WORLD MONUMENTS FUND APPOINTS JUAN PABLO DE LA PUENTE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WMF PERU
New York — October 25, 2024: World Monuments Fund (WMF) today announced the appointment of Juan Pablo de la Puente as Executive Director of WMF Peru. De la Puente, a long-standing figure within the organization since 2010, when he was appointed as Executive Director of the initial WMF Peruvian Committee led by Marcela Temple de Pérez de Cuéllar, and then supported the creation of WMF’s affiliate office in Peru in 2014 and served as the WMF Peru’s first Executive Director from 2014 to 2015. Since 2019, he has remained active on WMF Peru’s Board of Directors until resuming leadership in 2024.
From 2015 to 2016, he served as Peru’s Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, where he helped shape national policies on heritage protection. De la Puente is also a lawyer specializing in the regulation of cultural assets, focusing on protecting and managing cultural heritage, both in nonprofit preservation investments and in mining, infrastructure, and real estate projects. He is a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and previously was a Visiting Scholar at Columbia Law School from 2022-2023, where he researched the impact of legal regulation as the cause of cultural sites underuse and destruction.
In his new role as Executive Director, de la Puente will oversee WMF Peru’s strategic growth, manage key stakeholder relationships, and oversee project identification and delivery. De la Puente will work closely with WMF headquarters in New York and other global offices to support the organization’s global agenda, including the World Monuments Watch and other international initiatives. De la Puente will continue to strengthen WMF Peru’s legacy of safeguarding Peru’s most significant cultural sites and expanding its heritage, landscape, and community development initiatives.
Established in 2014, WMF Peru has been crucial in safeguarding the country’s cultural heritage. WMF’s involvement began in 1997 with a project in Cusco’s Historic Center, followed by the Huaca de la Luna conservation in 2000 and the San Pedro Apóstol de Andahuaylillas Church in 2008, which has been a key feature of the Andean Baroque Route since then, among other projects. In recent years, WMF Peru has led efforts such as restoring the MALI Museum facade and preserving Cerro Sechín’s stone slabs. The team also supported Chankillo Archaeoastronomical Complex’s UNESCO recognition and has started conservation efforts at Yanacancha-Huaquis Cultural Landscape.
As WMF Peru grows, de la Puente’s expertise will be critical in preserving the country’s iconic sites, fostering sustainable development through cultural stewardship, and strengthening local communities through heritage-based initiatives. His leadership will be a key asset in advancing WMF’s mission in Peru.
“I am honored to lead WMF Peru once again and to continue our mission of preserving the cultural heritage that defines our nation’s identity,” said Juan Pablo, Executive Director of World Monuments Fund Peru. “I look forward to working with our partners and colleagues to protect Peru’s invaluable sites while fostering development and resilience in the face of modern challenges.”
About World Monuments Fund:
World Monuments Fund is the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places to enrich lives and build mutual understanding. Since 1965, WMF has raised $300 million to support more than 700 diverse cultural heritage sites across 112 countries. For more than 55 years, its highly skilled experts have applied proven and effective techniques to preserve important architectural and cultural heritage sites around the globe. Through the World Monuments Watch—a biennial, nomination-based program—WMF uses cultural heritage conservation to empower communities and improve human well-being. In partnership with local communities, funders, and governments, WMF seeks to inspire an enduring commitment to stewardship for future generations. Headquartered in New York City, the organization has offices and affiliates worldwide.
