Observer’s 2024 Business of Art Power List has named Philip Hoffman as a leading authority on transforming art into a serious asset class, shifting how collectors and investors view the market. Observer’s Power Lists are among the most coveted and sought-after recognitions across industries. Observer’s Business of Art Power List honors the visionaries who wield outsized influence on art’s present and its future.
Since founding The Fine Art Group in 2001 and pioneering the first-ever asset-backed art investment fund, Philip has transformed how the world views art—not just as a cultural treasure, but as a powerful financial asset. Reflecting on his journey, Philip shared withObserver:“Many collectors, including my initial backers, thought art was merely a cultural asset, not a financial one”. Two decades later, Philip has proven that art can rival blue-chip stocks in both profitability and complexity, solidifying his place as a leader in art investment and advisory.

Philip Hoffman is the Chairman and Founder of The Fine Art Group, established in 2001 as the first company to successfully launch a series of eight art investment funds. Under his leadership, the firm has grown into the world’s largest art advisory group, specializing in art investment, financing, sales agency, appraisals, philanthropy, and advisory services. Today, The Fine Art Group values and advises on more than $20 billion annually, represents over 350 family offices across 28 countries, and has transacted over $1.4 billion in artworks and jewelry. The Group has traded on behalf of its funds and clients well in excess of $2 billion since inception. Before founding The Fine Art Group, Philip spent 12 years at Christie’s, where he became Chief Financial Officer at age 27, later serving as Deputy Chief Executive of Europe and joining Christie’s global management board at just 33. Under Philip’s direction, The Fine Art Group has expanded globally through a series of strategic acquisitions and partnerships. In 2018, the firm acquired the art-financing business of Falcon Fine Art, strengthening its position as a leader in complex financing solutions. In 2021, it acquired Pall Mall Art Advisors, adding market-leading appraisal and advisory capabilities in the United States. In 2022, the Group launched its New York headquarters through a partnership with Schwartzman&, and in 2023 it expanded into Asia through a joint venture with Patti Wong & Associates, led by former Sotheby’s Worldwide Chairman Patti Wong. Philip and Patti went on to launch New Perspectives Art Partners together with Ed and Alex Dolman and Brett Gorvy in 2025.
A recognized authority on the international art market, Philip is frequently featured in leading media outlets including the Financial Times, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CNN, BBC, Reuters, The Art Newspaper, and The Financial Times’ art market commentary. He is also a regular speaker at global conferences, including the Milken Institute, London Business School, Credit Suisse, and Morgan Stanley. Philip serves on the Development Boards of the National Portrait Gallery in London and CW+, the charity for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The Fine Art Group maintains a global presence with nearly 60 staff across London, New York, Hong Kong, Brussels, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Miami, Houston, Dubai, and Sydney, continuing to lead the industry in art, luxury, and passion-asset investment, advisory, appraisal, and financing strategies.