LONDON — Bonnie Brennan has been named chief executive officer of Christie’s, succeeding Guillaume Cerutti, who will remain chairman of the board, become president of the Pinault Collection, and take on a wider arts and culture role at the Pinault family’s holding company, Artémis.
Brennan, who joined Christie’s in 2012 after spending 15 years at Sotheby’s, will take up her role on Feb. 1. She is currently president of Christie’s Americas, a role she has held since 2021.
Brennan has overseen record-breaking sales, including the collections of Ann and Gordon Getty, Anne H. Bass and Barney Ebsworth, and has grown the Americas region “materially,” according to Christie’s. The region now accounts for 48 percent of all auction sales.
“The global Christie’s team reflects unmatched passion, talent and dedication to our clients and one another,” Brennan said. “To lead this extraordinary group of people is a privilege that I take very seriously. I look forward to building on our 259-year legacy of connecting exceptional art and objects to passionate audiences.”
Brennan described Cerutti as “an inspirational and effective leader. I have been lucky to work closely with him, and I am grateful that we will continue this relationship as he remains chairman of the board.”
Cerutti, who has served as CEO for eight years, said he was grateful to Christie’s owners François Pinault and François-Henri Pinault “for their ongoing trust and support, and I am excited by the new role they have entrusted to me.”
He added: “I am also proud to pass the baton to Bonnie, with whom I have worked closely for many years. She possesses all the qualities needed to uphold and expand Christie’s market leadership.”
Alexis Mabille’s set design for a private sale at Christie’s focusing on the taste of the great couturiers.
Courtesy of Christie’s
Christie’s said it witnessed “breakthrough pricing for exceptional artworks, the highest grossing collection sales in auction history, geographic and category expansion and business acquisition,” during Cerutti’s tenure.
In those years, the auction house also implemented a new, tech-focused strategy and diversified its offer, “attracting a younger and more diverse audience.”
As with many luxury businesses, the past few years have been challenging for Christie’s. After reaching more than $8.4 billion in 2022, the company’s combined auction and private sales fell to $5.7 billion in 2024, roughly the level of sales in 2019.
Cerutti’s appointment as president of the Pinault Collection is part of a wider role. Going forward, he will implement and oversee a new organization for the artistic and cultural activities of the Pinault family’s holding company, Artémis.
François Pinault and François-Henri Pinault said: “Christie’s is a key asset for us, and we are deeply grateful for the positive changes and many successes the company has achieved under Guillaume’s leadership. We have decided to entrust him with a broader role, overseeing all art-related projects within our entities under our direct authority.”
They added: “With Guillaume as chairman of the board and Bonnie as CEO, we are confident that Christie’s will continue to thrive, benefiting its clients, specialist community, employees and art connoisseurs worldwide.”
