Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Angelina Giovani, Co-Founder of Flynn & Giovani Art Provenance Research

Date: 21 Jul 2025

Karen Jones

This week’s 60-second Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Angelina Giovani, Co-Founder of Flynn & Giovani Art Provenance Research.

Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.

I am the co-founder of Flynn & Giovani Art Provenance Research Agency, which offers due diligence and provenance research services to the art market, collectors and museums internationally. I also serve as the director of the Art Market Academy, a curated and unique online environment dedicated to the study of provenance research.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Typical days are few and far between. Depending on the research case at hand, I might be visiting multiple archives and libraries in a day, or I am locked into long brainstorming and planning session with my business partner Tom. At times, research requires me to undertake impromptu trips overseas for meetings or investigations. The rest of the time I am very lucky to have the chance to spend long periods of time upclose and personal with works of art, from renaissance masterpieces to contemporary blue chips.

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.

I was recently asked to carry out a risk assessment on a collection that was being considered in lieu of a loan repayment and it turned out to be a fascinating exercise. We use a proprietary risk assessment rating which was developed during the pandemic and which allows clients to have a birds-eye view on where the strengths and weaknesses of their collections are. The collection we assessed did not pass the test and the client decided to go with a cash repayment. We are now doing a similar risk assessment for a museum, but in this case the goal is to establish which artworks need to be restituted, which ones need to be researched further and which ones are up to standard.

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

By far, the most common issue is poor documentation of their art collections. Whether these are collections they have inherited or collections they have put together themselves, the necessary paperwork is always overlooked. It is very important that the state of documentation is assessed continuously during the collections management process, and it does not come up as an afterthought during pre-transactional due diligence that usually has time constraints. A lot of hurdles arise when you treat provenance research as an afterthought.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Recently I solved a 500 year old mystery for a client who found a gem in the grit. After 2 months of intense research we were able to confirm it was indeed a long lost masterpiece. It went from being worth very little to a multi million dollar valuation. Riveting! A real Eureka moment. They don’t happen every day but when they do they can keep you going for a long time!

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

A strong leader understands the strengths of their team and empowers individuals to push beyond their perceived limits. True leadership lies in seeing beyond academic performance or previous experience—especially when guiding those entering the workforce. It’s about helping people navigate employability by recognising their core attributes and character.

As the saying goes, “You cannot judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.” Everyone has the potential to excel, but not everyone has the insight, or the patience, to help someone unlock it. I work closely with Finito, alongside mentors from other industries, to do exactly that: support the new wave of young professionals entering today’s job market.

Another vital attribute is resilience. More often than not, things don’t go as planned, and it takes a true leader to guide their team through the ever-changing waters with clarity, steadiness, and optimism.

Who do you most admire and why?

This changes depending on the moment, the context, and who I feel is showing meaningful resilience. Over the past year, it has been J.K. Rowling. I admire her unwavering courage to stand by her convictions, consistently facing “the choice between what is right and what is easy”.

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

I recently travelled to Tirana to oversee the development team working on a new startup I’ll be launching this autumn. It is a very exciting project that I believe will have great impact.

If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?

I’d probably be a surgeon—or a baker! I’d also love to own a farm one day. I am rather restless in my constant day dreaming, even though I absolutely love my work. In any case, I imagine myself doing something hands-on and grounded. There’s still time to explore these paths (though perhaps not medicine!). I’ve also always enjoyed writing, and I hope to carve out more time in the future to publish what I’ve written and work on new creative projects.

How do you relax after a long day?

I have a toddler, so every day is a long day! My day officially ends once my son is asleep and the inbox is empty. Then my husband and I talk and decompress together and unwind usually by catching up on a tv show or occasionally playing cards. Unless it’s Tuesday, which is when me and my girlfriends get together to cross-stitch and catch up.