France names Christophe Leribault to lead crisis-hit Louvre after jewel heist

The French government has announced the appointment of Christophe Leribault, president of Versailles, as the new director of the Louvre Museum.

The 62-year-old replaced Laurence des Cars after she resigned amid mounting crises.

Leribault took over the world’s most visited museum at a time when it had been hit by multiple crises following an audacious jewel heist in October, exposing glaring security vulnerabilities.

Thieves dramatically stole the crown jewels valued at $102 million within eight minutes.

Following the heist, a cascade of problems emerged. Earlier, staff went on strike due to worsening working conditions and wage problems, due to which the museum had to shut for days.

After that, a water leakage occurred, which damaged book collections. Additionally, a prosecutor found a ticket-fraud scheme that allegedly siphoned more than €10 million over a decade.

With the repeated structural issues, one of the galleries of the museum has been closed.

Leribault has extensive institutional knowledge. Previously, he served as a deputy director of the Louvre’s graphic arts department from 2006 to 2012 and has led the Musée d’Orsay, the Petit Palais, and the Musée National Eugène Delacroix.

During his time at Versailles, he tackled similar challenges as the Louvre, including vast collections, ageing buildings, and central cultural significance.