The Swiss Richemont Group has appointed Anton Rupert, son of its chairman Johann Rupert, as co-non-executive vice chairman of the board of directors, alongside Bram Schot.
Anton Rupert will oversee matters related to the Houses’ Strategic Product and Communications Committee (product selection and communications) (Richemont)
Johann Rupert himself describes this appointment as “an important step” in the group’s long-term succession planning. While he has not yet mapped out his departure, the 76-year-old South African billionaire is laying the groundwork for family continuity at the helm of an empire that generated more than 22 billion euros in revenue for the 25-26 fiscal year.
Regarding the division of roles, Anton Rupert will oversee matters related to the Houses’ Strategic Product and Communications Committee (product selection and communications), while Bram Schot—former CEO of Audi and vice chairman of the board since 2024—will take on greater responsibility for the board’s governance. The two roles are intended to be complementary: while Anton Rupert will handle strategy and creativity, Schot will be responsible for ensuring robust governance mechanisms.
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A Family Succession Takes Shape
This development comes as Richemont has already profoundly reshaped its executive leadership structure in recent years. Nicolas Bos, the architect of Van Cleef & Arpels’ spectacular growth, took over as the group’s CEO in June 2024—a position that had been reinstated specifically for him. Louis Ferla then took the helm at Cartier, and Catherine Rénier took the reins at Van Cleef & Arpels. These changes seem to point toward a clear objective: further separating the family’s ownership interests from the management of the brands in the portfolio.
The handover is taking place against a situation of particularly strong financial performance. For the fiscal year ended March 2026, Richemont posted sales of 22.4 billion euros, up 11% at constant exchange rates. Net income reached 3.48 billion euros, an increase of 27%. The first quarter of the following fiscal year (from April through the end of June) saw even stronger growth: sales rose 20% to a total of 6.3 billion euros. The primary driver of this growth was the group’s jewelry houses, which posted an overall increase of 24% over the period.
Jewelry at the Heart of Richemont’s Strength
In fact, jewelry is now the Swiss group’s main driving force. Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and now Vhernier account for 74% of Richemont’s sales, amounting to 16.5 billion euros in the most recent fiscal year. Through the family-owned holding company Compagnie Financière Rupert, of which Anton Rupert is a partner, the family holds 10.18% of the equity but controls 50.6% of the voting rights.
Key Points:
- Anton Rupert joins Richemont’s leadership as non-executive co-vice chairman, alongside Bram Schot, in the first concrete step toward Johann Rupert’s succession.
- The group is showing strong financial momentum: 22.4 billion euros in sales for the 2025–2026 fiscal year, up 11% at constant exchange rates, followed by 20% growth in the subsequent first quarter.
- Jewelry now accounts for 74% of Richemont’s sales, driven in particular by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and Vhernier, totaling 16.5 billion euros for the most recent fiscal year.
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