NEW YORK, NY.- Doyle announced the appointment of Laura K. Doyle to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Joanne Porrino Mournet to the role of President. The appointments mark a new generation of leadership at one of the world’s premier auction houses. Kathleen M. Doyle, who has served as the company’s CEO for the past twenty-five years, will continue as Chairman, and Kenneth McKenna will continue as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Established in New York in 1962, Doyle is recognized worldwide for its commitment to providing professional auction and appraisal services of the highest standard. A vital player in the global auction market, Doyle combines vast scholarship and in-depth knowledge of industry trends with the latest digital strategies and technological capabilities. This winning strategy attracts thousands of seasoned buyers and newly affluent collectors from over ninety countries around the world, setting world auction records across all sale categories.
“Laura Doyle and Joanne Mournet are experienced and accomplished business professionals who will continue to advance the expansion of Doyle while adhering to our core values of Integrity, Expertise and Service,” said Kathleen Doyle. “I am delighted to be working alongside this dynamic team leading us into the future!”
“I am passionate about the auction business. We are so fortunate to work with beautiful objects and fascinating people,” said Laura Doyle. “New generations of buyers are continually entering the auction market globally, creating new trends in collecting. Never has there been a more exciting time in our industry!”
“Doyle is privileged to bring to auction property from distinguished collections and prominent estates throughout the year,” said Joanne Mournet. “Together with our team of specialists and regional representatives, I look forward to expanding our relationships with the national trusts and estates community while maintaining the level of excellence that our clients rely on.”
The youngest daughter of company founder William Doyle, Laura Doyle quite literally grew up in the auction business. During her almost twenty years at Doyle, she has spearheaded digital strategies and continues to implement new technological capabilities with an eye toward the future. An accomplished and articulate spokesperson for the industry, she, together with Kathleen Doyle, discussed technology and the future of the auction industry in a televised program on Yahoo Finance with Andy Serwer.
In 2016, Laura Doyle was the founder of Doyle’s online-only Hayloft Auctions division in the burgeoning and artistically vibrant South Bronx. A successful Internet start-up, and a valued member of the neighborhood, Hayloft Auctions was honored by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) for its work and commitment to Bronx residents and the community. Laura Doyle and Hayloft Auctions were also recognized by Crain’s New York Business in a feature on Bronx business and real estate trends.
Ms. Doyle was educated at Deerfield Academy and earned a BA in the History of Art from the University of Pennsylvania, during which time she spent a year studying at the Courtauld Institute in London. She began her career at Doyle in Client Services, later serving as Director of the Jewelry Department. As Vice-Chairman, she expanded Doyle’s network of regional representatives while focusing on strategies for global growth in collaboration with Doyle’s luxury, digital and real estate marketing partners. She recently oversaw a major renovation of the company’s Manhattan headquarters and the acquisition of a new warehouse in the Bronx.
Joanne Porrino Mournet has held senior positions at Doyle for over twenty-five years, most recently as Executive Vice President and Executive Director of Estate and Appraisal Services. In her new role as President, she will continue serving as Doyle’s senior liaison with prominent banks and law firms in providing Doyle’s comprehensive range of professional appraisal and auction services.
Highly regarded in the field of Trusts and Estates, Ms. Mournet is frequently invited by law firms and banks to speak as an expert on estate appraisals and the auction industry. She regularly represents Doyle at professional estate planning conferences, among them the New York State Bar Association, The Estate Planning Council of New York, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), UJA law conferences, and The University of Miami Philip Heckerling Law Institute. A graduate of Douglass College, Ms. Mournet is a member of the Professional Advisory Council of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Heart Association Trust and Estates Advisory Council.
An accomplished auctioneer, Ms. Mournet has sold collections totaling well over one billion dollars over the course of her career. She has presided over the landmark auctions of countless estates of celebrities and prominent figures of society and commerce, as well as property from our nation’s most distinguished public and private institutions.
“At Doyle, we believe that every estate and collection is unique,” Ms. Mournet is fond of saying. “We excel at tailoring our services to meet the individual needs of each client.”
Continuing that thought, Laura Doyle stated, “Our goal in this digital age is to ensure that every client, whether a buyer or seller, whether in New York or across the world, receives the personal attention that has always been a hallmark of Doyle.”
