About the speaker
PATRICK FORET
URBAN X Founder and CEO
Former Director, Art Basel & Art Basel Cities
Former Business Manager, Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island Cultural District
Decades of global experience creating economic and social value through culture
Patrick has held senior leadership roles across major cultural initiatives in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, developing cultural strategies, international partnerships and new models of collaboration between government, cultural institutions and the private sector.
As Director of Business Initiatives & Partnerships at Art Basel (2010–2020), he contributed to the organisation’s international expansion, including the launch of Art Basel in Hong Kong, the development of its global partnership programme and the creation of Art Basel Cities in Buenos Aires.
Previously, as Business Manager for the Cultural Department of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), he represented the UAE government in the management and negotiation of its international partnerships with leading global institutions, including the Louvre and the Guggenheim Foundation.
This experience — combining cultural ambition with commercial strategy, international partnerships and city development — forms the foundation of the Urban X approach.