Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art

• Evaluate property for potential inclusion in sales, working collaboratively with specialists and cross-departmental colleagues to set and approve estimates and sales terms for works to be offered in order to realize auctions with the highest levels of connoisseurship and profitability.


• Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of financial arrangements for all consignments in the sales, including guarantee deals, strategically working with the Head of Department, Senior Business Manager, Specialists and the Department Administrators.


• Curating the sale content, structuring through all sale property, to deliver our message to art market


• Manage and drive all aspects of the production of the catalogs for the sales, in concert with the Cataloguer, including the cataloging, condition checks, comparable images, scholarly texts, copyright approvals, lot order, cover, and layout.


• Execute layout for pre-sale exhibitions with highest caliber of presentation, teaming with Operations and Art Handlers.


• Drive a successful and targeted pre-sale process through active participation in the pre-sale exhibitions with a focus on one-to-one client contact, driving the pre-sale interest meetings, and collaboratively working with colleagues to focus their clients on specific works of interest and to brainstorm possible sales strategies.


• Liaise with Client Development and fellow specialists to target buyers for all lots in the sales, and create detailed, specialized selling plans for each lot therein.


• Approve all pre-sale marketing materials with Marketing and Public Relations departments.


• Liaise, with Head of Department and the Specialists on special exhibitions, highlight tours, and international events focused on top lots included in the Sales.


• Active business-getting through seeking high value consignments and utilizing knowledge of client's specific collecting interests to sell items on offer.


• Conduct post-sale analysis with Head of Department, Client Development, and fellow specialists to set new sales targets for subsequent seasons and identify new objectives for best practices.


• Assist with major collection valuations and proposals for consignments, working with other senior members of the Contemporary team to position Phillips as a premier platform from which to sell contemporary art.


• Facilitate in-depth and competitive proposals for targeted works or a selection of works with the Proposals Department.


• Cultivate networks among collectors, dealers, curators and others in order to develop and maintain best-in¬class knowledge of the contemporary art market with a focus on both modern and contemporary art.


• Attend local and regional events including gallery openings, museum events and art fairs to represent Phillips.


• Supervise, provide performance management, coaching and development to the Sales Administrator and cataloguer.


• After sale, mentoring post sale services and buyers payment to see if other departments need support.


• Perform any other duties as requested.

Departmental P&L Cost Management 

• Work with Senior MCA Management Team (Chairman, Asia and Head of Modern & Contemporary Art, Asia) and Business Manager, Finance to set and understand the Modern & Contemporary Art department budget, in coordination with department management team and empower sale teams to manage within these budget goals.


• Use authority as Head of Auctions to leverage cost decisions related to all Modern & Contemporary Art sales (Catalogues, Travel, Marketing, Other), in line with budget.


• Provide day to day guidance to manage sign-offs, escalation processes, cost control and reporting requirements in conjunction with Finance.


• Discuss unconventional sale-terms with Senior MCA Management and Business Manager, Finance where appropriate, and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of financial arrangements for all consignments in the relevant sale. Support strategic deals with Finance and appropriate colleagues to maximize deal margins.

Sales Management

• Positioning each Sales their own personality and characteristics.


• With different composition of the artworks, with different segmentation of auction prices, to attract diverse buyers and sellers.


• Distinguish Phillips' auction from other auctions by using Sales.


• Observing market trends, curating different themes, and continuously innovating auctions.

Departmental Business Getting

• Leverage departmental processes and resources to support and coordinate business-getting strategies at a high-quality and consistent level.


• Drive business getting efforts, from selections for sale to client pitches.


• Partner with each business lead from the beginning of the project, to architect and implement best workflows for the project, including: (1) Determining necessary sequencing with right mix of people involved, including Regional colleagues, Executive team, commercial office, trusts & estates, marketing, (2) Providing central management of planning and resources, e.g. research.

Sale Team Management

• Provide expertise and mentoring for Auction team specialists.


• Act as a resource for support and escalation for issues which relate to the auction process including: research, cataloguing, pricing, proposals, texts, through to the execution of the sale to ensure a high degree of quality and consistency across all lots offered by the department.


• Identify procedural issues/ resource considerations and devise strategies to combat.


• Manage Asia Interest meeting and work with Department Coordinator to encourage accountability and follow up for attendees.


• Represent Modern & Contemporary Art department in meetings with authority to make decisions on key processes.