Top Talent on the Move at Christie’s and Phillips

News New Highs for Women Artists as Christie’s 21st Century Sale Rakes in $96.5m Elaine YJ Zheng

After a long week of auctions in New York, change is afoot.

Leadership and star performers at global auction houses Christie’s and Phillips are seeking to open a new chapter, with the latter bidding farewell to Global Chairwoman Cheyenne Westphal and president of the Americas Jean-Paul Engelen, while Christie’s Julian Ehrlich is leaving for Gladstone.

On Monday, Phillips announced Westphal had stepped down after eight years to work directly with private collectors and artists. 

Having joined Phillips from the larger Sotheby’s in 2016, Westphal oversaw every major sale and secured important consignments over the last decade. The house’s former executive director Ed Dolman said the German-born leader was ‘regarded by many as the best in the business’.

The auction veteran told The Art Newspaper that she had considered going solo after leaving Sotheby’s, and now is a good time as collectors are increasingly favouring private sales.

‘I look forward to being at the forefront of the art market’s next evolution,’ she said.

Phillips also bids farewell to Jean-Paul Engelen, president of the Americas and co-head of modern and contemporary art. 

After over a decade at Phillips, Engelen will join Acquavella Galleries in New York as a director, from July. During his tenure, Engelen increased sales at the auction house by 72 percent worldwide from 2015 to 2021. 

Over at Christie’s, head of post-war to present Julian Ehrlich will be leaving for Gladstone Gallery as director. 

The 29-year-old specialist will bring his refined eye for historically overlooked talent and dedication to building the market of contemporary artists to the reputed gallery, who told Artnews they had sought someone to bridge the primary and secondary markets: 

‘Julian has a real gift for working with artists and engaging with collectors—he understands both the primary and secondary markets, which is exactly what we were looking for,’ said Max Falkenstein, senior partner at Gladstone.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman Robert Manley, who joined Phillips in 2016, has been promoted to Chairman of modern and contemporary art. Head of private sales Miety Heiden, who joined Phillips in 2017, was appointed chair of private sales. —[O]

Main image: Cheyenne Westphal. Courtesy Phillips. Photo: Tom Jamieson.