18 Sep Christie’s Expands to Saudi Arabia

Source Credit:  Content and images from Ocula Magazine.  Read the original article - https://ocula.com/magazine/art-news/christies-expands-to-saudi-arabia/

The auction house appointed Nour Kelani, formerly with Ayyam Gallery in Jeddah, its Managing Director for the country.

Christie’s will soon launch in Saudi Arabia after they were granted a commercial licence in the Kingdom. Christie’s said obtaining the licence was part of their long-term business plan.

Anthea Peers, President, Christie’s Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, ‘Christie’s has had active Saudi Arabian clients for many years, living there and around the world, and that client base is ever-growing within the Kingdom.’

Nour Kelani was named Managing Director for Christie’s in Saudi Arabia, where she will lead client services for fine art and luxury resales.

‘The appointment of Nour Kelani as Managing Director in the Kingdom represents a pace, scale, and ambition of growth across sectors which in turn makes this the moment for Christie’s to partner and collaborate further in Saudi Arabia,’ Peers said.

Kelani ​​previously oversaw operations at Ayyam Gallery. She also managed her own art and luxury consultancy, and was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture for her efforts.

Kelani said, ‘I look forward to building on my connections with collectors, institutions, and others in the art ecosystem in the region to further expand on the foundations that Christie’s has already put in place’.

Saudi Arabia is the 19th largest economy in the world. According to Credit Suisse, in 2023 it was home to around 352,000 U.S.D. millionaires, slightly more than Singapore (333,000) but far fewer than Taiwan (789,000) and Australia (1.9 million). —[O]

Source Credit:  Content and images from Ocula Magazine.  Read the original article - https://ocula.com/magazine/art-news/christies-expands-to-saudi-arabia/