Rima Abdul Malak grew up in Lebanon before moving to Lyon with her family in 1989 to escape the civil war. A political science graduate, she began her career in international solidarity before turning to the cultural sector, working at the Institut Français, Paris City Hall and as a cultural attaché in New York. In 2019, she became Culture Advisor to President Emmanuel Macron, before serving as France’s Minister of Culture from 2022 to 2024. She was the first Lebanese to serve as a minister in a French government. Her work focused on youth access to culture, press freedom, media pluralism, and heritage preservation. After leaving government, she spent time teaching in the United States and became involved with several cultural and media organizations in Lebanon, including the Samir Kassir Foundation and Sursock Museum. A passionate advocate for poetry, she founded the « Rima Poésie Club » and has produced several poetry performances. In November 2025, she joined L’Orient-Le Jour Group as Executive Director. She is also a board member of Reporters Without Borders.