Bruno Foucher, a “pure diplomat” at the head of the French Institute – Le Figaro

The senior official has been appointed chairman of the institution at the Council of Ministers on 13 January 2015. He succeeds from 1 February to Denis Pietton, died December 7 last

A graduate of the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE), National School of Administration ( ENA), holds a post-graduate degree in economic history and civilization, and that of the Institute of Political Studies in Paris, Bruno Foucher has held numerous positions in the French diplomatic service.

He joined in 1990, the United Nations and International Organizations Directorate, within the central administration, and then became First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York from 1993 to 1997.

Second Counselor in Tehran from 1997 to 2000, he then served as senior advisor in Riyadh until 2003. From 2003 to 2006 he was Deputy Director of West Africa (direction of Africa and Indian Ocean) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador in Chad in N’Djamena from 2006, Bruno Foucher was prior to his appointment as Chairman of the French Institute, Ambassador to Iran since May 2011.

Born October 3, 1960, Bruno Foucher is a knight of the Legion of Honour and medal of honor of Foreign Affairs (vermeil) . He will assume his new duties as head of the French Institute from February 1.

More than 750 French titles published abroad

A curriculum “pure diplomat faces the ground in that it can be more difficult and complex to Chad in Iran where he is today, “says one of his peers.

Operator of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, at the service of cultural diplomacy, the French Institute today is a unique brand in France and in 96 countries (2000 cultural and artistic projects, most of 36,000 film screenings, over 750 French titles published abroad, more than 120 artists in residence). It promotes foreign artists, ideas, works and industries, while promoting artistic exchange and dialogue between cultures.

“The French Institute plays a vital role in the cultural influence of France abroad, the Venice Biennale to cross years, as is currently the year France-Korea,” says Bernard Montferrand, former Ambassador of France to Singapore (1989 to 1993), the Netherlands (1995 to 2000), India (2000 to 2002), Japan (2003 to 2005) and Germany (from 2007 to 2011).

Two exhibitions, Picasso India Soulages in Berlin

“When we go up cultural operations abroad, the French Institute remains the number 1 public resource, “insists Bernard de Montferrand, now president of platform representing all FRAC (Regional Contemporary Art Fund) and still president of Frac Aquitaine (two exhibitions FRAC leave well in Korea as part of the year France-Korea including an exhibition on “Barthes” in Seoul).

“The French Institute, said the diplomat passionate about contemporary art, to be a catalyst. It implements the international network of cultural attachés and advisers who are closest to the ground, have detailed knowledge of each specific domain, weave key contacts. Its means, even if they are down, still exist and are critical to act. The personality of its director is also the, as it is true that its dynamism can do the best shine cultural engineering capacity of the French Institute, structure able to marry public and private forces. This is to mobilize financial and human resources, intellectual and conceptual. That’s what helped lead major cultural operations abroad, such as exposure Picasso in India, the exhibition Soulages Gropius Bau in Berlin. This is the key to the cultural influence of France. “