Robert:

I think I've commented previously on the emergence in some of the new
French laws for national cultural institutions, including museums such as
The Louvre, of the concept of the President Director-General - in which
what in the USA would be called the Executive Director is also President of
the Board of Trustees.

I've written this up on a couple of occasions, though so far only in
French.  The main reference is:

BOYLAN, P.J., 1996. Une reflexion post-Colloque sur les reformes recentes
de quelques institutions nationales en France, et sur l'avenir des
structures de management et de gestion des musees, pp. 347 - 355 in 
Jean-Michel Tobelem, (editor), 1996. Musées Gérer Autrement: Un regard
international (Paris: La Documentation Francaise)

An updated English version is planned for my forthcoming book: "Why
Museums? Reflections on the Past, Present and Future of the Museum
Phenomenon" (Routledge, London & New York, late 1999).

Patrick Boylan