Riah Pryor

Riah Pryor is a journalist and author specialising in the relationship between art and law, supported by her experience working at New Scotland Yard's Art and Antiques Unit. She previously worked at The Art Newspaper as Art Market Assistant Editor and continues to write for them (and others, including contributions to Financial Times) on a freelance basis. She is also founder of  Sourced Thought, a consultancy supporting private and not-for-profit cultural organisations in strategy, content and business planning.

Meet our keynote speaker

Andrew Wolff

Andrew Wolff is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Beowolff Capital, which has recently acquired a controlling interest in both artnet and Artsy. He has been a private market investor for 30 years in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He spent the bulk of his career at Goldman Sachs, where he was most recently the Global Co-Head of the Merchant Banking Division and the Global Co-Head of the Corporate Equity Investing business. Andrew also served as the Co-CIO of Goldman Sachs’ flagship private equity funds. He was named partner in 2006. Andrew earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University, and a J.D. and M.B.A. from Harvard Law and Business Schools.

Jennifer Schipf

Jennifer Schipf is AXA XL’s Global Chief Underwriter for Fine Art & Specie. In this role she is responsible for setting worldwide strategy, Underwriting guidelines and ultimate profitability. She’s been dedicated to the highly specialized market of fine art underwriting for nearly twenty years and helped establish the AXA Art Prize. She previously led the organization’s North American Fine Art & Specie team while also serving as leader of Broker and Client Management for North American Specialty.  Prior to joining AXA XL in 2008, she led the US Fine Art underwriting practice at another carrier and held various roles in claims, settling losses and performing loss control assessments for private collector clients. 

She started her career with a research position in the Old Master Drawings department at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. followed by development roles at both the Chazen Museum and Tandem Press, in Madison, WI.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Economics from Georgetown University with a concentration in the Italian Renaissance and Patronage of the Papacy. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Architecture from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is actively engaged in various arts organizations, teaches fine art underwriting courses and regularly participates in industry educational conferences. 

Margherita Barbagallo

Margherita Barbagallo is a dual-qualified lawyer in England & Wales and Canada. She is the Head of Litigation, IP & Art Law at Dragon Argent, where she leads legal strategy for tech startups, SMEs and art market clients navigating digital transactions. A recognised expert on AI, NFTs and regulatory frameworks in the creative industries, she advises businesses, investors and creators on commercial transactions involving digital art, intellectual property and compliance risks. Previously, Margherita practiced in art law at a leading firm, handling title disputes, restitution claims, and fraud litigation for galleries, collectors, and artists’ estates. 

Margherita is a Trustee of Fevered Sleep, an award-winning arts organisation that creates insightful, interdisciplinary work to challenge perceptions and spark dialogue on contemporary issues. She is also an active member of PAIAM (Professional Advisors to the International Art Market).

Marc Spiegler

Having led Art Basel from 2007 to 2022, Marc Spiegler now works on a portfolio of cultural-strategy projects. He is President of the Board of Directors of Superblue and the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the future UBS Digital Art Museum in Hamburg. An external Senior Strategic Advisor for the Luma Foundation, he also serves on the boards of the ArtTech and Art Explora foundations. In addition to working with premium brands such as Prada, KEF Audio and Sanlorenzo, Spiegler has for almost a decade enjoyed being a Visiting Professor in cultural management at Università Bocconi in Milan.

Adam Prideaux

Adam Prideaux is the Managing Director of Hallett Independent.   He has worked in art insurance since 1991. With considerable experience in art insurance, Adam lectures regularly to museums and galleries. He has also co-authored the Guide to Museum Insurance published by the Museums, Archives and Libraries Council (MLA) and the Association of Independent Museums’ (AIM) Focus Paper: Risk Management and Museums.

Adam started his working career at Spink & Sons, fine art dealers, in 1986 and has maintained very close contact with the art world ever since. He is passionate about museums and, as well as being a Founding Patron to restore the Watts Gallery, he is also a Trustee of the South London Gallery. He is a patron of Tate, the Chisenhale Gallery, Nottingham Contemporary, the Showroom and the Contemporary Art Society.

He is on the board of the Professional Advisors to the International Art Market (PAIAM) which is a networking platform for professionals working in the art world.  

Jean-Baptiste Costa de Beauregard

Jean-Baptiste Costa de Beauregard is a partner at ArtNova, the 100m€ evergreen investment fund dedicated to the creative industries. ArtNova operates under ArtNova Capital (investment in startups and mature companies), ArtNova Patrimoine (investment in heritage real estate), fully owns Beaux Arts & Cie (the leading media and services group for the art world) and controls Art Market Minds (organizer of The Art Business Conference). Jean-Baptiste is also the deputy CEO of Beaux Arts & Cie since 2021, in charge of its media division.

