Heading up what has been deliberately formed as a more global board is Christie's International vice chairman Richard Roundell. He is joined by Matthew Coles, an Old Master specialist from loss adjusters the Davies Group; Ellen Epstein, a director of the US-based art advisory service The Art Appraiser; Elin Lake-Ewald of O'Toole-Ewald Art Associates of New York; independent art and antiques valuer Susan Orringe; Professor Sarah Sayce, head of the School of Surveying & Planning at Kingston University; and Ergina Xydous, an art critic and historian based in Greece.
Among priorities announced by Mr Roundell are the forthcoming changes to the Artists' Resale Right (see comment here), issues of authenticity and the protection of clients' money.
The new board replaces members more widely aligned to the UK provincial auction scene, who submitted a paper listing a number of concerns about the way the RICS approached the needs of its art and antiques faculty membership.
They will now be waiting to see how the new board addresses the following points raised in the paper:
• The complexity of the bureaucratic process within the RICS, which stifles the execution of decisions made by the board.
• The failure to establish credible alternative routes of entry to RICS for "experienced professionals" already working as auctioneers or valuers.
• The excessive cost for members of Continuing Professional Development events organised by the centralised RICS department.
• The lack of experience and specialist knowledge of RICS staff sent to carry out regulatory inspections of members' accounts.
• The potential cost of an Accredited Valuers Scheme if introduced.
• The difficulties of publicising and promoting the activities of the Arts & Antiques Professionals Group in print and on the internet.
• The complexity of the hierarchy within RICS.
• The lack of specialist representation on the higher boards within that hierarchy.
• The high cost of becoming qualified.
