The Challenge

In 2014 we were re-engaged by the Palazzo Strozzi foundation to find their Executive Director, having supported the placement of James Bradburne from Germany in 2006. As Italy’s first independent public-private partnership for culture, and Florence’s largest temporary exhibition space, the Palazzo relies heavily on international partnerships to put on world class critically acclaimed shows and present an urban piazza as a cultural hub, welcoming to all.

Our approach and success

It was considered that the next Executive Director would continue to bring the gravitas and status to operate alongside other international museum directors; consequently we conducted a very international search. Our main focus was across the UK, Continental Europe and the US. We approached a number of senior curators and exhibition directors who were specialists in Italian art and therefore were likely to speak Italian. The role was seen as attractive, and having approached over 80 individuals across the globe, we presented 15 candidates at longlist from 5 countries across Europe and the US.

Arturo Galansino was appointed. With experience from Institut National d’Historie de l’Art, the Louvre, and the National Gallery, Arturo brought an outstanding reputation as an art historian, combined with extensive curatorial experience and fantastic cultural adaptability.