- Aug 21, 2022

Meet Art Basel's VIP Global Team

Art Basel VIP team are art experts with in-depth knowledge of the world of art to help art lovers, galleries and art collections experience Art Basel in a personal way.

Irene Kim

Global Head of VIP Relations, Member of the Art Basel Management Board

Irene leads Art Basel's global VIP team across four office locations along with a strong network of VIP Representatives from over 25 key art market regions. She oversees various VIP strategies and initiatives around Art Basel shows and beyond by engaging with a leading group of international art patrons and cultural organizations throughout the year. Irene served as Regional Head of VIP Relations Americas at Art Basel for 6 years before stepping into the current role. Prior to that, she held roles at The Armory Show, Sotheby's, and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA

Marina Mottin

VIP Representative African Countries

Marina developed her expertise in African art and culture as director, program advisor, and consultant for films from Africa and the Middle East at some of the world most important film festivals. She curated seminal retrospectives and thematic exhibitions, as well as directed numerous research projects. She completed a CAS in African Affairs and pursued Philanthropy Studies at the Basel University. Marina has stepped down from her position at Art Basel as Regional Head of VIP Relations Europe at the end of June 2022, but continue in her role as Art Basel’s VIP Representative for African countries until April 2023. You can contact Marina at +41 58 206 31 37, or by email here.

Alia Al-Senussi

United Kingdom, Middle East, and North Africa

Dr Alia Al-Senussi holds a number of non-profit board and committee positions at organizations such as Tate, the Middle East Council of the Guggenheim, and Delfina Foundation; she is a Senior Advisor to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture. Al-Senussi has a PhD in Politics from SOAS University of London and is an affiliated scholar and guest lecturer at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and its Center for Middle East Studies. You can contact Alia at +44 77 955 11 458, +1 401 241 9500, or by email here.

Karen Boros

Germany

Karen holds a BA in Art History and Psychology. After working with various galleries, she joined her family business and started collecting. Since 2008 the Boros collection is shown in a World War II raid bunker in Berlin. Karen has been with Art Basel since 2005. You can contact her at +49 171 301 01 17, or by email here.

Lisa Ivemark

Scandinavia

Lisa has over 30 years of experience in the art world. She works as an advisor for private and corporate clients. Lisa is based in Stockholm but frequently travels to all the Scandinavian countries in her role as the region’s Art Basel VIP-Representative. You can contact Lisa at +46 708 21 46 52, or by email here.

Katie Laycock

Head of VIP Community Relations, VIP Representative Turkey

Katie is the Head of VIP Community Relations at Art Basel, overseeing different initiatives for the Global VIP Community. Before Art Basel, Katie worked at UBS in Art Sponsorship and Content Marketing. Katie holds a master's degree in Business Management specializing in Digital Business. You can contact Katie at +41 79 550 73 76 or by email here.

Damiana Leoni

Italy

Damiana has been part of the contemporary artworld for 20 years: as a gallerist, art advisor, art fair VIP manager, communications officer, and organizer of exhibitions and art events. She is a reference point in Rome's art scene - where she was born and lives - and of Milan, where she has established a strong connection with the city's contemporary art scene. You can contact Damiana at +39 335 8185 938 or by email here.

Nikolay Palazhenko

Eastern Europe

Nikolay is responsible for the large geographic area of Eastern Europe. He is well-known as a curator of art festivals and advisor to real estate development companies. You can contact Nikolay at +7 925 740 22 40, or by email here.

Diana Segantini

Switzerland

Diana has arts and culture in her DNA being the great-granddaughter of painter Giovanni Segantini and curating the family’s artistic heritage. She founded an agency specialized in art advisory, curation, cultural mediation and international cultural productions such as art exhibitions, music events, documentary films and talks. Diana holds a PhD in Arab Islamic culture and is fluent in 10 languages. You can contact Diana at +41 79 365 58 65 or or by email here

Iciar S-Mangas

Latin America, Spain, and Portugal

An art historian and independent art agent with over 20 years of experience, Iciar is specialized in VIP match-making across global networks. Since 2007, she has represented Art Basel in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. Iciar is also an art strategy consultant for artists, galleries, nonprofits, and corporate brands. You can contact Iciar at +34 617 36 43 96, or by email here.

Beatrice Taevernier

Benelux and Romania

Beatrice comes from a deeply involved collectors family, is a patron of several art institutions, and has created a dynamic art collectors circle. After a busy and longstanding legal career, she turned her passion for art into a new occupation by founding B-Arty - an art advisory and corporate art events organization. You can contact Beatrice at +32 475 82 44 97, or by email here.

Denise Vilgrain

France and Greece

Denise has represented Art Basel for 10 years. She is very involved in the artworld, advising companies on art and organizing exhibitions with multiple artists in Paris and beyond. She is involved with the Palais de Tokyo, where she serves as Vice-President of its Friends Association. You can contact Denise at +33 607 44 83 62, or by email here.

