman of the board of directors at Tiffany & Co.
Since February 2023, Michael Burke has been a counsellor to the president, and a member of the board of directors of The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) since 2016.
Michael Burke to take over as CEO of LVMH Fashion Group
As the CEO of LVMH Fashion Group, Michael Burke will be responsible for overseeing the brands of the group, including Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Patou, Celine, and Givenchy, among others.
Commenting on the news in a release, Burke said in a statement:"I am proud and honoured to have the trust of Bernard Arnault, who, after more than 40 years by his side, is now offering me an exciting and challenging opportunity as the leader of LVMH Fashion Group, home to so many iconic Maisons.”
He continued: ”Like him and Sidney, whom I succeed, I am an advocate for the long term strategy, craftsmanship, creativity, and excellence. These are the ingredients that will be part of the recipe I plan to develop with the teams of these Maisons to further enhance their desirability and set new records.”
”Sidney, with whom I share over 30 years of friendship, adventures, and camaraderie, has done a tremendous job leading these Maisons by fostering their creativity a
Michael Burke Delves Into the Psychology, and Craft, of Luxury
Given his strong track record of invigorating brands and building successful global businesses, Michael Burke is sometimes referred to his peers within LVMH as an encyclopedia of luxury.
He’s also something of an encyclopedia of everything, erudite on a mind-bending array of topics ranging from architecture and history to geography.
A charismatic, cerebral and well-rounded executive with a fun-loving streak and a ready laugh, he’s known for his ability to motivate teams, meshing well with creative types, and for thriving on complexity.
As chairman and chief executive officer of Louis Vuitton, he faces complexities galore, piloting the largest luxury goods brand in the industry by revenue — and one that delivers the lion’s share of profits for its parent LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
He also interfaces with a range of renowned creative figures, including Nicolas Ghesquière, Vuitton’s artistic director of women’s collections since 2013, and Francesca Amfitheatrof, artistic director of watches and jewelry since 2018.
Over the past year, Burke bravely negotiated a major crisis — the death of Virgil Abloh, artistic director of men’s collections at Vuitton — overcoming personal grief and a loss of one of the company’s creative engines by honoring Abloh’s principles and sustaining the momentum he and his design team brought to the brand.
Despite widespread speculation about who might take up the men’s reins, Burke has remained mum and sanguine, insisting, “I would like there to be some space between Virgil and his successor.”
Over the years his instincts about where luxury is heading have proven prescient. He initiated and adroitly presses on with Vuitton’s upscaling drive, ensuring that products, stores, events and even manufacturing facilities respect lofty levels of ex