HERMES HEIR TO LEAVE MILLIONS TO GARDENER
Nicolas Puech is set to inherit R216 billion as one of the heirs to the Hermes brand. According to Swiss publication Tribune de Geneve his gardener and handyman could inherit half of it.
The 80-year-old Puech, who is single and has no children, is estimated by Forbes to be the world’s 161st-richest person. He is a descendant of Thierry Hermes, the founder of the luxury French fashion house. The label was started in 1837 when Hermes opened a saddle store in Paris.
Although Puech owns only 5.7% of Hermes’ capital, he is the biggest individual shareholder.
Now, Puech plans to adopt his 51-year-old gardener and handyman so that he stands to inherit a chunk of the inheritance.
The gardener has worked for Puech for decades and over the years he has become his handyman and residence manager.
The publication didn’t publish his name, only his age and that he is originally from Morocco. Puech has already given the gardener a home in Morocco and a villa in Switzerland.
Puech isn’t the first billionaire to share his wealth with someone outside of his family.
In 2007, a Portuguese billionaire named Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral de Camara left his bank accounts, 12-room apartment, house, luxury car and two motorcycles to a group of 70 people whose names he randomly chose from a phone book.
Ten years later he passed away and the 70 people each inherited their share.
Image credit: Wikipedia