Lord Clement-Jones

Lord Clement-Jones was made CBE for political services in 1988 and life peer in 1998.  He is the LibDem House of Lords spokesperson for Science, Innovation and Technology; former Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on AI; initiator and former member of AI in Weapons Systems Select Committee; current member of the UK Engagement with Space Select Committee; Co-founder and Co-Chair of the APPG on AI; founding member of OECD’s Parliamentary Group on AI; Consultant on AI Policy and Regulation to DLA Piper; Chair of Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (2025-); former Chair of Council of Queen Mary University London (2017-25).

Alan Lau

Alan Lau is Vice Chair of M+, Hong Kong’s largest contemporary art museum. He has been a champion of Asian artists for two decades, and co-chairs the Asia Pacific Acquisition Committee of Tate, and the Asia Art Circle of Guggenheim. 

He has been a technologist for 20 years, with leadership roles in McKinsey, Tencent, and Animoca Brands. He founded McKinsey’s digital practice and led as Asia Head, co-founded Tencent’s insurance arm WeSure and served as CEO, and currently leads investment and manages a portfolio of 500 companies as CBO of Animoca.

He advises the Oxford University and HK University on AI, Creativity & Ethics, and promotes AI adoption and policies as a founding member of The AI Association of HK.

In the broader culture sphere, he serves on the board of Tapestry, which owns Coach and Kate Spade, and previously served on the digital board of Burberry. He also makes angel investments in F&B, entertainment, and technology.

BREAKFAST

BREAKFAST, the moniker used by Andrew Zolty, is a pioneering artist and the founder of BREAKFAST Studio, known for pushing the boundaries of kinetic and data-driven art. Based in Brooklyn, BREAKFAST seamlessly integrates technology, engineering, and fine art to create sculptures that transform real-time environmental and social data into dynamic visual experiences. His work explores themes of human connection, environmental consciousness, and the evolving relationship between technology and perception.

BREAKFAST's large-scale installations and interactive sculptures have been exhibited at major institutions and public spaces worldwide. His works have been featured at the Venice Biennale (2024), Rockefeller Center, New York (2023), World Expo, Dubai (2021), and Harvard University (2020). He has also participated in exhibitions at NEOM, Saudi Arabia (2023), Fontainebleau, Las Vegas (2023), and Agora Gallery, New York (2022). His notable commissions include The Pearl (2024), the world’s largest kinetic sculpture aboard Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, and Time Capsule Over Manhattan (2023) at Rockefeller Center, New York.

His kinetic flip-disc works have gained international recognition, with notable exhibitions such as a solo presentation at Art Dubai (2025), Interwoven Existence at the Venice Biennale (2024) and installations at TD Terrace, Toronto (2024); Tiffany & Co., New York, Dubai, and Seoul (2022-2023); and Hewlett Packard, Houston (2022). BREAKFAST’s work is included in prestigious corporate and private collections and continues to redefine the intersection of fine art, technology, and environmental awareness. 

Julia Peyton-Jones

Dame Julia Peyton-Jones is a Partner in Brunswick’s arts sector, based in London.

Julia joined Brunswick from Thaddaeus Ropac, one of the leading international commercial contemporary art galleries, where she was Senior Global Director of Special Projects for seven years. At Thadeus Ropac, Julia worked with a host of internationally renowned artists, estates and foundations to develop and extend their influence globally.

Prior to this, Julia was the Director of London’s Serpentine Galleries for over 25 years, transforming the institution into one of the world’s most respected and innovative cultural organisations. Julia conceived and launched the annual Serpentine Pavilion — now one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the global cultural calendar and a pioneering model for commissioning contemporary architecture. Here Julia won international support at the highest level from business, politics, the media and the arts by revolutionising arts fundraising in the UK. As an example of this, Julia founded the iconic Serpentine Summer Party, which has become a benchmark for arts fundraising.

Julia was awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to the Arts.

Ulrich Schrauth

Ulrich Schrauth is a leading curator and creative director in the field of immersive media, renowned for his innovative approach to art and technology. As the Artistic Director of the UBS Digital Art Museum in Hamburg and founder of VRHAM! Biennale, he is at the forefront of shaping digital art experiences. Working between Hamburg and London, he also leads the Immersive Programme at the British Film Institute (BFI) and serves on the Arts and Creative Industries Advisory Board for the British Council. Ulrich is a jury member for prestigious international awards, including the Lumen Prize and Fedora Digital Art Prize. A sought-after speaker at major events like the Venice Biennale, SXSW or Cannes Film Festival, he is a key voice in the evolving world of XR and digital creativity. Ulrich is the selected curator for Art Dubai Digital 2025. 

