LVMH has been shaking things up lately and they are starting at the top. On Monday, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton chief Bernard Arnault appointed Renaud Dutreil as chairman of its North American arm. The move, a bold one to say the least, will make Dutreil the first chairman of the North American division and will hopefully boast international sales.

“We are delighted with the arrival of Renaud Dutreil at LVMH,” said chairman and chief executive officer Arnault. “His experience and skills will contribute to the growth of LVMH’s businesses in the United States.” Arnault continued to sing Dutreil’s praises in Monday’s issue of Le Monde, “France owes a lot to Bernard Arnault. His success is also France’s success. It’s a country of artisans, creators, winemakers, designers: guardians of tradition that have made LVMH the world leader of beauty.”

But who is Dutreil? Apparently, the new head of LVMH was an active member of the French Parliament in 1997, 2002 and 2007 and was minister for small and medium-sized businesses, commerce, crafts and liberal professions. But let’s not panic, that doesn’t mean that a stuffy French politician will be taking over one of the most prominent luxury brands in the world. In fact it’s just the opposite. Dutreil has strong ties with the design and fashion industries and has helped young designers finance production process with the president of France’s Chambre Syndicale. Moreover, in 2005, Dutreil was the minister who pinned the chevalier of the Legion of Honor medallion on Christian Dior ceo Sidney Toledano. The extravagant, ritzy event attracted superstar designers including John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, Marisa Berenson and Carla Fendi.

Dutreil starts his new role in a New York based office September 1^st, and fingers-crossed he is as good as his reputation.

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