LONDON.- With the approval and full support of the Pinault family, and on the recommendation of Guillaume Cerutti, the Christie’s Board has appointed Bonnie Brennan as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2025.
This change takes place as Guillaume Cerutti has been entrusted by François Pinault and François-Henri Pinault with the responsibility of implementing and overseeing a new organization for the artistic and cultural activities of their holding company, Artémis.
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As part of this new organization, Guillaume Cerutti will become the President of the Pinault Collection and continue to serve as Christie’s Chairman of the Board.
Mr. Cerutti, who has served as Christie’s CEO for 8 years, has overseen a period of growth and stability for the company which has led to extraordinary accomplishments including breakthrough pricing for exceptional artworks, the highest grossing collection sales in auction history, geographic and category expansion and business acquisition.
Ms. Brennan, who joined Christie’s in 2012, has served in a variety of leadership roles during her tenure at the firm and has been instrumental in securing many of the works and collections that have led to Christie’s most celebrated auction moments. Ms. Brennan is an industry veteran with 28 years of experience who has served as Regional President of the Americas since 2021. She has grown the region materially, with the Americas now accounting for 48% of all auction sales.
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. We are also thrilled to announce Bonnie Brennan as Christie’s new CEO. Having served as President of Christie’s Americas for several years, she brings with her a wealth of experience in the art market. 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.”
Guillaume Cerutti commented: “It has been a privilege and an absolute pleasure to serve as Christie’s Chief Executive Officer over the past eight years, working with an extraordinary team and, together, achieving numerous successes at auction and in private sales, while navigating some challenging moments. I am truly grateful to 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. 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.”
Bonnie Brennan adds: “It is an honor to be appointed as Christie’s CEO and to succeed Guillaume Cerutti, who has been an inspirational and effective leader, growing our business over the last 8 years. 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. The global Christie’s team reflects unmatched passion, talent and dedication to our clients and one another. 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.”
Guillaume Cerutti began his career in the art world as Managing Director of the Pompidou Center (1996–2001), followed by roles as Chief of Staff at the French Ministry of Culture and CEO of Sotheby’s France. He joined Christie’s in 2016. Under his leadership as CEO, the company has achieved numerous record-breaking sales, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi (2017), the David Rockefeller Collection (2018), Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5000 Days (2021), and Paul Allen’s Collection (2022). During his tenure, Christie’s has also made significant strategic advancements, such as the recent acquisition of Gooding & Co, the relocation of the APAC headquarters to The Henderson, the launch of Christie’s Ventures, the development of art lending activities, and a vigorous commitment to reducing its carbon emissions.
Bonnie Brennan joined Christie’s in 2012 following 15 years at Sotheby’s. She has held key leadership roles in business development before assuming the role as President of Christie’s Americas in 2021. Since becoming president, she has overseen record-breaking sales, including iconic collections such as those of Ann and Gordon Getty, Anne H. Bass and Barney Ebsworth. It is also during these recent years that Christie’s has implemented a strategy that heavily invests in technology and diversified its offerings attracting a younger and more diverse audience.
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