LVMH supports Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) with 3 million euros

The sum contributed by LVMH (3 million euros) will be primarily used for research projects initiated by the IAST (Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse), a research center associated with TSE and open to ten disciplines related to the field of economics: anthropology, biology, history, law, mathematics, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, and, of course, economics.

Thanks to the recent fundraising campaign, the Toulouse School of Economics, led by Christian Gollier, has already raised around 60 million euros. The institute is renowned for having the French economist Jean Tirole among its ranks, serving as honorary president, scientific director of TSE-Partnership in Toulouse, and Nobel laureate recognized for his "analysis of market power and regulation."

However, not all attempts by the luxury group to establish ties with the academic community have been successful. In early 2023, LVMH faced a wave of protests from students and professors at Polytech Paris-Saclay, opposing the establishment of a luxury research center that Bernard Arnault's group intended to create within the institute. The project was eventually abandoned.

But in the case of TSE, according to the leaders of the prestigious economics school in Toulouse, companies, including luxury groups, can provide resources, new tools, and research opportunities without impeding the independence of researchers. The Paris School of Economics (PSE) has followed the same model, which includes renowned economists such as Thomas Piketty among its members and faculty. Several luxury companies, including Hermès and the Edmond de Rothschild Group, sponsor this Parisian institute for its research on globalization, migration flows, energy transition, sustainable development, and the relationship with new technologies. "Tech becomes the core of LVMH's business development," said Franck Le Moal, CTO of LVMH, in interviews with several French media outlets.

The group is currently at VivaTech, a trade fair dedicated to research and digital innovation. The fair organizers recently witnessed Elon Musk's arrival, who had a lunch meeting with Bernard Arnault at the Michelin-starred restaurant Cheval Blanc in Paris, indicating possible future collaborations.