Macron Adviser Elected First Woman to Head Arab World Institute
Anne-Claire Legendre was unanimously elected on February 17, 2026, as the first woman to head the Arab World Institute in Paris, according to Qatar News Agency. The French career diplomat and senior adviser to President Emmanuel Macron succeeds Jack Lang at the institution founded in 1980 by France and 18 Arab countries. The role is appointed on the proposal of the French president in consultation with Arab state representatives in France.
The Arab World Institute serves as a museum and cultural centre dedicated to Arab history, art and language, RFI reported. It was inaugurated on November 30, 1987, by President François Mitterrand after being conceived in 1973 by Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, according to the institute’s documented history on its Wikipedia page and architectural records. The building, designed by Jean Nouvel, features modern elements inspired by Arab architecture such as motorized moucharabieh screens and stands as a symbolic bridge between cultures on the banks of the Seine.
Qatar News Agency detailed that Legendre began her diplomatic service at the French embassy in Yemen before holding positions at the foreign ministry and France’s permanent mission to the United Nations. She served as ambassador to Kuwait and most recently acted as diplomatic adviser on North Africa and the Middle East to Emmanuel Macron between December 2023 and February 2026. The 46-year-old, born on June 3, 1979, in Brittany, has specialized in the region throughout her career, French diplomatic profiles show.
Jack Lang, a former French culture minister, stepped down after leading the institute for 13 years, RFI reported on February 17, 2026. His departure followed the surfacing of his name in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, according to an RFI English social media post. The institute has organized major exhibitions and events that have drawn significant audiences while promoting cultural exchange between France and Arab nations.
The partnership behind the institute expanded to include 22 Arab League member states, with Libya joining in 1984, according to historical accounts from the organization. It was established to address a perceived lack of representation for Arab culture in France and to provide a secular space for the promotion of Arab civilisation, knowledge and aesthetics. No previous president of the institute has been Arab, a point noted in a March 31, 2026, column in The New Arab.
Anne-Claire Legendre’s appointment was put forward by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, RFI stated. She previously served as France’s consul general in the United States, according to a 2020 Sciences Po profile. The institute continues to host permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and programmes focused on Arab contributions to global heritage.
