People

The latest moves and appointments from around the art and antiques industry.

The British Antique Dealers’ Association is backing this year’s International Women’s Day (March 8) campaign, #PledgeForParity, by celebrating women who have successfully challenged gender stereotypes in the traditionally male-dominated fine art and antiques sector.

The shake-up at Sotheby’s continued last week as more key senior employees – including Henry Wyndham – depart the company.

Rupert Powell has resigned as deputy chairman of Bloomsbury Auctions where he has worked for 31 years. He will work out a notice period.

ATG Media, parent company of the Antiques Trade Gazette, has appointed former PayPal senior executive John-Paul Savant as chief executive officer, succeeding Anne Somers who moves to become deputy chairman.

Melanie Clore, Sotheby’s European chairman and co-chairman of Impressionist & Modern art, is leaving at the end of February after 35 years at the auction house.

The competition between auction houses to expand their private sales operations took a new twist with the announcement last week that Sotheby’s had bought art advisory firm Art Agency, Partners (AAP).

Sir Norman Rosenthal, one of the art world’s best known historians and curators, has described the trade side of the business as “a huge mechanism for preserving knowledge and value”.

Guillaume Cerutti, chief executive of Sotheby’s France and European deputy chairman, is to leave and join Christie’s as president for London, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Russia and India.

Bonhams have announced changes in their senior management structure.

Two senior members of the international auctioneering profession launch separate online-only ventures this week.

Max Liebermann’s ‘Zwei Reiter am Strand nach links’ (Two Riders on a Beach) has become the first painting to be sold from Cornelius Gurlitt’s hoard of art.

Sotheby’s latest set of results give the first indication of how Tad Smith will direct the company.

Former owner of Sotheby’s A. Alfred Taubman – and central figure in the auction price-fixing scandal – has died aged 91.

Sotheby’s have appointed Tad Smith, aged 49, as president and chief executive officer, effective March 31, 2015.

COMMENT: As the saying goes, turnover is vanity, profit is sanity. Hold that thought as you consider the announcement that Bill Ruprecht is to stand down as CEO of Sotheby’s after nearly 15 years.

BILL Ruprecht is to stand down as chief executive, chairman and president of Sotheby’s as soon as they find a replacement.

Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al-Thani, once considered the world’s biggest art collector, died at his London home on November 9 aged 48.

Simon de Pury took to the podium at the top of London landmark the Gherkin to launch Falcon Fine Art on October 13.

Auctioneer Richard Madley believes he may have set a record for the longest time ever taken to sell a single lot.