In a surprising turn of events, Nicolas Puech, the billionaire heir to the Hermès fashion house, is reportedly executing an extraordinary succession plan that involves legally adopting his 51-year-old former gardener. Puech, with a net worth estimated between 9 billion and 10 billion Swiss francs ($10.3 billion to $11.4 billion), is navigating a bold legal process to transfer a substantial portion of his wealth.
As part of a broader initiative to redefine the beneficiaries of his estate, which is approximately 5% to 6% ownership of the $220 billion-valued Hermès, Puech is working to make his “former gardener and handyman” from a “modest Moroccan family” his legal child. The unnamed gardener, married with two children, could inherit a significant share of Puech’s wealth, according to reports.
Already, Puech has transferred property keys in Marrakesh, Morocco, and Montreux, Switzerland, worth a combined total of €5.5 million ($5.9 million), to his gardener. Puech’s history with Hermès includes tensions, notably his departure from the company’s supervisory board in 2014 after a hostile takeover attempt by fashion rival LVMH.
