One of the descendants of the founder of Hermès, the famous French leather goods house, wants to adopt his domestic worker to bequeath her part of his fortune of several billion Swiss francs, reports the Tribune de Genève. Based in Switzerland, in the canton of Valais, in the south of the country, Nicolas Puech is “the largest individual shareholder of Hermès”, with a stake of around 5%, explains the Swiss newspaper.
Single and without children, this octogenarian decided to “turn his assets around” to transfer part of his fortune to a “former gardener and maintenance staff,” “51 years old” and “from a modest Moroccan family,” according to the Tribune. of Geneva. According to Bilan magazine, which each year compiles a ranking of the 300 richest people in Switzerland, his fortune is estimated between 9,000 and 10,000 million Swiss francs (between 9,400 and 10,400 million euros) thanks to his shares in the leather goods house. Known for its bags. and squares of silk.
In a letter dating from “October 2022”, this descendant of the founder of Hermès commissioned a lawyer to “put his succession situation in order”, explains the newspaper, which specifies that this lawyer would also have been in charge of carrying out a succession procedure. adoption, “still in process,” according to his information. “In Switzerland, adopting an adult is not impossible, but it is unusual,” the newspaper details, specifying that if the procedure is successful, he could inherit “at least half” of his fortune.
Succession agreement
Contacted by AFP, the Valais administration did not immediately respond to confirm or not this procedure. However, this project faces opposition, the Swiss newspaper continues. In 2011, Nicolas Puech signed an inheritance pact – more binding than a will – in favor of a Geneva-based foundation, called Isocrate, which finances projects to combat disinformation through NGOs that support journalism.
But in “a handwritten note” dating from “February 2023,” consulted by the newspaper, the billionaire made a “change of course” and explained that “he intends to make other testamentary arrangements.” Contacted by AFP, this foundation indicated that “it has recently been made aware of its founder’s desire to cancel the succession agreement”, but that it “was not aware of any other provision.”
“This desire to unilaterally cancel the succession pact seems unfounded,” considers this foundation, which “opposed, leaving the door open to a discussion,” it insists. The foundation regrets that “its public utility activities” are “threatened in their sustainability” by circumstances “that are completely beyond its control”, in a context of “interpersonal conflicts and desires of all kinds.”
Source: BFM TV
