Art finance is a niche field that demands a high level of knowledge and expertise. The Spear’s index of leading art finance advisers reflects the best of the best.
As well as providing loans to collectors to buy works of art, a financial adviser can also advise an individual on how their current catalogue can be used as the basis of finance for other purchases such as business investments or property, or be used to offset tax.
To correctly judge the amount that can be lent, the financier has to have intimate knowledge of the art market, and the ability to assess the quality and authenticity of the works in question.
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Best art finance advisers: names to know
Stephan Ludwig – New addition
Firm: Gurr Johns Capital
Following careers with both Credit Suisse and Nomura, Ludwig founded The Fine Art Auction Group and later Forum Auctions before joining Gurr Johns with the sale of his company. Ludwig is a director at Gurr Johns International and serves as the CEO of Gurr Johns Capital and the group’s auction businesses.
Adriano Picinati di Torcello – Top recommended
Firm: Deloitte
A former KMPG auditor, Adriano Picinati di Torcello has led the growth of Deloitte’s art and finance arm since its 2008 inception. The Luxembourg-based adviser is passionate about raising awareness of art as an important asset in the context of wealth management.
Read Adriano Picinati di Torcello’s full profile on Spears500.com
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Mauro Mattei – Top recommended
Firm: BeAdvisors
As a collector of Italian art, Mauro Mattei has a deeply personal connection to his work. He founded BeAdvisors’ art arm in 2017 to combine his experience in tax and legal services with his passion for Renaissance art. The company is based in London and Milan.
Read Mauro Mattei’s full profile on Spears500.com
Methodology
In selecting and ranking the best art finance advisers, the Spear’s Research Unit conducts extensive research of the market, including interviews with well-informed observers, industry insiders and of course the advisers themselves. These take place both face-to-face, and on video and telephone calls. Candidates for inclusion are asked to fill in a form to provide data and a description of their work and client base. In finalising its selections and rankings, the Spear’s Research Unit employs a proprietary methodology that includes a weighted scoring system. This takes into account factors including an adviser’s standing, reputation, client base, recommendations and testimonials, the firm they represent, their level of engagement with the process and certain industry-specific criteria.
Best art finance advisers: the complete list
Click on the individual names to be directed to more detailed profiles of each adviser on The Spear’s 500 website. The table is ordered by ranking and then alphabetically by surname.
Find out more
To explore all the Spear’s indices, and to use our find-an-adviser tool to identify the private client adviser who is right for your specific requirements, go to the Spear’s 500 website.
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