Marine Tanguy Founder CEO MTArt Agency Motherhood Female Entrepreneur Luminary Mothers Fashion Style Motherhood Conversations Forbes 30 under 30 Talent Agency Art Artists — *Photo Courtesy Marine Tanguy / Photos By* *Cece Di Paolo*

One of the most powerful things about speaking with entrepreneurial mothers is witnessing how motherhood so often becomes a turning point - a moment of radical clarity that reshapes purpose and deepens ambition. For Marine Tanguy, motherhood didn’t pause her passion - it propelled it. It gave her an even stronger conviction to reimagine the world her children would grow up in, one artwork, one artist, one cityscape at a time.

Marine is the founder and CEO of MTArt Agency - the first global agency dedicated to representing visual artists, not just their art. She’s also the author of The Visual Detox, a compelling call to rethink the way images shape our mental and emotional well-being in the digital age. With two young children and a fast-growing business, Marine’s life is a beautiful contradiction - equal parts art, advocacy, and motherhood.

Her journey began young. At 21, she was managing a prominent London gallery. By 23, she’d opened one in Los Angeles. But it wasn’t until she founded MTArt Agency that she truly found her mission: supporting artists as powerful agents of change. Under her leadership, MTArt has grown into a cultural force, securing public art commissions, brand partnerships, and reshaping how talent in the visual world is seen and valued.

Marine’s voice has resonated far beyond the art world. She has delivered three TEDx Talks, offering powerful insights on how artists can transform cities and how the visuals we consume through social media shape our mental landscapes. Her work has earned her widespread recognition, including being named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe in 2018.

Her story is a resonant reminder that motherhood doesn’t ask us to choose between ambition and care - it invites us to fuse them, often leading to the most inspired work of our lives. Marine’s journey is both bold and intentional, a living testament to how women are not only creating businesses - they’re shaping culture.

By Alice Codford

ON MOTHERHOOD

Alice: How has becoming a mother changed your perspective on life and personal growth? Are there any aspects of your identity that have shifted since you became a mom?

Marine: I was an au pair to 4 kids when I moved to the UK and I had been a baby sitter for many years before that (my very first company as a teenager was actually a baby sitting company providing artistic activities to children age from 2 to 10 years old). My two parents are teachers and I was also helping my mother on Saturday mornings with the kids she was looking after from 6 years old to 9 years old. So while in the public eye, I am known for my last 17 years in the art world, from being the youngest gallery manager in Europe at 21 years old to setting up the very first talent agency in the art world (today, MTArt agency is the art sector's leading talent agency representing some of the most talented, forward-thinking artists in the world. MTArt Agency was listed as one of the fastest growing companies in the UK on the Sunday Times Power list), I have always loved children and they were core to my identity. This was the very first conversation we had on our first date with my husband: I needed my two identities, one a passionate advocate for the role of the artist in our society and a business person and the other with the dream to nurture a family and a home to co-exist together. So my identity didn’t change but I spent my twenties working very hard for both identities to be able to live next to each other when I would become a mother. It’s a privilege to be able to have that.

Is motherhood what you expected? And what part of it has been most unexpected?

Marine: It has given me so much more than what I expected. I was so worried before becoming a mother: I worried about potential postpartum depression which my mother sadly experienced to the collapse of my career and us financially not be able to support the childhood, education and access I had dreamt for my children so I am so lucky that it was a very positive - more than a positive - an extraordinarily positive experience. Potentially what makes me a good entrepreneur but I worry about the worst outcomes and end up very grateful in life as I rarely get to see the worst outcomes. I was more stressed about motherhood and its feasibility in my early twenties than being a mother to a few kids in a my early thirties.

“I needed my two identities, one a passionate advocate for the role of the artist in our society and a business person and the other with the dream to nurture a family and a home to co-exist together.”

What have been some of the most unexpected challenges of motherhood for you, and how have you navigated them - both emotionally and practically?

Marine: The challenges have come from the outside. The constant judgement and belittling of the society we live in. I am currently pregnant of my third child and the amount of unsolicited advice I receive daily is insane, on how I shall behave as a pregnant woman; to be fair, I think it’s at large a gender conversation as I received the same unsolicited commentary and advice in business, a constant judgement or one that would treat me like a child when I started my company.

I don’t understand comparisons in general but specifically in pregnancy, we were different women before becoming pregnant so why imposing the same advice, structures and behaviour patterns when we are pregnant. Our bodies and brains react so differently to pregnancy.

Needless to say that my parents, husband and friends would agree that this isn’t a successful route to my head and heart!

What has been one of the highest points of motherhood for you so far? Are there any particular moments or experiences that stand out?

Marine: Daily. It’s cheesy but I just finished a work call, went downstairs to make myself a cup of tea and my second child Vivaldi screamed ‘Maman’. How can you not feel wonderful when you are made to feel so loved daily? I love supporting my children in becoming their own person, it’s the most magical feeling to see someone becoming his own unique persona, different from yours and enabling for this happiness, existence and becoming to happen.

