ADVISORY BOARD

PAUL DAVIES

Raised throughout the ASEAN countries, with mixed parentage (Thai/ Welsh), Paul Davies has an extensive writing background ranging from Arena Homme Plus (Associate Editor), HighSnobiety, i-D (Design Editor), Sunday Times Style (UK), Tank, V/ V Man & Visionaire (London Bureau), Vogue (UK) and Wallpaper*.
In addition, his bespoke consultancy service, argot, has provided essential intel for such clients as Aesop, Dover Street Market, Mercedes-Benz and Prada’s ephemeral Double Club. Paul is happiest whenever he’s en-route back to SE Asia.

SALLY LAI

Sally Lai’s career has been underpinned by a commitment to international collaboration. Living and working between the UK and Asia, she works as an independent visual arts curator, consultant and occasional writer.
Most recently she has worked for Factory International/ Manchester International Festival on their International Producers' Training Programme and the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global.
She was previously the Director of the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (2008-2014) and has worked for include Firstsite, Arts Council of England, London, the Culture Team of London 2012, Future Generation Art Prize, Samsung Art Prize, The Collection and the Wellcome Collection. Previously, she was on the board of Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester, Atlantic Project, Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World, Black Artists and Modernism.
She was a fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme in 2005/6 and is an alumna of the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders – Arts at Stanford University Graduate Business School. She has an MA in curating from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

SEBASTIEN MONTABONEL

Sébastien Montabonel is AI21C (Art Institutions of the 21^st Century) foundation's founder and its co-chair of trustees. Alongside, he is the managing partner of advisory firm Montabonel & Partners and the CEO, artistic director of The Island.
He has led his team to develop and execute strategies to advance complex global organisations’ goals and he advised governments on cultural policy initiatives.
He built one of the most important private collections of minimal and conceptual art in Europe (2013-19).
He also initiated foundations and private museums, devised strategies for artists’ estates, curated seminal exhibitions, and organised international think tanks and symposia with leading figures in the art world.
He is a guest lecturer at graduate and postgraduate programmes, he publishes artist books via his publishing company Alaska editions which he set up in 2007, writes for art publications, exhibition catalogues, and sits on selection and nomination committees for various national and international prizes.

ADVISORY BOARD

PAUL DAVIES

Raised throughout the ASEAN countries, with mixed parentage (Thai/ Welsh), Paul Davies has an extensive writing background ranging from Arena Homme Plus (Associate Editor), HighSnobiety, i-D (Design Editor), Sunday Times Style (UK), Tank, V/ V Man & Visionaire (London Bureau), Vogue (UK) and Wallpaper*. In addition, his bespoke consultancy service, argot, has provided essential intel for such clients as Aesop, Dover Street Market, Mercedes-Benz and Prada’s ephemeral Double Club. Paul is happiest whenever he’s en-route back to SE Asia.

SALLY LAI

Sally Lai’s career has been underpinned by a commitment to international collaboration and supporting the learning that comes from cross-cultural encounters.

She is currently working as an independent visual arts curator, consultant, facilitator and occasional writer in both UK and Asia.

Recent projects include managing a series of 13 interdisciplinary artist residencies with partners across the farming, research and gallery sectors, facilitating on a training programme for producers in Moscow and Hong Kong, helping found an arts and music initiative for children in Iraq, undertaking a residency at the Tambopata Research Centre, the remotest lodge in the Amazon rainforest.

In 2013 she co-founded Feral Studio (SW), an initiative that explores the role that the arts can play in addressing rural challenges. Prior to this she was the Director of the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (2008-2014). Other organisations she has worked for include Firstsite, Arts Council of England, London, the Culture Team of London 2012, Future Generation Art Prize, Samsung Art Prize, The Collection and the Welcome Collection.

Sally has worked with numerous artists including Chen Man, Xu Bing, Ming Wong, Patty Chang, Pak Sheung-Chuen, Semiconductor, The Owl Project, He An, Foreign Investment, Yuchen Wang. Together with Biljana Ciric she co-edited Institution for the Future.

Previously, she was on the board of Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester, Atlantic Project (a new biennial in Plymouth), Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World, Black Artists and Modernism (AHRC funded research project led by Sonia Boyce).

She was a fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme in 2005/6 and is an alumnus of the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders – Arts at Stanford University Graduate Business School. She has an MA in curating from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

SEBASTIEN MONTABONEL

Sébastien Montabonel is AI21C (Art Institutions of the 21^st Century) foundation's founder and its co-chair of trustees. Alongside, he is the managing partner of advisory firm Montabonel & Partners and the CEO, artistic director of The Island.

He has led his team to develop and execute strategies to advance complex global organisations’ goals and he advised governments on cultural policy initiatives. He built one of the most important private collections of minimal and conceptual art in Europe (2013-19). He also initiated foundations and private museums, devised strategies for artists’ estates, curated seminal exhibitions, and organised international think tanks and symposia with leading figures in the art world.

He is a guest lecturer at graduate and postgraduate programmes, he publishes artist books via his publishing company Alaska editions which he set up in 2007, writes for art publications, exhibition catalogues, and sits on selection and nomination committees for various national and international prizes.