As expected, Blouin Media President Ben Hartley has become the latest to defect from Louise Blouin’s turbulent company.
Hartley resigned in late February to become international director of Auctionata, a Gemany-based online auction house that plans to bring its live Web-TV auctions to the US this year.
“I felt it was a good time and a good opportunity,” said Hartley, who added he has an equity stake in the new company.
Blouin Media, meanwhile, has vacated its offices in the Starrett-Lehigh Building on the West Side and is moving into yet-to-be-completed townhouse offices on Laight Street in Tribeca.
Calls to its old office went straight to voice mail, and one source said staffers are working from
home while they await the completion of the new offices.
Louise Blouin was said to be in London and could not be reached at presstime.