The unexpected heirs of the super-rich

IN A WORLD where wealth typically flows from one generation to the next, the ultra-rich are breaking tradition and redefining inheritance.

- ZAMANDOSI CELE

A notable example is Nicolas Puech, the 82-year-old heir to the Hermés fortune, who plans to adopt his former gardener and handyman, a 51-year-old man from a humble background in Morocco.

This surprising move could see the gardener inheriting half of Puech's estimated $11 billion (R209 billion) fortune, along with valuable properties in Marrakesh and Montreux, collectively worth nearly $6 million.

Puech's choice is steeped in personal significance, as he is estranged from much of his family and has opted to cancel an earlier inheritance agreement tied to the Isocrates Foundation, a charitable entity he established in 2011.

This decision not only underscores the complexities of modern legacy planning but also reflects a wider trend among the wealthy regarding how they envision passing on their fortunes.

Similar sentiments have been echoed by other billionaires who have publicly declared their unconventional inheritance intentions.