Benedetta Ghione

Benedetta Ghione is Executive Director at Art Dubai Group, responsible for the strategic direction and delivery of the Group’s year-round arts and cultural programming and initiatives. She joined Art Dubai in 2015 and after having led on the delivery of the flagship fair, now spearheads government and commercial partnerships, educational programmes, and city-wide projects.  

Benedetta has nearly two decades’ experience in a range of international art businesses. Prior to joining Art Dubai, she worked at Sotheby's London, was a director at Luxembourg & Dayan gallery (now Luxembourg + Co) and was head of department, contemporary art, at Bonhams auction house.

Fiorenzo Manganiello

Fiorenzo Manganiello is an international investor and art collector. In 2018, with his business partner, Nessim-Sariel Gaon, Fiorenzo co-founded LIAN Group, an investment firm that builds, funds, and operates many of the most cutting-edge companies across technology, digital assets and infrastructure, and healthcare.

Fiorenzo is also the founder of LIAN Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to educating and contributing to high-impact social initiatives.

While initially established to support promising artists in growing and building their networks, the Foundation has expanded to drive charitable initiatives around inter-faith dialogue, digital education, and longevity and well-being. It has previously collaborated and partnered with organisations such as the United Nations, Art Basel, Art Dubai, and Geneva’s Red Cross.

Fiorenzo Manganiello, Founder, LIAN Foundation, and Professor of Blockchain Technologies, Geneva Business School.

Roshini Vadehra

Roshini Vadehra is the co-director of Vadehra Art Gallery (VAG), one of India’s most influential art galleries, founded in 1987 by Arun Vadehra. Since joining VAG in 2004, Roshini has played a pivotal role in expanding the gallery, introducing a dynamic contemporary programme, and overseeing the launch of a second space in New Delhi. Under her leadership, the gallery has a growing global presence, with participation in major art fairs and frequent programming in London. Roshini has introduced numerous prominent artists to the gallery’s roster including Shilpa Gupta, Nalini Malani, Sunil Gupta, and Gauri Gill. She also set up the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA), a non-profit organization that aims to broaden the audience for Contemporary Indian Art through education and active participation in public art projects and funding. She is a contributing editor to Architectural Digest India and a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Task Force for arts and culture in India.

Curtis McConnell

Curtis McConnell has had a long career dedicated to supply chain, logistics, inventory, and fulfillment technologies. In his previous work, he revolutionized and modernized the direct-to-consumer flower and gifting supply chain. Curtis also holds a degree in history and has always had a love for art and cultural heritage, which has made him deeply passionate about the art industry. He is dedicated to protecting art and those who are in the business of art.

To that end, he  holds two U.S. patents and three provisional patents all in art technologies. He has expertise in scientific art authentication processes and is mentored by Maurizio Seracini. 

Tim Flagg

Tim Flagg is the CEO and co-founder of UKAI, the UK’s only trade association for AI businesses. With over 25 years' experience at brands such as BBC, NBC-Universal, Hutchison-3G and Zipcar, he has also founded multiple AI and ed-tech companies including EntityX, Intelliquence, The IDM Online, and The ADBL. Tim champions AI’s role in driving economic and social progress and advises technology companies on commercial strategy. He is a non-executive director at Greater Than and regularly speaks on AI, data, and technology. Tim hosts The Business of AI podcast for UKAI.

Yukako Yamashita 

Yukako Yamashita

Art Producer, Fair Director of Art Collaboration Kyoto

Born in 1988 in Tokyo to a family that runs a tea ceremony utensils business in Kyoto, Yukako completed an MA in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, then joined Sotheby’s Japan where she oversaw the sales of contemporary art. From 2017 to 2022, she was the managing director of THE CLUB, a contemporary art gallery in Tokyo, Japan. In 2022, she was appointed Fair Director of ACK and Kyoto City Growth Strategy Promotion Advisor.

Christian Zimmermann

Christian Zimmermann is Chief Executive of DACS. He has spent his career protecting artists’ rights, having worked at DACS for 18 years. He is a qualified solicitor in the UK and Germany with a Masters in Intellectual Property Law. Before joining DACS in 2006, he worked at the Association of Photographers (AOP).

As a skilled and experienced negotiator, Christian has defended and advocated for artists’ rights throughout his career. He led negotiations with the government to fully implement the Artist’s Resale Right in 2012, which culminated in more artists and beneficiaries being able to benefit from the Right in the long term. He also steered DACS through an industry-wide valuation with the Copyright Licensing Agency to protect visual artists' share of collecting licensing revenue.

