Auctionet Expands in the UK – Appoints Archie Foale as Head of Sales and Establishes New Headquarters

Auctionet has appointed British auction professional Archie Foale to lead its newly opened UK headquarters – a pivotal role in driving the company’s continued expansion.

Oskar Tornvall and Archie Foale.

In recent years, the online marketplace Auctionet has concentrated its growth strategy on the UK, where it partners with ten auction houses and operates a logistics centre in Westbury. The company is now further strengthening its physical presence with a second logistics hub in West London and a new office in Bath. Its newly appointed Head of Sales, Archie Foale, brings extensive experience from the UK and international auction industry, having previously served as Head of Fine Art at Stockholms Auktionsverk, the world’s oldest auction house, Head of Sales at Auction Technology Group and Global Department Business Director at Sotheby’s.

“Archie brings a rare combination of auction experience from the UK, technological insight from Auction Technology Group, and – following his tenure at Stockholms Auktionsverk – a well-informed perspective on the Swedish auction landscape. Together, these strengths make him a key strategic hire as we continue our growth journey in the UK,” says Oskar Tornvall, Director of Sales at Auctionet.

Most recently, Archie Foale held the role of Head of Fine Art at Stockholms Auktionsverk, where he witnessed first-hand the positive impact of the continuous online sales model – complemented by carefully curated themes and high-quality live auctions.

“It has been a privilege to work at Stockholms Auktionsverk. Seeing first-hand how the Auctionet platform supports growth within the Fine Art sector has been particularly rewarding. As a major player in the industry, Auctionet is moving the dial and has been doing so for some time. I find their vision for the future compelling and I’m excited to now be a part of that journey,” says Archie Foale.

Archie Foale giving Director of Sales Oskar Tornvall a behind-the-scenes look at his most recent workplace, Stockholms Auktionsverk.

”I would say that is it quite rare to find auction marketplaces led by a team with hands-on auction experience. Many competitors are run by business executives, which is not necessarily a disadvantage. However, the auction industry is unlike most others. At times, it can be irrational – decisions can be driven by emotional investment in our industry, rather than spreadsheets. That is simply the nature of the business. Having leadership shaped within the industry provides a far deeper understanding of how to guide it constructively, in a way that respects the traditions of our craft and innovates and creates dynamism for the future.”

The Auctionet model is built around three distinct auction formats: timed, live and continuous. While it is ultimately up to the individual auction houses to decide which to employ, Oskar Tornvall emphasises that a well-balanced interplay between the formats is key to creating a healthy market dynamic. During his time at Stockholms Auktionsverk, Archie Foale had the opportunity to fully utilise the Auctionet platform. The art of balancing Fine Art and volume sales, he says, is one of the most fundamental touchpoints.

Foale continues: “Fine art is important for building brand equity and generating PR value, while volume sales drive revenue without being dependent on headline lots. Ultimately, it is volume that creates consistency within the auction house, allowing auctioneers to be more competitive around the headline sales. It has been rewarding to see how effectively the two can work together.”

Oskar Tornvall and Archie Foale.

The missing piece of the industry puzzle

The fact of the matter is this: Auctionet is the only auction marketplace to have fully solved the logistics challenge. Every item on the platform comes with a pre-calculated shipping cost, regardless of where the buyer is located in the world. Auctionet collects the item from the auction house, packs it professionally and delivers it globally – making the process equally seamless for trade buyers and private collectors alike.

”Our offering is about as close as one can get to a contemporary e-commerce experience within the auction world”, says Oskar Tornvall.

Compared to the Northern European market, the British auction landscape is described as larger and more traditional. Continuous online auctions are still largely absent, yet they sit at the heart of the digital transformation that Auctionet has spearheaded among Nordic auction houses.

“Through this initiative, we hope to build even stronger relationships with British auction houses while contributing to a more dynamic market by introducing more partners to continuous online auctions – all while refining the traditional live auction format. Our ambition is to modernise the British auction industry while respecting and preserving the very best of its traditions”, says Oskar Tornvall.

Kingsmead Square in Bath — home to Auctionet’s newly opened UK headquarters. Photos: Matt Lincoln. HPH Commercial Property.

Following his recent tenure in Stockholm, Archie Foale now returns to the UK auction landscape with a renewed perspective.

“The time I have spent working at Stockholms Auktionsverk has been genuinely rewarding – perhaps even more so given that I don’t speak the language or fully know the culture. Yet that mattered less than I had expected. Swedish auction houses are not so different from their British counterparts: they are driven by passionate people who are deeply committed and emotionally invested in doing their work to the highest possible standard. It is a sentiment shared by auction houses across the globe – and one that the team at Auctionet strongly embodies, which is a real advantage”, says Archie Foale.

The new office in Bath is strategically positioned in relation to Auctionet’s partner auction houses, not least the logistics centre in Westbury. At the same time, Bath is a city with a rich cultural life and a wealth of emerging talent – a fitting base for continued strategic recruitment within the industry. The Swedish auction pioneers see a bright future here.

“The auction industry is evolving, and Auctionet is leading the way. Our approach to running auctions is something the UK market has long been missing – a full-service offering with the capacity to support the industry’s long-term sustainability. It is not only about maximising individual hammer prices, but about helping businesses operate more efficiently. The UK is both the heart and the engine of the international auction market, and it is only natural that we want to make a meaningful impact here”, says Oskar Tornvall.