After a particularly tough day of juggling parenting, work, and life in general, what do you do to recharge or unwind? What helps you find some calm amidst the chaos?

Marine: Ballet. It cleanse my brain and reminds me that beyond the messiness and highs and lows of running a company or your child spilling once again some of his favourite juice on your cream carpet that your brain, body and expression is intact and you can enjoy that present moment removed from all of this. I dance daily at the City Academy next to my house.

Motherhood often requires juggling multiple responsibilities at once. How do you manage your time effectively to make space for both your children and the demands of your career?

Marine: Having been a single founder for so long, juggling, prioritizing and focusing are key skill sets that were easy to transfer onto motherhood. When you run a company, on a hourly basis, you have to decide what it worth worrying about, versus not, what you shall react towards or not and be present, even if the day was tough. This is the same in parenthood. It doesn’t matter if your child was difficult on that morning, once the tantrum is over, you have to also get over it and be present in the new mood that you child offers to you. It’s a constant act of focus, being present and knowing what truly matters. No time is wasted and relationships run deep with no superficiality.

Has it been easy or challenging to maintain your friendships since becoming a mother? And along the way, have you formed any new connections with other mothers?

Marine: It’s definitely hard to find the time and yet it is what holds me together. I have the most incredible friends that I can ring at any given time and that would make me feel better in just a few minutes. It’s so precious when doing so much but just like showing up to a ballet class when it’s raining and you had a long day, it requires motivation to make sure that you still show up for them everyday and in their key moments. Being an expat, I think friendships is an extended family when you have children and even more relevant.

“I love supporting my children in becoming their own person, it’s the most magical feeling to see someone becoming his own unique persona, different from yours and enabling for this happiness, existence and becoming to happen.”

You're expecting your third baby - how do all three of your pregnancies compare?

Marine: I am quite spiritual about my pregnancies.

For my first, Atlas, I worked on mental resilience. Many of my investors questioned whether the company would last now that I was a mother. I gave birth to him and the month after, we won the Natwest Entrepreneur of the Year award. He is my fire, my drive and punch and has that personality: one that innovates, initiates and leads.

For my second, Vivaldi, I worked on my emotional resilience. This became sadly the subject of my third TEDx talk but like many female founders, I was the victim of a cyber bullying campaign. I read Body Keeps the Score and expanded my knowledge and appreciation for my body in making this pregnancy safe, loved, hopeful and calm despite the outside turmoil. Vivaldi has this nature, one of water, non anxious, loving, hopeful and expansive.

My third is not finished yet so I want to wait to fully comprehend the story it tells before telling it to others.

What advice or words of wisdom do you want to share with other mothers that you wished you knew before becoming a mother?

Marine: Pick the right man and build the right support network, those are such key parameters in your happiness as a mother. Will does 50/50 of parenthood and household chores with me, it makes the whole difference.

ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

As the CEO and Founder of MTArt Agency, you've built a successful business from the ground up. How do you manage the balance between being an entrepreneur and a mother, and what strategies have you found most effective in juggling these two roles?

Marine: I try my very best at both and sometimes I have great days and successes and other times, it’s a total fail. There is something very reassuring in embracing that reality. All I know is that I am trying my very best and I care deeply about both.

Can you tell me what your typical day looks like?

Marine: Impossible to even make out a typical day. I travel to different countries almost weekly, launch projects, attend events, run pitches with my team… It’s the joy of the big wide unknown adventure that is entrepreneurship. No day is the same and yet you have to show prepared to each day.

“Seeing my children’ eyes when we are launching a giant public art project in the middle of a city and their pride is everything. Watching my artists teaching their values and visions to my children and them being exposed to such diversity of thinking daily is priceless.”

How has becoming a mother influenced your approach to entrepreneurship? Have there been any unexpected lessons or changes in perspective that motherhood has brought to your leadership style?

Marine: I am lucky that so many of the artistic events or cultural projects we are launching, I can take my children to them. Seeing my children’ eyes when we are launching a giant public art project in the middle of a city and their pride is everything. Watching my artists teaching their values and visions to my children and them being exposed to such diversity of thinking daily is priceless. It makes me love my job even more as I see how much my children love what I do and value it too.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a mother in the entrepreneurial world, and how have you built a support system - whether it’s through family, your team, or external resources - to help navigate those challenges?

Marine: As a briefly mentioned earlier, I was the target of a very nasty cyber bullying campaign when pregnant with my second, Vivaldi. I don’t think I would have overcome this crisis without my kids and my pregnancy but when you have kids, there is no question on whether or not you would not overcome a challenge, you have to and I felt this strength in me, a deeper force and battling spirit rooted in motherhood to fight for your family and children.

As a mother and CEO, time management must be crucial for you. What tools, habits, or strategies have you adopted to stay organized and maximize productivity in both your business and your family life?

