Bina Genovese

Bina Genovese was appointed joint Managing Director of Strauss & Co following Stephan Welz’s sudden death in December 2015. Her in-depth knowledge and experience of the auction business both locally and internationally, and years of mentorship from Stephan Welz, leaves her in good stead to drive the company upwards and onwards; maintaining Stephan Welz’s deeply rooted legacy.

Bina has worked in the art auction industry for over 30 years. After completing a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree at Wits University, she obtained a diploma for the one-year Decorative and Fine Arts Course at Christie’s Education in London. Upon her return to Johannesburg, she joined Stephan Welz & Co in association with Sotheby’s in the Decorative Arts and Client Services Department. She emigrated to Italy after two years and joined Christie’s, where she became an intrinsic part of the then new management team of Christie’s Italy and represented the Rome office at European representative meetings in London.  Upon her return to South Africa in 1994, she once again joined Stephan Welz & Co to head the office in Cape Town. In 2009, she joined Strauss & Co as Executive Director and shareholder and founded the Cape Town Office along with fellow directors, Ann Palmer and Vanessa Phillips. Bina, with her natural flare for design and style, has been responsible for Strauss & Co’s corporate image. In charge of the Marketing and Public Relations, her input and drive has been instrumental in Strauss & Co’s success story. She has built extensive relationships with both buyers and sellers. Bina is a skilled and experienced auctioneer and holds the record for having sold the second most expensive painting ever sold at auction in South Africa. Genovese was instrumental in starting a standalone contemporary art sale in South Africa, presenting them in exciting and off beat locations, bolstering the Cape Town art scene.