Getty Trust Names Chicago Museum Chief New CEO

The J. Paul Getty Trust, one of the richest arts groups in the world, on Monday named the head of the Art Institute of Chicago, James Cuno, as its new chief executive, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Mr. Cuno replaces James Wood, who died in June. Among his top priorities will be to hire a director for the Getty Museum, a position that has been vacant since January 2010.

An art historian and curator who has worked largely with university-affiliated museums, Mr. Cuno oversaw a $420-million capital campaign at the Art Institute. Despite the recession, the Chicago museum opened a new wing in 2009 and attracted 33 percent more visitors that year.

The appointment raised some eyebrows in the art world, particularly over the seeming clash between the Getty’s recent commitment to returning antiquities to their country of origin and Mr. Cuno’s public criticism of such efforts. Mr. Cuno said he would enforce the trust’s current policy, although he has said he believes some historic treasures are best preserved as part of big collections that might not be in their home countries.