Europe’s richest billionaire families and their single family offices

We are Europe’s leading information provider for and about single and multi family offices. Our main product is our list of the largest European single family offices. Through our family office news, we provide weekly updates about international family office investments and topics. In this report, we want to deliver as much as possible information about the single family offices of Europe’s wealthiest families. How did they earn their fortune? How and where is the fortune invested? Is there a known family office and how can it be reached?

Europe’s most important single family offices in our unique database

#1: Arnault Family, France, $230B. Net Worth

The Arnault family made its fortune through acquisitions and mergers in the luxury industry. In 1989, Bernard Arnault was appointed Chairman of LVMH – Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy and through acquisitions created the world’s largest luxury holding company with over 80 brands. Their family office is heavily invested in technology, particularly AI, and private equity with a focus on consumer goods. The Arnault family office is called Group Arnault.

#2: Ortega Family, Spain, $103B. Net Worth

The Ortega family made its fortune in the fashion industry, most notably with the Zara brand. The holding company Inditex now has an annual turnover of 26 billion euros, comprising eight different fashion and home brands. His family office, Pontegadea, owns one of the world’s largest property portfolios held by a single family office.

#3: Bettencourt Family, France, $99.5B. Net Worth

The Bettencourt family, led by Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, are the richest women in the world. They own 33% of the world’s largest beauty company, L’Oreal, a company with a market value of 144 billion euros. Their single family office, Téthys Invest, has a strong focus on health and receives the dividends from L’Oreal’s stake each year, giving it significant assets to manage.

#4: Wertheimer Brothers, France, $70B. Net Worth

Brothers Gerard and Alain Wertheimer each own half of Chanel, one of the most iconic brands in luxury and haute couture. As a private company, they published their financial results last year, showing a highly sustainable, healthy business with revenues of nearly $20 billion and profits of nearly $4.7 billion. Its investment strategy is global, risk-averse and innovative. Mousse Partners the Wertheimer family office manages the family’s wealth. Read more here.

#5: Dumas Family, France, $64B. Net Worth

The Dumas family, owners of the iconic fashion brand Hèrmes, started out in 1837 as a saddlery for the carriages of the royal family in the 19th century but has come a long way since then to become one of the most admired fashion brands in 2019, with a market capitalization of over 66 billion euros. The secrecy, mystery, and exclusivity surrounding the products, which are handcrafted in France by Hermes’ artisans, is part of the reason why investment managers recommend investing in Birkin handbags instead of gold.

#6: Boehringer, von Baumbach Family, Germany, $50B. Net Worth

The Boehringer von Baumbach family owns one of the largest and most research-intensive pharmaceutical companies. They still own 100% of the company, which is not listed on the stock exchange. In 2023, it made an operating income of 4.8 billion euros and reported sales of almost 25.6 billion euros.

#7: Quandt, Klatten Family, Germany, $44B. Net Worth

The Quandt’s/Klattens are one of Germany’s most-known industrial families. They built up their massive wealth in the 20th century, mainly through the restructuring and financing of the “Bayerische Motorenwerke” (BMW), one of Germany’s top car manufacturers. Today, the family is investing in different vehicles. Some family members even manage their wealth and investments through dedicated single family offices. Stefan Quandt invests through the single family office AQTON SE and Susanne Klatten through Skion GmbH.

#8: Ferrero Family, Italy, $43B. Net Worth

Giovanni Ferrero, heir to the Italian Ferrero empire, has led the family business since 2011. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2017. Founded in 1946 in Alba, Italy, Ferrero reported over €18 billion in annual revenue in 2023. The company produces a variety of popular confectionery products, including the iconic Nutella. Its acquisition of Nestlé’s entire U.S. confectionery business for €2.8 billion further strengthened Ferrero’s global presence. The family invests through Brussels-based CTH Invests and Luxembourg-based Teseo Capital.

#9: Van Damme, De Spoelberch, De Mevius Family, Belgium, $40B. Net Worth

The Van Damme, De Spoelberch and De Mevius families made their fortunes by merging their family-owned Belgian breweries. The merger created Interbrew (now Anheuser-Busch InBev). InBev now has a turnover of $59 billion. The family members invest through various investment companies such as Cogepa and Verlinvest.

#10 Schwarz Family, Germany, $38B. Net Worth 

German billionaire Dieter Schwarz is the founder of global retail giant Lidl. His journey began when he inherited the company from his father, Josef Schwarz, who in 1930 became a partner in the fruit wholesaler Suedfruechte Grosshandel Lidl & Co. In 1973, Dieter opened the first Lidl discount store in Ludwigshafen on the Rhine. The company later expanded with the launch of another supermarket chain, Kaufland, in 1968. Today, Lidl operates over 12,300 stores in more than 30 countries and generates annual sales of €167.2 billion, making it one of the world’s largest retail chains. In 2024, Dieter Schwarz’s wealth was estimated at around €38 billion, largely from his stake in Lidl. A part of his wealth is managed through the Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn (ZFHN) which describes itself as a privately funded family office.

Picture Source: Alex Vasey via Unsplash