“You don’t have to justify your place at the table. Prepare relentlessly, deliver consistently and let your results speak for themselves. That philosophy has shaped my leadership and the way I mentor others.”
Laura Damême has spent her entire career at the intersection of art, valuation and finance. She began as a fine art appraiser and remains compliant with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), a foundation that continues to shape her approach to lending through disciplined analysis and rigorous valuation. She later transitioned into specialty finance, spending over a decade helping build one of the industry’s leading art finance platforms across every stage of the lending lifecycle. Today, as chief executive officer of Reckoner Art Finance, Damême leads a firm dedicated to institutional- quality lending secured by fine art, proving it can be underwritten with the same rigor as any other financial asset.
A defining career turning point for Damême was recognizing that great organizations are built on great decision-making systems. She believes every important decision should answer three questions: Who is making it? Do they have the right knowledge? Are incentives aligned with long-term success?
The most rewarding initiative of her career has been helping build a leading institutional art finance platform from the ground up and now building a second one as chief executive officer. What sets Damême apart is a rare combination of expertise in art valuation, credit underwriting and international markets. As a French-American with deep ties to Italy, she bridges the U.S. financial system’s comfort with leverage and Europe’s more conservative approach to balance sheet management.
To women beginning careers in financial services, Damême encourages confidence and preparation. Rather than waiting until they feel completely ready, she believes they should trust their expertise and take opportunities when they arise. Ultimately, she believes credibility comes from results, advising women to know their worth and let consistent execution build their reputation.
