Escaping the Wharf workplace stress

One man who has managed to avoid being consumed by the workplace is Geza Toth-Feher - and his chosen escape route is the world of art.

Earlier this month, the former financial lawyer, who a few years ago was spending his time advising banks on the Wharf, held the launch of his latest venture - the GGGallery in West London.

For Geza, who is German-born and has lived in England for the past 15 years, it represents an opportunity to try something different.

"We do want to make money out of this but we want to have fun too," he said, "For me, it's a stress buster - it's a good way to relieve the pressures of working life.

"I've always wanted to have something more to do with art - either owning a gallery or being a trader - and here it's a nice set up.

"We give opportunities to artists who may not have those opportunities otherwise. It's satisfying to see that you're helping talent in this way."

Geza, 44, worked at Weil Gotshal from 1999 to 2005, spending the bulk of his time at Canary Wharf advising companies such as Citi and Lehman Brothers on legal issues.

He decided to leave to set up corporate finance firm CB Equity Partners, which is going from strength to strength. It was this move which ultimately allowed him the time to think about life away from the office.

His latest venture began when he and his friend, and now business partner, Gregor Kunz, decided to invest in an empty shop in Notting Hill.

Geza said: "This shop became available and we took it on. This was before the financial crisis.

"I initially thought it was a good location for an ice cream shop but couldn't find the right people. I know a fellow German called Max Wiedemann who is an artist. I said to him, 'As it's empty why don't you start painting in the shop?'.

"He did, and while he was in there people kept peeking in and asking if they could buy his work. It slowly became a gallery.

"Then we found Fraser and it all came together."

Fraser Kee Scott is the third partner in the business and handles the day to day running of the gallery.

Geza said: "Fraser has a fantastic eye for quality but never really had the financial backing of the big galleries in Bond Street.

"It looks simple but there's a huge background of experience behind it from finding the right artists to giving the works the right pricing.

"Fraser runs it, but finding clients and sharing what we do with people from the investment professions is where we can help."

The art world is one which has long interested Geza - a fascination he attributes to his parents.

His first foray into art took place when he helped put the funds together for Philip Hoffman's Fine Art Fund Group, of which Geza is a non-executive director.

Now the GGGallery offers a view of a number of up-and-coming London artists and has already at-tracted famous faces such as Kate Moss, Jade Jagger and the Branson family, who have all been in for a browse.

More than 350 guests attended the launch night and many more had to be turned away due to space issues.

The gallery is already proving to be a fun investment for Geza and a world away from the corporate stress of the financial world. However, with costs of £100,000 a year to keep things running, it is serious business.

Geza said: "Would I recommend it as an investment opportunity? Christie's the other day sold art for prices unseen before. Just as we are coming out of a recession. Did I think we could make money? Of course. Is that the reason to go into this world? I don't think so.

"You have to love art. That's why I keep calling it a hobby. But saying that we are making money."

Go to gggallery.co.uk.