Popularized by her role in the self-produced biopic Frida in 2002, a film about the controversial life of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Salma Hayek Pinault has become a household name on Hollywood grounds. From humble beginnings in Veracruz Mexico, where the actress received her first acting roles in telenovelas, she soon established herself in Hollywood via her appearance in films like From Dusk Till Dawn, and most recently, in Marvel’s Eternals where she played Ajak.
Hayek’s accolade-studded career has earned her the title of one of the most powerful and influential Latina actresses in Hollywood, also heavily praised for her looks as well as her acting expertise. Despite being open regarding her upbringing in a half-Lebanese half-Spanish household, or even her religious upbringing, the actress has kept her love life under wraps, even after nearly two decades of marriage. In 2009, the Puss In Boots actress officiated her 2-year engagement with François-Henri Pinault, with whom she shares their daughter. Although a familiar name to many, Pinault’s name may not be as easily recognizable in the entertainment realm, so who is François-Henri Pinault?
Who is François-Henri Pinault?
Pinault and Hayek announced their engagement in 2007, alongside the actress’ pregnancy that same year. The couple wed two years later in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France- the country where Pinault is from. Despite their decade old-marriage, Pinault’s name is actually known across France for being a businessman, CEO of the multinational corporation Kering, and the president of the luxury investment group Groupe Artémis. The endorsements under Pinault’s name have earned the mogul the status of a billionaire.
Not much is known about Pinault’s personal endeavors, despite his enormous popularity as one of the wealthiest men in Europe. The businessman was born in 1962 in Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, France. He studied at the HEC School of Management, where he co-founded the CRM company Soft Computing, with other students. Pinault also partook in an internship at the Hewelett-Packard, or HP, in Paris as a database and software developer. His career received its kickstart at PPR, a company founded by his father. Pinault then transformed the company into an international group focused on luxury goods, changing its name to the now-multimillionaire group, Kering.
As for his love life, prior to meeting Hayek, Pinault was married for nearly a decade to his ex-wife Dorothée Lapère, with whom he has two children. In 2005, not long after his separation from his first wife, Pinault dated Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista, and the duo welcomed their first and only child together in 2006. That same year, Pinault met Hayek, and not even a year after, the couple announced their engagement and pregnancy. Fourteen years later, Hayek and Pinault are happily married and residing in London, England, alongside their daughter Valentina.
Although not exactly from the same entertainment universe as Hayek, Pinault certainly can relate to the actress when it comes to having exposure for all of his works and endeavors to the public- even from a more business-focused lens.