Head of Corporate Portfolios | Expert in Strategic Art Placement for Businesses & Institutions
When high-end hotels, elite law firms, or boutique finance houses want to elevate their spaces while diversifying their assets, there’s one name they call first: Giselle Cohen. As Head of Corporate Portfolios at The London Art Exchange, Giselle is redefining how businesses interact with art—not as décor, but as a strategic, tax-savvy, brand-aligned asset class.
With a background in fine art consultancy and luxury partnership development, Giselle brings a dual fluency in aesthetics and ROI. Her work is where ambience meets analytics—transforming white walls into storytelling platforms, and overlooked square footage into investment-grade cultural property.
From Private Collector Liaisons to Boardroom-Centric Strategy
Giselle’s career began in high-end fashion partnerships, where she led brand collaborations for a global couture label. But behind the glamour, she was nurturing a lifelong obsession with art—frequenting auctions, collecting mid-century prints, and building an impressive network of artists, curators, and gallery owners.
Her big break came during a collaborative project between a fashion house and an artist-in-residence program. She curated the entire experience, blending artistic narrative with commercial branding so seamlessly that she was recruited to consult full-time in the art world. Over the next decade, Giselle worked with international galleries, placing artwork in luxury real estate developments and advising private clubs on high-profile acquisitions.
When The London Art Exchange launched its corporate portfolio vertical in 2021, Giselle was the natural first choice to lead it. And she’s since turned that division into one of the gallery’s fastest-growing revenue streams.
Curating Identity, Not Just Interiors
At LAX, Giselle’s role goes far beyond art selection. She develops full-scale visual identity strategies for companies—curating collections that reflect corporate values, spatial intent, and audience psychology.
“Art in a business setting should do more than ‘look nice’,” she explains. “It should inspire trust, communicate brand sophistication, and—when done correctly—appreciate in value.”
Giselle works closely with architects, brand consultants, and tax advisors to create bespoke collections that serve both aesthetic and fiscal functions. Her clients range from global hotel groups and private member clubs to fintech startups and wellness brands.
Each portfolio is tailored to client needs—whether it’s rotational installations for employee engagement, statement pieces for lobby impact, or a multi-location strategy for tax-efficient growth.
Smart Art: The Financial Side of Design
Giselle’s key contribution to LAX has been formalising the gallery’s Art-as-Asset model for corporate clients. Under her guidance, corporate acquisitions now come with built-in benefits:
- Tax-efficient asset structuring
- Annual valuations & appreciation tracking
- Optional leasing models
- ESG alignment for sustainability-focused firms
- Artist storytelling tailored to company narrative
One of her most successful case studies involved a chain of boutique hotels that commissioned a regionally inspired collection. The pieces not only increased the brand’s PR traction but saw a 32% increase in value over 18 months—doubling as a secondary investment strategy.
“She gave us more than a collection,” says the group’s CEO. “She gave us a legacy.”
Internal Culture & External Influence
Giselle often says, “People underestimate what art can do for internal culture.” She’s a champion of employee-facing art programs—curating workspaces that foster creativity, reflection, and wellbeing. She’s also introduced art as part of executive onboarding packages, with new hires receiving limited edition prints from the company’s portfolio.
Externally, her work helps firms stand out in saturated markets. “A boardroom with the right artwork sends a signal: we value vision, taste, and long-term thinking,” she says.
She recently curated an entire wing of a private bank’s HQ with female-led art narratives—subtly reinforcing the firm’s new direction in ESG, DEI, and generational wealth services.
Artist-Brand Symbiosis
One of Giselle’s most innovative approaches is pairing artists with corporate storytelling. She sees corporate acquisitions not as passive purchases, but as active brand collaborations. Her “Featured in Residence” program invites artists to create site-specific pieces inspired by the brand’s ethos—turning acquisition into activation.
Through these partnerships, businesses don’t just buy artwork—they become patrons of the arts. This duality increases public perception, employee engagement, and often attracts media attention.
Artists benefit too, gaining exposure to high-net-worth audiences and stability through long-term contracts.
Within the Gallery
Giselle is known among LAX staff for her sophistication, razor-sharp instincts, and Parisian-level poise. She brings a calming influence to high-pressure situations and is frequently asked to join major pitches—even those technically outside her division—because of her ability to “read a room in five seconds flat.”
She mentors newer advisors on brand alignment, advises Kiana Eshragi on visual cohesion for events, and collaborates with Andrew Bailey to translate her placements into long-term asset plans for business clients.
The Next Phase: Global & Scalable
Giselle is currently working on a Franchise Portfolio Model for hotel groups in the Middle East and Asia—allowing locations to access curated modules of rotating artworks tied to region, season, and style.
She’s also partnering with LAX’s legal team to develop acquisition frameworks that meet international procurement standards—allowing global businesses to acquire art with confidence and compliance.
In her words: “The future of art in business isn’t passive display—it’s performance. Financially, socially, emotionally.”