Christian is a Board Director of CISAC the world’s leading network of collective management organisations. He is Vice Chair of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations' (IFRRO) Visual Working Group. He is a Member Director of Online Art and the Educational Recording Agency (ERA) and is on the Editorial and Advisory Board for Journal for IP Protection.

Christian is also an Observer Member Representative at the European Visual Artists (EVA) Board and Observer Member on Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Board.

Vivienne Chow

Vivienne Chow is an award-winning journalist and the London Correspondent for Artnet News, where she covers the art market and art world with a particular focus on Europe and Asia. She co-authors The Asia Pivot, Artnet Pro's biweekly members-only newsletter, offering essential analysis, insights, and exclusive intelligence on developments in Asia's art markets, with an emphasis on business opportunities and challenges. Previously based in Hong Kong, Chow brings over two decades of experience in arts and culture reporting. Her work has appeared in various publications such as BBC Culture, Variety, The Art Newspaper, Quartz, and the South China Morning Post. In addition to journalism, she founded a non-profit and served as an honorary lecturer at universities.

Chris Bentley  

Chris Bentley is Head of Fine Art & Specie, UK & Lloyd’s at AXA XL. Previously, Chris held the role of AXA ART’s Director of Underwriting for Northern Europe, Middle East & Asia-Pacific. Prior to joining AXA Art in 2012, Chris worked for Hiscox Syndicate 33 at Lloyd’s as a member of the Fine Art underwriting team. In addition, he has held positions at Bonhams Auctioneers and also Aon Artscope as a Fine Art Insurance Broker specialising in art and antique dealers. 

He is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, an elected member of the LMA/ IUA Joint Specie Committee since 2015 and served as Chairman between September 2019 and June 2023, and a member of PAIAM (Professional Advisors to the International Art Market).

to help teams better understand a project's climate impact and is the Director of Strategy at Art into Acres.  

Annika Erikson  

Annika Erikson studied Paper Conservation at UAL, Renaissance Art History in Tuscany, and the Classics in Greece, before working in conservation and collection care at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Horticultural Society, and Tate, where she got the idea in 2010 to create a mobile digital tool to streamline and create an industry-standard in condition reports and conservation documentation. After opening a new conservation studio for John Jones, she became an entrepreneur and founded Articheck in 2013.

Annika is a member of AiA, Art Innovators Alliance, ICOM, the International Council of Museums, and a member of CIDOC, the ICOM committee for documentation, as well at ICON, the Institute of Conservation, and the new initiative AIS, Art Identification Standard, as well as a Fellow of the Linnaean Society.

Annika has lectured at Sotheby’s Institute, NYU, UCL, Christie’s Education, Kingston University, UCLA, City and Guilds, and Korean Art Management.

Sylvain Levy  

Founded in 2005 by Dominique and Sylvain Levy, dslcollection is an ongoing cultural and entrepreneurial project that embodies a family adventure and a collection of art and science. Dslcollection wants to establish a model that makes collecting art continuously active and meaningful, always moving with the shifting times.   This collection has the particularity to use all the innovative tools to share with the public. Some dates : 2011 Ipad application, 2012 Creation of a museum on Second Life 2013: Creation of a museum in vr 2015, and in 2021 a video game and the metaverse. Dslcollection has been experiencing  the impact of the digital transformation on the art, the art market and the collectors.

Charlotte Stewart  

Charlotte Stewart has 17 years’ experience in the secondary fine art market, including a decade at Christie’s auction house before moving into consultancy for art market platforms. Since 2019, she has served as Managing Director of MyArtBroker, the art-tech business now celebrating its 15th year. The company trades blue-chip prints through a platform that treats them as transparent, investable assets. Under her leadership, MyArtBroker has built a team of leading specialists and developed proprietary algorithms for real-time valuations, launched the first fully 100% ownership trading floor, and created MyPortfolio, a dynamic collection management system. This combination of cutting-edge technology, a human expert team, and an unwavering dedication to the collector has been key to the company’s success in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the art market.

Callum Hale-Thomson  

Callum Hale-Thomson is the founder of First Thursday, a sales intelligence platform that leverages AI and automation to help commercial art galleries identify and nurture their most valuable collectors. By improving internal efficiency and cutting out manual tasks, the platform enables sales directors to focus on growing their most important relationships.

Since its launch during Frieze London in 2024, First Thursday has grown rapidly to support leading international galleries both online and at major art fairs like Frieze, Art Basel, and The Armory Show.

Before founding First Thursday, Callum spent a decade honing his expertise in AI, data analysis, and strategy at early-stage startups, most recently leading Strategic Operations and International Expansion at Otta.com.