Baron Guy Ullens, the Belgian businessman and philanthropist known for his pioneering contemporary art centre in Beijing and a violent family tragedy two years ago, died on April 19 at the age of 90.
Ullens was born in San Francisco into an aristocratic Belgian family, and spent his early years moving from one country to another because of his father’s career as a diplomat. After graduating with a law degree from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven [now KU Leuven] in Belgium, and an MBA from Stanford University in the US, he joined his family’s sugar refinery business Raffinerie Tirlemontoise and orchestrated its 1989 sale to Germany’s Südzucker.
In 1999, as head of investment company Artal Group, he acquired majority control of Weight Watchers International through what Forbes described as “the private equity deal of the century”. It was a highly profitable move which made him one of Belgium’s richest individuals. Shortly afterwards, he retired from business and dedicated himself to philanthropy after marrying his second wife Myriam “Mimi” Ullens.
Among the charitable foundations set up by the couple was the Fondation Guy & Myriam Ullens, based in Switzerland, which held the duo’s vast art collection.
Guy Ullens began collecting art from around the world in the 1960s. Then, in the 1980s, just after China opened up to foreign investments, he became interested in Chinese art and antiques after travelling to the country frequently on business. He was among the first wave of international collectors, with Uli Sigg and David Tang, who were drawn to China’s independent contemporary art scene. The foundation eventually amassed a significant collection of key works by artists such as Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Xiaogang and Huang Yongping.
