Two new leading figures in International commerce join J & A Beare’s
Global Advisory Board to help facilitate our long-term goal of securing fine instruments
for talented musicians through the Beare’s Society
New individuals join Beare's Global Advisory Board
Personal message from Steven Smith
“I am delighted to welcome YS Liu and Peggy Yeoh Lee to our Global Advisory Board. They bring the expertise of years spent at the top of their fields in the world of finance and commerce, as well as a deep love of the art, culture and education.
Since 2023, the founding members of our Global Advisory Board, Jonathan Moulds CBE, Kristian Siem and Winston Wong OBE, have supported Beare’s in opening up the fine instrument market to a new class of global investors. The addition of YS and Peggy’s invaluable perspectives will have a transformative impact on the scope of Beare’s international profile, unlocking new opportunities to make fine instruments a trusted and widespread class of alternative investments among HNW families, pension funds, institutional investors and similar organisations.
YS and Peggy’s connection to Beare’s is also a testament to our company’s long-standing position as the most trusted international violin dealer in the East Asian market. Investment in our longstanding home-away-from-home in Hong Kong, as well as close ties to Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo, have given Beare’s an unrivalled reach and client base among major Western string instrument experts.
Through the work of our Global Advisory Board combined with the strength of Beare’s expertise, I look forward to further expanding the global market for investment in fine string instruments.”
Steven Smith
Owner and Managing Director
J & A Beare
Comment from founding Board Member Jonathan Moulds CBE
“As a founder member of J & A Beare’s Global Advisory Board, I am delighted to welcome Peggy and YS. Both are highly accomplished individuals with a deep interest in fine instruments, who share our passion for supporting the arts.
With the addition of Peggy and YS, I believe the Advisory Board is very well positioned to deliver great opportunity for both collectors and established performers well into the future.”
About the Global Advisory Board
YS Liu
Y. S. Liu studied violin under the tutelage of the renowned Prof Arrigo Foa in Hong Kong. He was a frequent performer on radio and television both as soloist and member of the famed Foa Duo and String Quartet.
Liu was member of the former Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for a number of years during which he appeared on numerous occasions as soloist with the orchestra performing violin concerti ranging from Mozart to Wieniawski. One such noteworthy performance to Liu’s credit is his recording of the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto which he premiered in Hong Kong in 1969.
Liu was founder and concertmaster of British Columbia Sinfonietta in Vancouver in 1992. He has been Chairman and Concertmaster of SAR Philharmonic Orchestra in Hong Kong for 16 years from 2003 to 2019. In November 2008 he was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society. In 2014, Liu completed his 6 year term and was elected Vice Chairman by the board. In 2015, he was again elected Chairman. Liu stepped down as Chairman after 6 years.
In 2013, Liu was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In 2014, Liu was awarded Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong SAR Government. In 2016, Liu was appointed Advisory Board member of Bard College Conservatory of Music in New York. In 2018, Liu was elected Board Trustee of Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
In 2023, Liu was named Honorary Lifetime Chairman by the SAR Philharmonic Orchestra.
Liu had been Chairman of Jenston Group of companies in Hong Kong/China and founder of Y. S. Liu Foundation.
Peggy Yeoh Lee
Peggy Yeoh Lee holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business (Honours). She began her career as a senior lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions at a leading law firm in Sydney before moving into finance as an executive director of a publicly listed property funds management company. She later founded and successfully operated a high-end fashion retail business in Australia, introducing international luxury brands including Diane von Furstenberg, Christian Louboutin, Tod’s and Vera Wang to the local market.
Peggy subsequently turned her focus to education and philanthropy. She is the founder of Little Dalton Kindergarten and Dalton School Hong Kong, a not-for-profit dual-language school grounded in progressive, child-centred education. Established initially as a primary school, Dalton has since expanded to include middle and high school years and relocated in 2024 to a new campus at Stubbs Road.
Peggy is actively involved in the international arts community. She serves as a Trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation and sits on its Major Patrons Committee. She is also on the boards of the Swiss Institute in New York and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, and serves on the Board of M+ in Hong Kong. In addition, she is a member of the Foundation Board of the Sydney Theatre Company.
In education, Peggy chairs the Dalton Foundation and serves as a Board Director of Dalton School Hong Kong. She is also a founding member of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (China) Advisory Board.
If you would like to explore new investment opportunities, discuss the Beare’s Stradivari Price Index or hear more about the Beare’s International Violin Society please contact:
Luke Bilson
J & A Beare
lukebilson@beares.com
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