Patrice Louvet, chief executive officer of Ralph Lauren Corp., was honored by the French American Chamber of Commerce Foundation at its annual gala in New York on Monday. In his remarks, he recalled moving from Saint-Cloud, near Paris, to Princeton, New Jersey, in 1974, when he was 9 years old and spoke no English.
Louvet said he had not wanted to leave France, where he had friends, school and familiar activities. His family’s move was prompted by his father’s work. Over time, he said, living in the United States gave him a clearer perspective on his native country and taught him to adapt, listen and understand other cultures.
After leaving Princeton, Louvet returned to the United States in his early 20s to earn an MBA. He then began a three-decade career at Procter & Gamble, working in seven countries across three continents. He said each place initially felt foreign but eventually became home.
As Ralph Lauren’s CEO, Louvet oversees teams shaped by different cultures. He said listening before speaking remains an important part of his leadership, and argued that understanding another culture comes from in-person experiences rather than simply viewing the world through a screen.
The gala supports students in the Serge Bellanger French-American Business Scholarship Program.
Sources: WWD.