Dior CEO receives honorary doctorate from Ewha Womans University

Christian Dior Couture CEO Delphine Arnault received an honorary doctorate in business administration from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Thursday.

The university cited her leadership in the global luxury industry and contributions to fostering female talent. Arnault is Dior's first female CEO and the daughter of LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault.

Ewha has partnered with Dior since 2022 on initiatives including internships and mentoring programs for aspiring women leaders.

The conferment ceremony at the university's Kim Young-eui Hall drew prominent figures from business and culture, including Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Lotte Biologics Co-CEO Shin Yoo-yeol, Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin and K-pop girl group BLACKPINK member Jisoo, a global Dior ambassador.

In her acceptance speech, Delphine Arnault stressed that Korea is a longstanding priority market for Dior, adding she was proud to support the talent, creativity and leadership of young women.

Hyundai Motor Group said its chairman attended at Ewha's invitation to honor the group's ties with the university, dating back to its honorary chairman, Chung Ju-yung, who received an honorary doctorate from Ewha in 1986. The group later donated Asan Engineering Hall to the university in 1996 and the Hyundai Motor Building at its Science Complex in 2013.

Chairwoman Hyun is an Ewha alum who served on the board of the Ewha Educational Foundation from 2017 to 2025. Lee Boo-jin and Arnault, meanwhile, are known to have maintained a friendship for nearly three decades.