Jacques Perot elected President of ICOM

Jacques Perot, a French citizen, was elected president of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) during ICOM's 18th General Conference, which was held in Melbourne, Australia, from 10 to 17 October 1998. As the representative of the 15,000 museum professionals in ICOM's network, Jacques Perot has become the spokesperson for the international museum community for the next three years. He succeeds, Saroj Ghose (India), who was President of ICOM from September 1992 to October 1998.

Jacques Perot, a museum curator, was Director of the Musée de l'Armée at the Invalides in Paris from 1992 to 1997, and is currently Director of musées nationaux des Châteaux de Compiègne et de Blérancourt. An active member of ICOM since 1977, he was Chairperson of the Advisory Committee from 1992 to 1998.

Jacques Perot is ICOM's third French president in 50 years. His predecessors Georges Salles and Hubert Landais were elected respectively in 1953 and 1977. Under their leadership ICOM became an international and highly professional organisation.

Alongside Jacques Perot a new Executive Council has been formed, with the following members:

Vice-Presidents: Yani Herreman (Mexico) and Bernice Murphy (Australia)
Treasurer: Piet Pouw (The Netherlands)
Members: Lucía Astudillo (Ecuador); Michel Côté (Canada); Mónica Garrido (Argentina); Martin Schärer (Switzerland); Shaje'a Tshiluila (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Ex-officio: Alissandra Cummins (Barbados), Chairperson of the Advisory Committee.

For the first time in ICOM's history, a woman, Alissandra Cummins, Director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, has been elected Chairperson of the Advisory Committee. The Committee brings together representatives from ICOM's National and International Committees, and from its International Affiliated Organisations.