The Hermes Heir with '17 Trillion Assets' Changes Mind... Will Pass to Adopted Gardener

Adopted as a Gardener at 51...
Longtime Employee Earns Strong Trust

Nicolas Puech (80), the fifth-generation descendant of the founder of the French luxury brand Herm?s, has begun the adoption process to name his gardener as a legal heir.

He is the largest individual shareholder of Herm?s and is single. Previously, he planned to donate all his assets to charity as he had no children to inherit his fortune, but recently announced that he would withdraw this plan. The Isocrates Foundation, which was originally set to receive Puech’s inheritance, immediately raised objections.

Descendant of the founder of Herm?s, Nicolas Puech.
Photo by Tribune de Gen?ve

According to recent reports from CNN and the Swiss media Tribune de Gen?ve, Puech plans to leave at least half of his fortune of 12 billion euros (approximately 17 trillion won) to his gardener. Forbes ranks him 162nd among the world’s richest people. The gardener Puech is preparing to adopt is known to be a 51-year-old Moroccan.

Upon hearing this news, the Isocrates Foundation stated, “From a legal perspective, the unilateral cancellation of the inheritance contract is invalid, and the foundation remains open to discussions with the founder.” Established by Puech in 2011, the foundation supports public interest journalism and civil society organizations working for a ‘healthy digital public space.’

The specific reason why Puech wants to adopt his gardener has not been disclosed. However, the gardener is known to have served Puech for decades as a gardener, handyman, and manager. Puech has habitually referred to this man as his ‘son’ and the man’s wife as his ‘daughter-in-law.’

On November 23 last year (local time), the Herm?s store in San Diego, USA.
[Photo by Reuters/Yonhap News]

According to foreign media, Puech was moved by how this couple took special care of him during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lawyer close to the case said, “(Triggered by COVID-19) Puech realized the importance of those who are close to him now rather than past connections.” There are also claims that disputes with family relatives over Herm?s shares influenced his decision.

Some predict that it will be legally difficult for Puech to leave his inheritance to the gardener. Puech currently resides in Switzerland, where adoption regulations require prospective adoptive parents to live with the minor adoptee for at least one year.

Meanwhile, following the pandemic, demand for luxury brand products has surged, and Herm?s’s value has reached nearly 211 billion euros (approximately 301 trillion won). Its sales in the third quarter of this year rose 15.6% compared to the same period last year, reaching 3.36 billion euros (approximately 4.8 trillion won). Unlike Herm?s, luxury brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, and Dior reported relatively weak third-quarter results.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.