Christie’s will undergo a major leadership change effective February 1. Bonnie Brennan, the current regional president of the Americas, has been appointed CEO, succeeding Guillaume Cerutti, who has led the firm for eight years.
The transition coincides with Cerutti’s new role overseeing artistic and cultural activities for Artémis, the holding company of Christie’s owners François Pinault and François-Henri Pinault. Cerutti will also become president of the Pinault Collection while retaining his position as chairman of Christie’s board of directors.
The leadership shift follows a period of growth and strategic expansion under Cerutti and an unwieldy art market. During his tenure, Christie’s achieved record-breaking sales, such as the $450 million sale of Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi and the $1.6 billion Paul Allen collection. The firm also expanded into new geographic markets, acquired businesses like Gooding & Co, launched Christie’s Ventures, and advanced its commitment to sustainability by reducing carbon emissions. Reflecting on his time as CEO, Cerutti described the role as both a privilege and a challenge, citing the company’s achievements in auctions, private sales, and operational innovation.
Brennan, a 28-year industry veteran who joined Christie’s in 2012, has played a pivotal role in the firm’s recent success. Since assuming leadership of the Americas region in 2021, she has increased its share of global auction sales to 48 percent. Brennan has also been instrumental in securing high-profile collections, such as those of Ann and Gordon Getty, Anne H. Bass, and Barney Ebsworth. Under her stewardship, Christie’s has invested heavily in technology, diversified its offerings, and attracted a younger, more diverse audience.
During a Zoom press conference, Brennan said her replacement had not yet been chosen. When asked about her vision for the auction house’s future, Brennan said she hoped to preserve Christie’s heritage while seeking out innovation, including AI, which she said was a tool that could be used to enhance the business while still being supplemental to the houses’s specialists and experts.
In a statement, François Pinault and François-Henri Pinault said, “With Guillaume as Chairman of the Board and Bonnie as CEO, we are confident that Christie’s will continue to thrive.”
Brennan said in a statement, “To lead this extraordinary group of people is a privilege that I take very seriously.”
Her tenure begins at an interesting time in the art market, especially for auction houses. During a year-end press conference last month, Cerutti himself described the art market as “challenging”—a descriptor he also used the previous July following lukewarm mid-year numbers—before announcing a projected year total $5.7 billion across both art and luxury, roughly 8 percent below 2023’s total of $6.2 billion. That 2023 number was itself $2 billion less than 2022’s sum, which was propelled by the Paul Allen sale that year.
The post “Bonnie Brennan Named CEO of Christie’s, Guillaume Cerutti Remains Board Chair” by Daniel Cassady was published on 01/15/2025 by www.artnews.com