Santa Ana-based Bowers Museum, which focuses on Asian art, appointed Seán O’Harrow as its new president and chief executive.
O’Harrow is replacing Peter C. Keller, who was the museum leader for 31 years until passing away last November.
O’Harrow is an expert in British and American art and architecture. He’s worked 15 years leading public and university museums with “a proven track record in revenue generation,” the museum said.
“He is an exceptional leader with a deep passion for the arts, and his vision aligns perfectly with our museum’s mission,” Anne Shih, chairwoman of the Board of Governors, said in a statement.
Until recently, he was the executive director of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. He previously served as the leader of the Honolulu Museum of Art, the University of Iowa Museum of Art, and the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, and served on the board of the Iowa Arts Council.
Prior to his career as a museum director, O’Harrow was an Official Fellow at Cambridge University and worked in investment finance and technology in London. He holds a PhD from Cambridge University and a BA from Harvard University, both in art history.
