Leading with Purpose in the Luxury World with Gena Smith, LVMH

HRchat Podcast

Bob Goodwin welcomes Gena Smith, North American CHRO for luxury powerhouse LVMH, for a masterclass in leadership development and cultivating excellence across iconic brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Tiffany.
Gena shares her unexpected journey from small-town Texas to leading human resources for one of the world's most prestigious luxury groups. A pivotal study abroad experience in Greece awakened her passion for people and culture, establishing a personal benchmark that guided her career choices: "Any role had to have an international dimension and I had to be working with people." This philosophy ultimately led her to LVMH, where she now champions a culture built on creativity, innovation, excellence, and entrepreneurship.
Gena's conversation with Bob explores how LVMH maintains the delicate balance between preserving brand heritage while pushing creative boundaries. "We don't want our brands sitting in museums," Smith explains, highlighting the tension between honoring each brand's DNA while ensuring contemporary relevance. This balancing act requires diverse perspectives and trustful environments where creativity can flourish.
Leadership development emerges as a cornerstone of LVMH's success. Smith details their comprehensive succession planning process that examines potential leaders across all 75 brands, paired with targeted development experiences. She emphasizes that leadership must be approached with the same intentionality as any business objective: "You actually have to want to be a great leader. That has to be something that's important to you."
Looking toward the future, Smith discusses LVMH's "HR New Deal" initiative, which positions employees at the center of their career journey with access to opportunities across all brands. While acknowledging technology's growing role, she returns to a fundamental truth that transcends industry or era: "At the end of the day, we rely on talented, motivated, inspired, engaged people to drive our business."
Ready to discover what truly lights your fire professionally? Tune in to this insightful conversation about finding your passion, developing leadership excellence, and creating environments where people and creativity thrive.

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Chapters

1. Welcome to HR Chat with LVMH's CHRO (00:00:00)

2. Gina's Career Journey and Self-Discovery (00:01:47)

3. LVMH's Culture and Core Values (00:08:04)

4. Managing Creative Tension in Iconic Brands (00:14:28)

5. Leadership Development and Succession Planning (00:22:44)

6. Internal Mobility and the HR New Deal (00:30:41)

7. The Future of HR and Final Thoughts (00:34:37)