Jérôme Kohler, founder of the L’Initiative Philanthropique consultancy firm, has been involved with the full range of patronage issues for fifteen years. Former deputy director of the Foundations and Corporate Patronage Department of the Fondation de France, and one-time director of patronage for the L’Oréal Group, he then advised firms such as La Caisse d’Épargne, Groupama, Japan Tobacco International, Natixis Private Equity, Banque Privée 1818 and BNP Paribas Wealth Management on their patronage strategy. He has also accompanied institutions, including the Louvre Museum, the Vitra Design Museum, the AFAA, Maison Rouge and the ESSEC Group, about development issues for different types of donors (firms and corporations, individuals, and foundations) and created and directed the American Friends of the Louvre in the U.S.A.

L’Initiative Philanthropique now advices institutions and wealthy individuals about their corporate patronage strategy, both in France and at internationally.

Jérôme Kohler initiated the Philanthropy Endowment Fund, whose goal is to promote philanthropy, particularly through the Philanthropy Chair at ESSEC business school, which he co-founded.

He belongs to several networks of international specialists, including the European Centre for Foundations, International Network in Strategic Philanthropy, European Venture Philanthropy Association and Americans for the Arts.

Former president of the French Association of Family Office’s philanthropy commission, he is also a member of the board of the Demeter Foundation, the credit committee for PlaNet Finance and the directing committee of Paris Musées.

A graduate of ESSEC, Sciences Po Paris and the School of Asian Languages, Jérôme Kohler has degrees in political philosophy (Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne) and institutional economy (EHESS-Nanterre-école Polytechnique). He has taught at Sciences Po Paris and ESSEC, and been an associate researcher at Montréal.