Yana Peel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yana Peel
Peel in 2021
Born	Yana Mirkin 1974 (age 50–51) Leningrad, USSR (now Russia)
Nationality	Canadian
Alma mater	McGill University London School of Economics
Occupation	Businesswoman
Title	Global head arts and culture, Chanel
Spouse(s)	Stephen Peel ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	2

Yana Peel (born in 1974 as Yana Mirkin) is a Canadian businesswoman and writer. She was born in Russia. She is currently the global head of arts and culture at the famous French fashion company Chanel.

Before joining Chanel, Yana Peel was the CEO of the Serpentine Galleries in London from 2016 to 2019. She also writes children's books and helps many charities. She has advised important groups like the Tate International Council and the NSPCC (a children's charity).

Early Life and Education

Yana Peel was born in Leningrad, which is now St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1974. Her family moved to Canada in 1978. She grew up in Toronto, Ontario.

In the 1990s, she studied Russian history and culture at McGill University. While she was a student in 1996, she helped organize a fashion show to raise money for charity. Later, she studied economics at the London School of Economics in the UK. In 2011, she was chosen for the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders program. This program recognizes young leaders from around the world.

Career Journey

Starting in Finance

Yana Peel began her career in finance in 1997. She worked at Goldman Sachs in London, a big investment bank. She became an executive director there before leaving in 2003.

Helping Art with Outset

In 2003, Peel helped start a charity called the Outset Contemporary Art Fund. This group helps artists get money to create new art or to buy their existing work. The art is then given to public museums. Outset has helped the Tate Modern museum get over 100 pieces of art. They have also supported artists like Francis Alys and Steve McQueen.

Leading Debates at Intelligence Squared

In 2009, Peel co-founded Intelligence Squared Asia. This group organizes live debates and discussions in Hong Kong. In 2012, she became the CEO of the larger Intelligence Squared Group. She helped the company improve its financial situation. She has also hosted interviews with famous people like artist Ai Wei Wei.

Leading the Serpentine Galleries

In April 2016, Yana Peel became the CEO of the Serpentine Galleries. These are two art galleries located in London's Kensington Gardens. Her goal was to make the galleries a "safe space for unsafe ideas." She wanted to give artists more say in how the galleries were run. She worked closely with the artistic director, Hans Ulrich Obrist.

Peel also focused on using technology at the Serpentine Galleries. She introduced digital tours and used virtual reality for exhibitions. She wanted to make art and architecture exciting for many different people. Under her leadership, the galleries partnered with big companies like Google and Bloomberg. These partnerships helped the galleries reach their funding goals.

Peel and Obrist also chose architects for the Serpentine Pavilion project. They selected the first African architect and the youngest architect to design a pavilion. In 2018, they launched a new pavilion program in Beijing, China.

In 2019, Yana Peel left her role as CEO. This was due to public attention about a company that her husband's investment firm had bought. However, it was later made clear that Peel herself was not involved in running or controlling that company.

Working with Chanel

In March 2020, Yana Peel joined Chanel. She became the global head of arts and culture. She also joined the board of the Fondation Chanel, which is Chanel's charity foundation. She now leads all of Chanel's art and culture projects around the world.

Peel started new programs like Chanel Connects and the Chanel Culture Fund. These programs work with museums and art groups worldwide. They help support new ideas and creativity in the arts. She is known for making important partnerships in the art world. She also works to make art more accessible to everyone.

She has created projects with major cultural places. These include the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. She also works with important leaders in the art world.

Giving Back (Philanthropy)

Yana Peel has been involved in many charitable activities. From 2010 to 2015, she co-chaired Para Site. This is a non-profit art space in Hong Kong.

In 2011, she started the design fund at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. This fund helps the museum buy modern design objects.

She is also part of the NSPCC's therapeutic board. The NSPCC is a charity that helps children. Inspired by her own children, Peel wrote a series of art books for babies in 2008. These books, like Art For Baby, show works by artists such as Damien Hirst and Keith Haring. Money from these books goes to the NSPCC.

Personal Life

Yana Peel married Stephen Peel in 1999. He is a financier. They have two children and live in Bayswater, London.

Awards and Recognitions

• Montblanc Award for Arts Patronage 2011
• Debrett's 500 List: Art
• Evening Standard Progress 1000 2017
• ArtLyst Power 100
• Harper's Bazaar Women Of The Year 2017
• Harper's Bazaar Working Wardrobe: Best dressed women 2018
• Henry Crown Fellow (appointed by the Aspen Institute in 2018)
• Number Two in Tatler's best dressed list 2023