Jean-Christophe Babin, the 67-year-old head of LVMH’s watch division, has announced plans for a phased retirement, identifying Jean Arnault, 27, as the “perfect person” to succeed him. Babin, who has led Bvlgari for 13 years, said he wants a different life balance. The youngest son of LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, Jean currently oversees watches at Louis Vuitton — a segment estimated to generate approximately 165 million Swiss francs ($209 million) annually. An engineer trained at both Imperial College London and MIT, the younger Arnault is lauded for his technical expertise and support for independent horology. If appointed, he would lead a division including TAG Heuer and Hublot.

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