Yana Peel Resigns From Para Site Board

Former Serpentine Galleries CEO Yana Peel has resigned from her position as board member of Para Site, Hong Kong. ArtAsiaPacific learned of the news via email correspondence with Alan Lo, a board member and longtime collaborator of Peel’s, just days after the shock announcement of Peel’s self-exit from Serpentine Galleries in London.

The turn of events follows the publication of an investigative report by the Guardian, which revealed Peel to be the co-owner of an Israeli cyberweapons corporation whose software has allegedly been used by authoritarian regimes to spy on dissidents.

Prior to the article’s publication, Peel held significant positions in the art world, particularly in Hong Kong, where she resided with her family from 2009 until 2016, when she transferred to London and took up the position of CEO at Serpentine Galleries. The arts patron co-hosted the annual Para Site gala dinner for many years. She remains on the “partners & friends” list for the largely inactive Spring Workshop, and the advisory board of Asia Art Archive, who could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts at contact.

Ysabelle Cheung is the managing editor of ArtAsiaPacific.

• Hong Kong