Inside Today's Art Market

Here's a question for this room. How many of you would invest in an asset that consistently outperforms traditional markets and builds strategic relationships with decision makers? Now, how many of you would call that asset art? Most people wouldn't because we've been trained to see art as culture, heritage, aesthetics, something decorative that lives on the margins of serious business. But art does something far more powerful.

It reshapes who holds influence and how decisions are made. It just operates through cultural spaces instead of boardrooms. And that is why it's so effective. Let's rewind a bit. In 1986, French sociologist Pierre Bureau mapped four forms of capital.

Economic, cultural, social, and symbolic. We obsess over economic capital. But the other three are the ones who determine who gets in the right rooms. They cannot be bought, but they can absolutely be built. And culture is the infrastructure that makes this possible.

Here's the radical part. Art itself may offer short-term returns if you buy and sell strategically, but the people you meet through the art world are the long-term asset, and art is the access point to them. When you enter cultural spaces such as museum openings or patron dinners, something shifts. Titles become less relevant and business formality dissolves. Here's some real life evidence.

According to UBS, in 2025, high netw worth collectors dedicated 20% of their wealth to art, up from 15% the year before. This goes beyond asset diversification. It's meaning making. Museum boards are high trust decision-making networks. 94% of the trustees donate personally because culture engagement is now a marker of seriousness, curiosity, commitment, and relevance.

Consider Bernard Arno, chairman of LVMH. He created the Louis Vuitton Foundation in 2014, a contemporary art museum making art accessible to all. This isn't a vanity project. It's legacy building because art has the ability to transcend time and we are now at a time when Abu Dhabi is orchestrating a cultural capital of its own. Alain Museum, the Natural History Museum, Zed National Museum, all opened just recently.

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is opening next year. 7 million people visited Lou Abu Dhabi since its opening. And the UAE now ranks 10th globally on the South Power Index. Abu Dhabi is crafting its story at a scale and speed the world hasn't seen before. And here's what makes the city different.

It doesn't chase quick wins. It doesn't operate on hype cycles. And if you let the city inspire you, you'll see opportunities that others miss entirely. Let me make this personal. As a cultural strategist, I advise companies, collectors, and governments.

My passion for art has shown me how cultural engagement creates both personal fulfillment and leverage. And now I know ma many of you are here because business is booming. But if your time here is only about deals, here's what you're missing. When you become an arts patron at any level, you meet interesting people and get interesting invitations. And no, this isn't about becoming a donor to network with the right people.

Cultural engagement creates trust and trust opens doors that money alone cannot. And according to McKenzie, 82% of executives say shared cultural experiences not only builds trust but also strengthen the long-term relationships. And this is the part I want to leave you all with. Will you participate in shaping this culture future or watch it unfold from the sidelines? What role will you choose?

What legacy will you leave? because the leaders of the next decade will be the ones shaping this narrative and culture is where that narrative begins. Thank you.