Early Life
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers was born on July 10, 1953, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. She is the daughter of Liliane Bettencourt, the heiress to the L'Oréal cosmetics empire, and André Bettencourt, a politician. Growing up in a wealthy family, she attended the Marymount International School. Due to safety concerns, she was later homeschooled. Her early life was marked by a close relationship with her parents, and she developed a deep interest in intellectual pursuits and the arts.
Rise to Success
Françoise inherited her wealth through her mother, Liliane, who died in 2017, leaving her a significant stake in L'Oréal. She became the world's richest woman after her mother's death. She serves as the vice chair of the board of L'Oréal, the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company, since 1997. She also chairs the family's holding company, Téthys Invest. In December 2023, she became the first woman to amass a net worth of $100 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Françoise has played a pivotal role in preserving and growing the family fortune through her involvement with L'Oréal. She has focused on maintaining the company's strong position in the beauty industry and has overseen the acquisition of competitors, such as the Australian luxury brand Aesop.
Philanthropy
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is actively involved in philanthropy. She is the president of the family’s philanthropic foundation, the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, which supports scientific research, cultural projects, and humanitarian causes. L'Oréal and the Bettencourt Meyers family agreed to donate $226 million to repair Notre Dame Cathedral after the 2019 fire.