Marine: As you know having submitted this interview just an hour ago : ), I do not waste a minute or procrastinate. Anything I can do, I get it done straight away, the rest I meticulously plan it for the coming days. This also allows for spontaneity as the better time management you have, the more you can respond to a friend dropping by last minute to your house or the desire to take the kids outside because it’s sunny. It’s empowering.

What advice would you give to women who are considering starting a business while also navigating motherhood? What do you wish you had known before embarking on this journey?

Marine: I actually don’t know as I only became a mother once my business could sustain and support my family to be so this would be a complete different situation to mine. It was important to not do both at once, not that I wouldn't encourage someone to do so but for me the business had to be established before welcoming my children in this world.

“I aspire to become than just an entrepreneur, I am morally ambitious rather than purely ambitious.”

As the founder of a talent agency, how does motherhood fuel or inspire your creativity? Are there ways in which motherhood has made you think differently about art, business, or innovation?

Marine: I think motherhood (and aging in general) gives you perspective, a stronger empathy and a better understanding of what I call the grey zones in life. It’s a great asset for relationships, a business and intellectual input as a writer too.

Do you find it hard to switch off work at the end of the day? Any tips on how to help with this?

Marine: I am a task driven person so once done with the tasks, it’s already in the past and I can again focus on the present moment. That’s why prioritising tasks and being on top of them is so freeing for me as it enables me not to think about work.

What entrepreneur(s) do you look up to the most and why?

Marine: Less of an entrepreneur and more women who created change and positive social impact in their fields. I guess that’s more what I aspire to become than just an entrepreneur, I am morally ambitious rather than purely ambitious.

Simone Veil, Gisele Halimi, Louise Bourgeois, Greta Gerwig, Serena Williams, Beatrix Potter, Marie Curie, Jean Purdy etc.

“I think motherhood (and aging in general) gives you perspective, a stronger empathy and a better understanding of what I call the grey zones in life. It’s a great asset for relationships, a business and intellectual input as a writer too.”

What are some of your favourite achievements in your business so far that you're particularly proud of?

Marine: Men made 97% of the sculptures in our cities, and they largely represent other men, who are presented on literal pedestals. You will find more sculptures of Paddington Bear (whom I love dearly, too) than women of colour in London. We have changed that stat with over 300 projects over the last ten years, bringing much needed visual conversations through artists in the middle of our cities.

Where do you see MTArt Agency positioned in the next few years?

Marine: Continuing to represent the top talents in the art world, proud B Corp (we are one for the past 5 years) and showing that our visual world can be a catalyst for a more inspiring and inclusive society.

ON HER STYLE SINCE BECOMING A MOTHER

Has your personal style changed since becoming a mum? If so, how has it influenced the way you dress?

Marine: I have had different stages. I started off more like Kate Middleton with my first, rather conservative and the third has seen me in tiny shorts, little dresses and plenty of colours. I have more fun with it now and I am even less worried about outside judgement. I love to be pregnant and I love to dress up the bump. I am so proud of my body.

What is your go-to outfit for every day? Any particular pieces you wear on repeat?

Marine: Yes! My little ballet leotard tucked into jeans with a velvet black jacket and low boots.

Do you have any signature pieces or staple items that you always gravitate toward, no matter the season? What makes them so important to you?

Marine: I love to rent items, which is why I love For The Creators during my maternity, as I love to experiment and have fun. It’s also lovely to contribute to a circular economy.

Whose wardrobe would you love to raid? Do you have any style icons?

Marine: Hmmmm…. A mix of Jane Birkin, Dior in the 60s with a dash of Simone Veil.

Have you received or gifted yourself something special to commemorate the birth of your children?

Marine: Yes, I commission so much art and art pieces around my pregnancies. I just feel it’s the most fleeting and yet defining moment of yours and your children’ stories so I want it recorded. I am about to get a cast of my bump at Studio Bust tomorrow, the painter Ella Brill is working on a commission and I did this beautiful short film for my second.

What is on your shopping list right now?

Marine: Hmmm… a new gold necklace with Ottiumberg with the name of my third child as I wear daily the ones of Atlas and Vivaldi around my neck.

What is your go-to handbag for everyday?

Marine: I don’t like handbags and I never have one. I love freedom!

Let's talk a bit about beauty, has your skincare routine changed since becoming a mother? What skincare products or treatments do you recommend?

Marine: I religiously listen to Dr. Sam Bunting who has been amazing at managing the hormonal changes on my skin throughout my pregnancy. I use mainly dermatologist skincare.

What makeup products do you swear by daily?

Marine: I only wear make up during press and TV days and the rest of the time, I am make up free. It’s the island girl in me that forever remains as I still cycle everywhere around London.


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Marine Tanguy: The Resilient Founder & CEO of MTArt Agency on Motherhood, Art, and Purpose.