The career of Françoise Nyssen transitioned from the oversight of a major publishing house to a seat in the French cabinet. Born in 1951 in Etterbeek, she holds citizenship in both Belgium and France. Her professional trajectory involved navigating the intersection of corporate management, urban planning, and national cultural policy within the French political framework.
Education and Early Career
Nyssen completed her education at the Institut Saint-Luc and the Free University of Brussels. She holds a master's degree from the Institut supérieur d’urbanisme et de rénovation urbaine. Before entering the publishing sector, she worked as an urban planner in Paris.
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In 1987, Nyssen assumed the role of presiding director at Actes Sud, a publishing house located in Arles that was founded by her father, Hubert Nyssen. Her work involved duties as an editor, publisher, and collection manager. In 2014, she and her husband established the Domaine du possible school, which utilizes Steiner-Waldorf pedagogical methods. By 2016, the school enrolled one hundred pupils on a farm near Arles.
Ministerial Tenure
On 17 May 2017, Nyssen succeeded Audrey Azoulay as the French Minister of Culture under Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. During her tenure, she introduced a 300,000 euro fund intended to support young designers through the annual investment in ten projects. Her time in office concluded in October 2018 when she was replaced by Franck Riester during a government cabinet reshuffle.
Governance and Scrutiny
Throughout her career, Nyssen served on several corporate and non-profit boards, including EuropaCorp, the Société Marseillaise de Crédit, and the Rencontres d’Arles. In 2018, she faced a preliminary investigation by the public prosecutor’s office in Paris. This inquiry concerned renovations performed at the Arles outpost of Actes Sud in 2011, which were reportedly not properly declared.
Fast facts
- Born: 1951, Etterbeek
- Citizenship: Belgium, France
- Minister of Culture (France): 2017-2018
- Director of Actes Sud: From 1987
- Officer of the Legion of Honour: 2013
- Commander of the National Order of Merit: 2017
- Officer of the National Order of Merit: 2010
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres: 2008
Questions readers ask
What was Françoise Nyssen’s role before becoming a minister?
She served as the presiding director of the publishing house Actes Sud.
Why was Nyssen investigated by the Paris prosecutor?
The investigation focused on building renovations at Actes Sud that were allegedly not declared.
Achievements
- Officer of the Legion of Honour — 2013
- Commander of the National Order of Merit — 2017
- Officer of the National Order of Merit — 2010
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