AFL Mourns the Loss of Patrick Gerschel
American Friends of the Louvre is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Patrick A. Gerschel, a founding figure of the organization who served as its inaugural Board Treasurer from 2002 through 2024. A distinguished financier, real estate executive, and cultural leader with deep ties to Lazard Frères and numerous international institutions, Patrick died on December 28, 2025, surrounded by his family, after a lifetime defined by professional achievement and public service.
Born on March 20, 1946, in Boston, Patrick was the grandson of André Meyer, the legendary managing partner of Lazard Frères whose influence helped shape modern investment banking. He was educated at Cornell University, earning a B.A. in Economics in 1968, and later pursued advanced coursework in accounting, finance, and economics at New York University.
From 1969 to 1982, Patrick was associated with Lazard Frères & Co., serving in a succession of senior roles ranging from investment analyst to Partner and ultimately Vice Chairman of Lazard Realty. In these capacities, he played a meaningful role in the firm’s real estate activities during a period of significant growth and institutional development. Earlier in his career, he worked at NBC News in Paris as an assistant bureau manager.
In 1980, Patrick founded Gerschel & Company, where he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Over the ensuing decades, he established a reputation as a disciplined, value-oriented investor with a global perspective, participating in and helping guide a diverse range of businesses across finance, insurance, technology, and real estate. His professional endeavors included involvement with companies such as Executive Risk, later acquired by Chubb; Tishman Speyer; and Ultimate Software, as well as leadership roles in hedge funds and real estate partnerships.
Patrick was deeply committed to cultural, educational, and charitable institutions, including American Friends of the Louvre. Through his brilliant and steady stewardship as Treasurer, AFL’s finances became a benchmark to which other “Friends” organizations aspire. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the organization is exceptionally well positioned to carry forward its mission of supporting the world’s greatest museum for generations to come. Beyond his financial leadership, Patrick was also extraordinarily generous to AFL, funding numerous initiatives over the years. These included an exhibition devoted to Girodet, the conservation of the Louvre’s beloved pastel collection, the publication of a catalogue on Genoese drawings, and the major conservation of Auguste Caïn’s Animalier sculptures in the Tuileries Garden.
Beyond AFL, Patrick held leadership roles across a wide array of cultural and educational institutions. He served as Chairman of the Winston Churchill Foundation, Trustee Emeritus of the Asia Society, and Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the French Institute: Alliance Française. He also previously chaired investment committees supporting the Pasteur Institute and the Curie Institute. In recognition of his contributions to culture and international relations, he was named an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and a Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur by the French government.
Patrick will be remembered for his intellect, global perspective, and sound judgment, as well as for his devotion to family, culture, and institutions that bridged business and public life. To honor his legacy, American Friends of the Louvre has sponsored a bench in the Tuileries Garden overlooking the Caïn sculptures he so cherished and will posthumously present him with the Cœur de Philanthropie Award at the 2026 New York Gala.