Perelman to leave Carnegie Hall chairmanship after 8 months

Ronald O. Perelman, an American Jewish billionaire who in February became chairman of Carnegie Hall, announced he will leave the post.

Perelman told a group of his fellow trustees on Thursday that he would step down next month, rather than run for re-election as the head of the eminent concert venue in New York City, the New York Times reported.

The announcement followed a discussion at a joint meeting of the board’s executive and audit committees, when Perelman told his fellow trustees that he believed some of the laws governing nonprofits were not being followed at Carnegie and expressed frustration that no investigation into his concerns had been initiated, an unnamed source told the Times.

Perelman criticized board members for placing “a premium on avoiding tension and disagreement,” the person said, and told them that while he would serve out his term he would not run for re-election as chairman at next month’s board meeting.

The board then agreed to hire a lawyer to examine his concerns, which involved how Carnegie vetted transactions in looking at deals that posed potential conflicts of interest, according to the Times report.

Perelman took over the chairmanship of Carnegie Hall from Sanford I. Weill, who is also Jewish, and who had presided for nearly 25 years.

A drummer and rock fan, Perelman was considered an unorthodox choice to lead the reputable institution he heads.