Alexander Mark Heming Gilkes (born July 1979)[1] is a British businessman.[4] He is the co-founder of venture studio Squared Circles, which launched in 2020. He was previously the co-founder and president of online auction house Paddle8 from 2011 to 2018, when it was sold to The Native.[5][6][7][8]
In 2011, he founded Paddle8, an online auction website selling fine art, photography, street art and collectibles. In 2013, the company did $US20 million in sales.[14] By 2015, the company reported "$US140 million" in sales.[15] Paddle8 was sold in 2015 to The Native.[16][17] Gilkes stepped down from his role at Paddle8 in 2018.
In 2020, Gilkes co-founded venture studio Squared Circles along with Lukas Derksen and Paddle8 co-founder Osman Khan.[18]
Gilkes "has been named" as one of Fast Company's Most Creative Entrepreneurs in 2017,[19] the 100 Most Powerful People in the Art World (Art + Auction) in 2014, 2015 and 2016, a Digital Maverick (DETAILS), one of the 40 Most Important People Under 40 (Apollo) and appeared on Vanity Fair and GQ's best-dressed lists.[20] He serves on the board of the New York Academy of Art.[21]
Personal life
Gilkes married British-Bahraini fashion designer Misha Nonoo in Venice, Italy in May 2012 and the pair lived in New York City.[22] Their divorce was finalized in the summer of 2017.[23]
Since 2018, Gilkes has been in a relationship with Russian former tennis player Maria Sharapova.[2] They announced their engagement on 17 December 2020.[3] Their son was born on 1 July 2022.[24]
^Solway, Diane. "Alexander Gilkes and Misha Nonoo Wed in Venice". W Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016. And so this past May, one year after he launched Paddle8 and converted to Judaism to marry fellow Briton Misha Nonoo, 25, a rising fashion designer, Gilkes wed in grand style in Venice.