Olivier Henrard appointed interim president following the departure of Dominique Boutonnat

Since March 2019, this graduate of the ENA who worked for the Council of State had already been the general director of the CNC, appointed at the time by Frédérique Bredin.

On Friday, June 28, Culture Minister Rachida Dati appointed Olivier Henrard to act as interim head of the National Center for Cinema and the Animated Image (CNC) after Dominique Boutonnat, convicted of sexual assault on his godson, left his position.

He will therefore act as interim president until a new president is appointed. Since March 2019, this graduate of Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence, who studied at ENA, has already been in charge of the general management of the cultural cinematographic institution. Furthermore, this professional lawyer, who spent several years at the Council of State, was for a time deputy director of Frédéric Mitterrand’s cabinet when the latter was Minister of Culture under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2012). Then Olivier Henrard was cultural advisor at the Élysée, still under Sarkozy’s mandate.

Previously, between May 2007 and June 2009, Olivier Henrard was legal advisor in charge of cultural industries, intellectual property, the art market, patronage and studies in the office of the Minister of Culture and Communication Christine Albanel. He is the architect and co-editor of the famous Hadopi law on the dissemination and creation on the internet.

After other functions, including a stint in the private sector, Olivier Henrard was appointed general director of the CNC by its president at the time, Frédérique Bredin. His appointment as interim president followed the departure of Dominique Boutonnat, the same day, following a legal conviction. Tried for sexual assault on his godson, the former producer was sentenced on June 28 to three years in prison, including one year. Since his indictment in February 2021, and his subsequent indictment, Dominique Boutonnat had been the subject of several calls for resignation.

It was his conviction that finally led him to throw in the towel. His year in prison will be served under electronic surveillance. Dominique Boutonnat is also banned from contacting the victim for three years. He also faces a five-year ineligibility and registration in the register of perpetrators of sexual or violent offenses.