Commercial Director

About the Gallery

Our client is a fine art photography gallery, based in the Algarve, Portugal serving a predominantly international collector base, primarily in the UK & Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland as well as a number of High-net-worth individuals with property ties to Portugal. Their core turnover is driven by blue-chip photographers but they also work with major artists as well as a growing roster of Portuguese photographers.  Over the last three and a half years, they have emerged not just as a Photography Gallery but as a leading force in the Cultural Landscape in Portugal with international reach, local influence, and a vibrant community.

The advisory side has been open for 18 months, and they are expanding their reach through new residences in Portugal. They aim to further integrate into the local community with cultural and educational projects through their Charitable Foundation.

In 2026 the gallery has a number of events and exhibitions lined up including 2 exhibitions in February and their main show of the year, an Iconic Show featuring images of an English singer, songwriter and actor.

About the Role

Our client is looking for a new Commercial Director to join their team ASAP, ideally in March 2026. The gallery is looking for someone who can lead a small team, and drive recognition and brand identity. This is a commercial leadership role, not a curatorial one. The Director should be personally responsible for sales performance, client relationships, and the commercial success of exhibitions, collaborations, and artist partnerships. Our client wants the brand to become iconic and consistent, a trusted cultural authority, and a destination. The ideal candidate will help to create a stronger digital presence and more sophisticated marketing, including with the use of AI.

The Director will:

• Lead by selling
• Set standards for the Gallery
• Create urgency
• Build Collector Confidence
• Turn interest into transactions

Core Responsibilities

• Personally sell high-value works (10k-150k+)
• Own monthly, quarterly, and exhibition sales targets
• Drive follow ups, private meetings, and post show conversions
• Manage and grow top-tier collector relationships
• Work closely with the owner/founder on major collectors and artists

Client Database & International Collectors

• Activate and segment the existing international database
• Develop tailored approaches for:
  • UK/Irish Collectors
  • Northern Europe Buyers (German/Dutch/Belgian/Swiss)
  • Build Confidence in photography as an investment-grade asset
  • Ensure Consistent, professional client communication

Team Leadership & Accountability

• Lead the gallery team day-to-day
• Set expectations, priorities, and measurable outputs
• Introduce discipline around CRM, follow-ups and reporting

Exhibitions, Artists & Collaborations

• Shape Commercial Strategy around exhibitions (not just hanging shows)
• Work with artists and estates professionally and credibly
• Support collaborations with hotels

Marketing & Social Direction

• Set the commercial narrative for marketing and social media
• Work with internal or freelance support to:
  • Tell collector-focused stories
  • Highlight scarcity, provenance and desirability
• Ensure content serves sales, not vanity metrics

The ideal candidate will have/be:

• Must be fluent in English and ideally Portuguese
• German language skills are desirable
• Proven experience selling luxury, high-value products (e.g. fine art, photography, luxury retail, real estate, yachts, watches, or hospitality)
• Confidence in dealing with international HNW clients
• Strong cultural literacy – comfortable discussing major photographers and visual storytelling
• A natural sales instinct: persuasive, credible, calm, not pushy
• Northern European background and/or experience
• Experience working with internationally mobile clients
• Understanding of seasonal markets and destination based business
• Entrepreneurial and self-starting
• Comfortable working closely with founders
• Commercially ambitious
• Leadership & management experience, especially in a high end gallery or luxury brand context
• Financial experience and strong financial discipline