AMERICAS

Irene Kim

Global Head of VIP Relations, Member of the Art Basel Management Board

Stefanie Block Reed

Florida, US

Stefanie has held an instrumental role since the inception of Art Basel in Miami Beach. She has greatly contributed to building today’s art community and cultural landscape in South Florida for the show, and has been involved in various VIP initiatives across the whole United States. She received her BA in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania and was a Regional Director for Sotheby’s, having begun her career at Citibank’s Art Advisory Service. You can contact Stefanie at +1 305 740 00 50, or by email here.

Olivia Cuissart de Grelle

Senior Manager VIP Relations Americas, VIP Representative Southern States, US

Olivia covers the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. As Senior Manager VIP Relations for the Americas, Olivia oversees different initiatives for the Art Basel shows. Before Art Basel, Olivia worked for the Private Client Group at Sotheby's managing client relationships with the auction house. You can contact Olivia at +1 212 967 2252 or by email here.

Amanda Echeverrìa

Mexico

Amanda is an arts promoter based in Mexico City. She has worked at Museo Tamayo and Ambulante Documentary Film Festival. Before dedicating herself to the arts, she worked for PR agencies such as Another Company and Zimat. You can contact Amanda at +521 552 300 5190, or by email here.

Kelly Huang

San Francisco, US

Kelly is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and has held roles as a curator, advisor and dealer at leading institutions over the course of her 15-year career. She was Co-Director of Gagosian, San Francisco, and founded several initiatives that build community and broaden participation in the art world, including the Gold Art Prize. You can contact Kelly at +1 415 572 8504 or by email here.

Ricardo Sardenberg

Brazil

Ricardo has been working in the art market in Brazil and abroad for 25 years. He is one of the original developers of Inhotim and the publishing house Cobogó. He is currently an independent curator, showcasing historical and young artists in Brazil. You can contact Ricardo at +55 11 9 6027 8001, or by email here.

ASIA

Mandy Shek

VIP Manager Asia, VIP Relations Hong Kong

Mandy has been part of Hong Kong VIP team since 2014 as VIP Relations Manager and will be the point of contact for all Hong Kong based VIPs. You can contact Mandy at +852 3575 8492, or by email here.

Jenny Lee

Taiwan Region

Jenny is a dedicated supporter of the arts community who enjoys connecting with fellow art aficionados. Prior to joining Art Basel as VIP Representative for Taiwan, she has worked as a curator, studio director, gallery manager, and content director. You can contact Jenny at +886 917 531 818, or by email here.

Amanda Love

Australia and New Zealand

Formerly an arts lawyer, Amanda has built a large contemporary art collection and pioneered private, corporate, and public art initiatives. The principal of LoveArt Advisory for over 20 years, she is a board member of many arts organizations and played a role in founding a number of museum benefaction groups. You can contact Amanda at +61 418 164 462, or by email here.

Jeesun Park

South Korea

Having started her career in advertising photography, Jeesun fell in love with contemporary art, one step at a time, during her MA in Contemporary Art from Sotheby's Institute and positions at Gwangju Biennale, Arts Council Korea, and Kukje Gallery. Jeesun has an affinity for artworks that show humor or reveal different truths. You can contact Jeesun at +82 70 8117 1888, or by email here.

Shaan Shahani

India

A chartered accountant turned graphic designer, Shaan was the Art Director at ELLE DECOR. After a decade with the publication, he set up a creative consultancy including interior design. Based in Mumbai, his love for art led him to represent Art Basel in India. You can contact Shaan at +91 982 040 1973, or by email at here.

Echo Shi

West and South, China

Based in Guangdong, China, Echo Shi is an experienced professional in the dynamic art communities across Greater Bay Area. Committed to advocating a diverse art and cultural practice in the region, Echo has worked at auction houses and museums, and initiated several residency programs for artists in Shenzhen and Dongguan. You can contact Echo at +86 18688661588, or by email here.

Natane Takeda

Japan

Natane began her career in contemporary art in New York City in 2004. Now based in Tokyo, she works to connect different art communities in her role as art coordinator and consultant, leveraging her deep knowledge of contemporary art. You can contact Natane at +81 (0)90 6309 7753, or by email here.

Amalia Wirjono

Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia

Amalia has been a dynamic force in the arts community in South East Asia for over 20 years. She helped to build Indonesia art connoisseurship as Head of Christie’s, Indonesia, followed by her role at Art Basel. She is actively supporting the development of the Museum MACAN and art patronage in Indonesia. She is based in Jakarta. You can contact Amalia at +62 812 828 940 87, or by email here.

Malena Zhang

North and East, China

Malena is the founder of a fund investing in education, health, technology, and contemporary art. She is the co-founder of a group that organizes events and programs for families in China to promote contemporary art and works with different institutions to build bridges for young artists between the East and West. She has been collecting art for 15 years and has represented Art Basel in China for over 10 years. You can contact Malena at +86 138 1786 1769, or by email here.