International multi-family office Hottinger Group has expanded its services to include art consultancy.
Melanie Damani, a qualified lawyer with art market expertise, joined the group in 2018 to establish Hottinger Art.
Clients will now benefit from Damini’s expertise to guide them in building and managing their art collections.
Consultancy services offered by Hottinger Art will include collection management and logistics, philanthropy, art lending (through Hottinger Private Office), authentication and valuation, assistance with the sale of artworks as well as structuring and estate planning for transfers of a collection from one generation to the next.
Hottinger Group’s chief executive, Mark Robertson, said: “As a family office, we aim to be authentic in our advice and understand the perspective of those whose interests we look after.
“Through Hottinger Art, we ensure we have the capability in-house to deliver the independent and shrewd advice that our clients need to navigate the art world.
“Art investment can evoke passionate responses and tap into personal preferences in a way that investments in stocks and bonds seldom manage, but it’s not without its challenges.
“To do it well ideally needs expertise in the appreciation of aesthetics and a thorough understanding of legal issues, both of which Melanie is able to offer our clients in abundance.”
This launch comes a month after UBS released a report which found global art sales have risen 9% over the last 10 years.