Manuel Rabate Appointed As CEO And Director Of Kiran Nadar Museum Of Art

Manuel Rabate has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in New Delhi. He currently serves as Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Rabate will join KNMA in Spring 2026, working closely with the museum's senior leadership team to steer its next phase of growth.

Kiran Nadar, Founder and Chairperson of KNMA, called Rabate one of the “most experienced and respected leaders” in the international art world and said his new role would help the museum achieve its full potential. “As we prepare to inaugurate the new, greatly expanded Kiran Nadar Museum of Art - which, at over one million square feet, will be the largest museum and cultural center in South Asia - we welcome Manuel Rabate as a CEO and Director with the vision and skills to achieve our highest aspirations.”

The appointment comes as the KNMA is entering a transformative phase. The museum's upcoming landmark building is intended as the largest integrated cultural centre in India. The new space, spanning over one million square feet on Delhi's National Highway (NH8), has been conceptualised as a multidisciplinary institution for visual and performing arts, with expanded capacity for exhibitions, performances, commissions and public programmes.

Who Is Manuel Rabate?

Manuel Rabate has over 25 years of leadership experience in the global museum sector. He has been associated with the Louvre Abu Dhabi since its inception and shaped the institution into an influential cultural landmark that is renowned worldwide for its growing permanent collection, ambitious international exhibition programme, and strong focus on education and capacity-building. Rabaté became the first director of the museum in 2016.

He joined Agence France-Museums soon after the signing of the intergovernmental agreement between France and Abu Dhabi, which enabled the establishment of the museum.

Rabate worked as the Chief Financial Officer, Secretary General, and Chief Executive Officer for Agence France-Museums from 2008-1016 before he joined the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to aid the museum's institutional launch.

His previous workplaces include the Musee du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, where he was the Deputy Director of Cultural Development. Rabate taught arts and cultural management at Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and Paris-Dauphine University. He received the Knight of France's National Order of Merit and the Order of Arts and Letters.

Talking about his role at KNMA, Manuel Rabate called it “a great honour and an exciting opportunity”. “KNMA is not only shaping the story of Indian and South Asian art today but is also defining what a 21st-century museum can be—an institution that champions artists, inspires learners, and engages communities through innovative exhibitions, immersive experiences, and cutting-edge education programmes. I look forward to working with the Museum's extraordinary team to build a platform that connects creativity, culture, and curiosity, and empowers the next generation of cultural leaders across India and beyond,” he added.