Archive · 31 Jul 2025
Hermès Investigates Heir's Missing €14 Billion Shares
Imagine a rich family, the Hermès family, who owns a fancy handbag company.
One of the family members, Nicolas Puech, inherited a huge amount of shares, worth billions of euros.
However, the company's boss, Axel Dumas, says Puech doesn't own those shares anymore and they don't know where they are.
The company has started a legal battle.
This mystery got even stranger because Puech's former money manager, who was helping him with his shares, recently passed away.
They weren't getting along before he died.
The company's boss also said that over a decade ago, another rich person tried to take over the Hermès company, but the family managed to stop him.
Hermès believes Nicolas Puech no longer holds his shares, worth approximately €14 billion.
The company's executive chairman stated the shares are unrecoverable and legal proceedings have begun.
The situation is further complicated by the death of Puech's former wealth manager, Eric Freymond.
Puech, a fifth-generation heir, had a contentious relationship with Freymond over his Hermès holdings.
The Hermès clan successfully fended off a hostile takeover attempt by Bernard Arnault over a decade ago.
- Who
- Nicolas Puech, Axel Dumas, Eric Freymond, and the Hermès family.
- What
- A dispute over Hermès shares, worth approximately €14 billion, once held by Nicolas Puech.
- When
- Legal proceedings started recently and the death of Puech's former wealth manager last week further complicated the situation.
- Where
- France and Switzerland.
- Why
- To determine the ownership and whereabouts of Puech's shares in Hermès.
Hermès Management
Nicolas Puech (Implied)
Share Ownership
Hermès Management
Shares no longer held by Puech; legal action initiated.
Nicolas Puech (Implied)
N/A
- Company
- Hermès International SCA
- Share Value
- Approximately €14 billion
- Family Member
- Nicolas Puech
- Executive Chairman
- Axel Dumas
- Former Wealth Manager
- Eric Freymond
- Founding Year
- 1837