Yana Peel Named CEO of Serpentine Galleries

London’s Serpentine Galleries announced on April 13 that Outset Contemporary Art Fund co-founder Yana Peel will be the public-funded institution’s new chief executive officer. Peel will be joining Hans Ulrich Obrist, who has overseen the Serpentine’s exhibitions and programs since 2006, and is now the artistic director. Obrist’s previous colleague, Serpentine co-director Julia Peyton-Jones stepped down this month, following her 25-year tenure at the Galleries. Peel had previously been a trustee at the Serpentine Galleries, since 2015.

In addition to co-founding Outset, a philanthropic group that raises money from private sources to support art for the “public arena,” in 2003, Yana Peel is the CEO of Intelligence Squared, a live-debating forum that stages events in Hong Kong, Sydney, London and other international cities. Having started her career at Goldman Sachs, Peel is now involved with many cultural organizations. She sits on the Tate Executive Council, is the co-chair of Hong Kong nonprofit Para Site, and is on the advisory board of Asia Art Archive, the V-A-C Foundation Moscow, the British Fashion Council and the V&A. Peel is also the author of Art for Baby, a series of books that introduces modern and contemporary art to pre-school-age children. Serpentine Galleries chairman, former New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg said, “Yana combines an extraordinary record of service to the arts with outstanding business experience.”

The Serpentine also added two new trustees: artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, known for her intense portrait paintings and Mike Sherwood, vice-chairman at Goldman Sachs.