Phillips has named Miety Heiden as Deputy Chairman and Head of Private Sales. Heiden joins the auction house after having announced, one year ago, her departure from Sotheby’s, where she had worked for 18 years.
Heiden was Sotheby’s Senior Vice President and Head of Contemporary Private Sales for North America. There, Heiden also assisted in business development and managed client relationships for the New York and Hong Kong contemporary art evening and day sales.
During her 18-year tenure at Sotheby’s, from 1997 to 2016, there was an increased focus on private sales, which are generally more lucrative, since they avoid the hefty costs of staging public auctions and publishing auction catalogues.
In her new role at Phillips she will be developing private sales and managing relations with collectors.
“Private sales are an increasingly important part of our strategy and I am delighted that Miety is joining our team to lead our efforts in this important area,” said Edward Dolman, Chief Executive Officer.
Recent notable private sales at Phillips include the recording-breaking sale of a Latin American Artwork, Diego Rivera’s Baile en Tehuantepec for $15.75 million, and the recent “Gerhard Richter Abstracts” private selling exhibition, which was Phillips’s highest-value selling exhibition ever with a combined total value of approximately $100 million.
“With 20 years of experience in the art market, Miety is uniquely suited to take on an important leadership role at our company. Combined with her experience and exceptional track record serving clients and collectors, her business acumen perfectly complements our exceptional team of specialists across the globe,” added Dolman.