Salma Hayek and her husband© GettyImages

Who is François-Henri Pinault? Besides being married to Salma Hayek, the French businessman is a star of his own


APRIL 18, 2019 10:46 AM EDT
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François-Henri Pinault took to Twitter to communicate he'd be donating to the reconstruction of Notre-Dame. He wrote, "My father (François Pinault) and I have decided to release as of now from the funds of Artemis a sum of 100 million euros (US $ 339 million) to participate in the effort that will be necessary for the complete reconstruction of Notre-Dame."

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But how did Salma Hayek's husband amass the financial status he holds? Where does his fortune come from? The Pinault family owns the Kering group (previously PPR by the acronym Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), formed by his father, François Pinault, 82. The international luxury group includes prestigious brands such as Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci.

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As incredible as it may seem, this multimillionaire comes from humble beginnings. He left school at the age of 16, tired of the jokes he received from his classmates due to his peasant accent, and decided to work at the sawmill with his father.

After building his own wood company in 1962, he began to grow commercially, and in 1992 he acquired the Printemps chain of stores and the Chateau Latour wine cellar.

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And just like that, little by little, the hegemonic figure of this wealthy French family came to be. Currently, François Henri is married to Mexican actress Salma Hayek and is at the forefront of family businesses. His empire, Kering, is the third company of luxury goods in the world.

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He met his current wife, Salm, in 2006, and in 2007, their daughter, Valentina Paloma, was born. The couple married at a courthouse in Paris on February 14, 2009.