Sotheby’s has a new director for its China operations. Signalling the importance that digital and online sales continue to play in the business going forward, Jean Qian will take up the role – Qian is the former vice president for the China Asia-Pacific market at Farfetch, an e-commerce platform serving the fashion industry. Previously she was a management consultant, first for Accenture and then Ernst & Young.
In new figures, Sotheby’s says nearly half of all winning bids made for lots over US$5 million came from Asian buyers, contributing to a record turnover of $7.3 billion globally. The auction house scraped past Christie’s in sales last year, which sold US$7.1 billion worth of art and antiques.
Nathan Drahi, managing director of Sotheby’s Asia confirmed the appointment: ‘China is a major strategic focus for Sotheby’s, and I look forward to our local development.’
