Westphal will oversee all aspects of Phillips’ activities, working with the company’s chairman of UK and Europe Hugues Joffre and the worldwide head of Contemporary art Jean-Paul Engelen.
Along with a series of other recent appointments, it is part of Phillips’s strategy to increase its market share in 20th Century & Contemporary Art.
“Her unrivalled expertise, extraordinary reputation and deep relationships with collectors around the world will add even greater depth to an extraordinary pool of talent at Phillips,” said Dolman.
“Working closely with me, she will be a key member of our global leadership team and will partner with Phillips senior executives in Europe, the United States and Asia to develop the company’s global client relationship program, which is focused on world-class services and engagement opportunities for today’s collectors.”
Westphal said: “It is exciting to partner with Ed and to help shape the dynamic vision of the company. Phillips is building a strong reputation as an exciting and forward-looking auction house. There is great momentum at the company—the opening of their London Headquarters was a real coup and Ed has brought some extraordinarily talented experts to the team. My new position is the perfect opportunity to take everything I have learned and the skills I acquired to help take Phillips to the next level.”
After joining Sotheby’s in 1990, Westphal rose in the company before becoming chairman of the Contemporary art department in 2006. She was appointed to her worldwide role in 2014.
Horwich joins Phillips
The appointment of Cheyenne Westphal comes as Phillips have announced further appointments in their 20th Century & Contemporary Art department.
Jonathan Horwich will become senior director and specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art, based in London. Horwich is an specialist with particular knowledge of Modern British art and was most recently at Bonhams, where he was global director of the Pictures Department. Before joining Bonhams, he spent more than 30 years at Christie’s in London.
Jonathan Horwich, formerly of Bonhams, who will become Phillips’ senior director and specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art, based in London
Meanwhile, in the US, Blake Koh is joining as a senior vice president and the regional representative for the West Coast, based in Los Angeles. Kevie Yang is joining the New York office as an associate vice president and specialist in 20th Century & Contemporary Art. And Valentina Garcia is joining as a specialist of Latin American Art, based in Miami.
Like Westphal, Koh joins Phillips from Sotheby’s, where he was a senior vice president and senior specialist in Los Angeles.
Yang joins from Christie’s New York, where she was an associate vice president, specialist in Post-War & Contemporary Art, and head of the Afternoon Sale. Garcia joins from The Elkon Gallery, where she held the positions of gallery manager and director in New York since 2004, and her previous experience includes Sotheby’s Latin American Art Department.
Other recent appointments in the 20th Century & Contemporary Art department include Jonathan Crockett joining last month as head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art and deputy chairman in Asia, and Charlotte Raybaud as a specialist in 20th Century & Contemporary Art in Hong Kong.
Phillips say they expect to continue to add specialists to this team in the next few months. ATG asked Phillips if separate, dedicated 20th Century and Contemporary auctions would now be held.
A spokesman said: “Last November, we began including 20th Century works in our Contemporary auctions and plan to continue with this structure for the foreseeable future. We don’t have any plans to separate the evening sales into two separate auctions.”
Watch Specialists
Phillips have also announced an expansion of their team of international watch specialists. The new appointments are led by Douglas Escribano as a senior international specialist in New York. Also joining the team are Amy Chow as senior specialist in Hong Kong and Alex Ghotbi as a specialist and associate director in Geneva.
Phillips’ inaugural watch auctions in Geneva and Hong Kong were held last year.
Douglas Escribano, who is joining Phillips as a senior international specialist in New York.
Escribano spent more than 10 years at the Christie’s watch department, most recently as vice president and head of sale.
Chow started her career in watches at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, moving to Christie’s where she held a senior specialist position until 2010. She then spent the next five years with China Guardian, the auction house in mainland China.
Ghotbi comes to Phillips from the watch brand Vacheron Constantin.
Tiffany To has also joined the Hong Kong watches team as an associate specialist.
