Hermès heir to leave billions to his former gardener

Nicolas Puech, the 80-year-old heir to the esteemed Hermès fortune, is reportedly taking an unconventional approach to wealth distribution by designating his "former gardener and handyman," an unnamed 51-year-old man, as his heir. With an estimated net worth between $10 billion and $11 billion, and owning 5-6% of Hermès, Puech is said to be in the process of legal proceedings to formalize this unexpected arrangement.

Puech, who is unmarried and without direct descendants, is making headlines for his unique choice of heir, considering the vast wealth tied to the Hermès empire, currently valued at over $220 billion. The beneficiary, of Moroccan descent, is reported to be married to a woman from Spain and has a family of his own. In addition to a substantial monetary inheritance, he stands to receive properties in Marrakesh and Montreux, Switzerland, valued at $5.9 million.

The move represents a departure from traditional inheritance practices, raising eyebrows and sparking discussions about wealth, legacy, and the intricate dynamics within affluent families. Nicolas Puech is the fifth-generation heir of Thierry Hermès, who founded the iconic fashion house in 1837. Puech resigned from the Hermès supervisory board in 2014 amid family disputes, particularly in response to LVMH acquiring a significant stake in Hermès.

As legal proceedings unfold, the story of an heir apparent being a former gardener and handyman adds a distinctive chapter to the Hermès legacy.

[Source: People Magazine]