NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips announced that Vanessa Hallett, Worldwide Head of Photographs, has been promoted to Deputy Chairman, Americas. The promotion reflects the extraordinary growth of the Photographs Department and its increasing importance to the company’s global growth strategy.

Ms. Hallett joined Phillips in 2005 and has led her global team to the forefront of the international photographs market. Her tenure at the Photographs department has been defined by the successful introduction of emerging photographers to the secondary market, as well as historic sales for classic and contemporary photographers. In 2011, she oversaw the auction of Richard Avedon’s 1967 Beatles Portfolio for $722,500 and in 2015 was responsible for the record-breaking sale of Helmut Newton’s Women Walking, Paris for $905,000, the highest price paid for any work by the artist.

“Vanessa has built an extraordinary team in her 12 years with Phillips and established a world-class Photographs department,” said Edward Dolman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Phillips. “As a Deputy Chairman, Vanessa will be a key member of our global leadership team and will work extensively on building an international strategy. She will spend more time with collectors to build on Phillips’ strategy of engaging with clients across the globe so we can continue to grow and expand our market share in this important segment.”

With over $17 million in sales globally for 2016, the Photographs Department at Phillips has been at the forefront of the field. The department has offered highly successful single-owner sales, including Photographs from the Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago; Innovators of Photography: A Private East Coast Collection; The Curious Collector: Important Photographs from the Collection of Dr. Anthony Terrana; and The Face of Modernism: A Private West Coast Collection.

The Phillips Photographs Department currently holds world records at auction for works by Helmut Newton, Sally Mann, Elger Esser, Nobuyoshi Araki, Pieter Hugo and Peter Lindbergh, and has achieved strong results for works by Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, William Eggleston, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Francesca Woodman. Known for introducing new talent in its auctions, the Photographs Department also currently holds the world records for works by Alex Prager and Ruud Van Empel, both of whom were introduced in the auction market at Phillips.