Manuel Rabaté

Manuel Rabaté has been Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi since 2016. He oversees all aspects
of the first universal museum in the Arab world’s operations and activity, welcoming more
than four million visitors since opening in 2017.
Rabaté leads the development of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s local, regional, and international
networks, that include Agence France-Muséums and 17 French partners, to create a host of
extraordinary exhibitions. Some of the recent exhibitions include: Versailles & the World
(2022), Dragon and Phoenix: Centuries of Exchange between Chinese and Islamic Worlds
(2021), Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here 2021 Richard Mille Art Prize (2021), Furusiyya: The Art
of Chivalry between East and West (2020), among others.
In addition, he contributes to building the museum’s growing collection and the creation of
its conservation and documentation centre. Rabaté’s mandate also includes training the new
generation of Emirati museum professionals and cultural leaders.
Rabaté has worked on Louvre Abu Dhabi since its inception, joining Agence FranceMuséums a year after the signing of the intergovernmental agreement between France and
Abu Dhabi, first as CFO, then as Secretary General and CEO for almost a decade (2008-
2016); before eventually joining the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Previously, Rabaté was Deputy Director of Cultural Development (2005-2008) of Musée Du
Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, overseeing its opening and managing the launch of the
museum’s first traveling exhibitions, including Masques - Beauté des Esprits at the Bahrain
National Museum. He was Deputy Director of the auditorium of Musée du Louvre (2002-
2006), where he participated in developing new programmes accompanying the creation of
the Islamic Art department.
Rabaté is a graduate of HEC business school (2001) and Sciences Po (1998), where he was
President of the Lettres Perçantes Society. He is a Knight of France’s National Order of Merit
and of Arts and Letters Order.
Rabaté has also chaired the think-tank Culture & Management, and taught Arts & Cultural
Management at Paris-Dauphine University and Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.