UP CLOSE: Sarah Johnson Court
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MIAMI-BASED VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINE ART, MUSEUMS AND HIGH-NET-WORTH BUSINESS
Alliant Insurance Services Inc.
PREVIOUS POSITION: Miami-based director, global fine art practice with Aon Private Risk Management.
LOOKING FORWARD TO: Working with museums, galleries and institutions with various collections, as well as private and corporate collections.
GOALS FOR NEW POSITION: Create a successful national fine art insurance practice for Alliant and help grow its presence among high-net-worth clients and family offices.
CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRY: Many large organizations are merging, creating service disruptions for clients, while various new insurers are coming onto the playing field. Brokers need to be extra vigilant in protecting their clients' best interests in terms of coverage, service and claims resolution.
FIRST INDUSTRY JOB: Account executive at Heath Lambert (now a branch of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.) in London. I handled a book of art restorers/conservators, auction houses and antique dealers.
WHAT SURPRISED ME: How much fun insurance could be. Working in art insurance allows me to go to gallery openings and exhibitions and have unique, behind-the-scenes experiences. For example, seeing a Van Gogh or a Turner out of their frames and being worked on in a conservation lab (and) going into an underground mine where millions of dollars of vintage and rare wine is stored.
ADVICE: Travel. It opens so many doors for your future.
OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY, A DREAM JOB: Artist/bookstore owner.
THING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: From the age of 14, I was a professional horse rider and trainer (hunter/jumper) and only stopped before I moved to London for my master's degree in 2004. I also lived on a farm in Vermont and was a glassblower during my art student days.
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