Beni Mellal – Anne-Claire Legendre has been unanimously appointed as the new president of the Arab World Institute (IMA), becoming the first woman to lead the Paris-based institution in its 40-year history.
The 46-year-old diplomat succeeds Jack Lang, who resigned on February 7 following revelations about his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Lang had led the institute for 13 years before stepping down amid a financial investigation.
Legendre, currently serving as Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic adviser for North Africa and the Middle East, was selected by the IMA’s board of directors on Tuesday. The Breton-born career diplomat speaks Arabic, which she studied at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco). She also holds degrees from Sciences Po Paris and the Sorbonne.
‘An immense challenge and an immense happiness’
“This is an immense challenge and an immense happiness,” Legendre said following her appointment. She stressed her mission to restore “confidence and serenity” to the institution through transparency and comprehensive reforms.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot hailed Legendre’s selection, stating she possesses “the experience, qualities and strategic vision necessary to assume these eminent responsibilities.” He noted her expertise in Arab world affairs and her role as a skilled negotiator.
Legendre previously served as spokesperson for France’s Foreign Ministry and held diplomatic posts, including consul general in New York from 2016 to 2020 and ambassador to Kuwait. At the Élysée Palace, she played a key role in France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood in September 2025.
The new president inherits an institution under financial pressure, with deep structural overhauls now unavoidable. The IMA, known in French as the Institut du monde arabe, operates with a budget largely dependent on a €12.3 million annual subsidy from the Foreign Ministry.
Lang’s departure came after prosecutors opened an investigation into money laundering and tax fraud involving an offshore art company created by his daughter Caroline Lang and Jeffrey Epstein in 2016. Financial investigators conducted searches at both the IMA offices and Lang’s Paris residence on Monday.
A cultural venue and a diplomatic instrument
Despite the circumstances of his departure, Legendre acknowledged Lang’s contributions to the institute, crediting him with restoring “great visibility” to the institution, which welcomed 750,000 visitors in 2023.
The new leadership will implement what Barrot described as “ambitious and structural reform,” including modernized governance, improved financial sustainability, and strengthened ethics rules. Proposed changes include setting a 64-year age limit for future presidents and capping successive terms.
Created in 1980 through a partnership with 22 Arab countries, the institute was inaugurated in 1987 by President François Mitterrand.
It serves as both a cultural venue and a diplomatic instrument. It functions as a museum, library, and language center, aiming to establish “strong and lasting links between cultures” and foster dialogue between the Arab world, France, and Europe.
Legendre’s appointment marks a new chapter for the institution as it approaches its 40th anniversary, with plans to expand its influence beyond Paris and strengthen its role in French cultural diplomacy.
