French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Christophe Leribault, the current head of the Versailles Palace, as director of the Louvre museum in Paris, the French government spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The appointment came following the resignation of Laurence des Cars after a $100-million robbery at the museum last year.
Leribault, 62, is an art historian and museum director specializing in 18th century art. He has led major Paris institutions, including the Petit Palais, and the Musee d'Orsay.
In 2024, he was appointed president of the Palace of Versailles, one of the most visited tourist sites.
On Tuesday, des Cars sent her resignation to Macron, which was accepted, following a string of scandals including the brazen theft of French crown jewels valued at $100 million in October.
Des Cars was appointed as director of the Louvre Museum in 2021. She had been under rising pressure since the October robbery, which is currently the subject of an inquiry.
Four suspects are in police custody, including the two suspected thieves, but the eight of the stolen items have not been found.
The Louvre, a former royal palace and home to some of the world's most iconic pieces of art, including Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", receives around nine million visitors a year.
Since the theft the museum has taken several emergency measures.
Separately, Annick Lemoine, who heads the Petit Palais, will take over as director of the Musee d'Orsay, according to the official journal published on Wednesday.
