NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips announced the appointment of David Norman as Chairman of the Americas, reflecting the increasing importance of the Modern Art category to the company’s global growth strategy. He is based in New York and starts in his new position immediately.

One of the most recognized Modern and Impressionist art experts in the field, Mr. Norman was recently an independent art advisor working with many of the world’s leading collectors. Before starting his own advisory practice, he spent more than 30 years at Sotheby’s, ending his career there as a Vice Chairman of Sotheby’s North America.

Mr. Norman attained a number of noteworthy accomplishments during his tenure at Sotheby’s. In 2004, he led the auction of the first painting to ever break $100 million, Pablo Picasso’s Garçon a la Pipe. He followed that with the first sculpture to exceed $100 million, Giacometti’s Walking Man I, and the first work on paper to pass the same mark, Edvard Munch’s The Scream.

“David is regarded by many as one of the world’s great experts in Modern & Impressionist art, and we are delighted he is joining Phillips,” said Chief Executive Officer Edward Dolman. “His unrivalled expertise, extraordinary reputation and deep relationships with collectors will add even greater depth to an extraordinary pool of talent at Phillips. Working closely with me and our Chairwoman, Cheyenne Westphal, David will be a key member of our global leadership team and partner with Phillips senior executives in Europe, the United States and Asia to develop the company’s global client relationship program and continue our expansion in the Modern category.”

In his new role, Mr. Norman will work closely with Hugues Joffre, Senior Advisor to Mr. Dolman, who has been spearheading Phillips’ efforts to expand the Modern and Post-War categories. He will focus on delivering best-in-class service and engagement opportunities to today’s discerning collectors. In alignment with Phillips’ global leadership team and specialist departments, Mr. Norman will help build the company’s brand with the goal of significantly increasing Phillips’s market share in the Modern & Post-War segments.

Mr. Norman said, “While consulting for Phillips during the past few years, I realized that I love being part of a team – and this is the team I’d love to be a part of. I am thrilled to join Phillips to partner with Ed, Cheyenne, Hugues and the entire leadership team to help define the company’s vision in the years ahead. Phillips is a 220-year-old company with the spirit of a start-up, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the next chapter in the company’s growth story.”

Mr. Norman became director of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art department in 1999, Worldwide Chairman of the division in 2008, and then a Vice Chairman of Sotheby’s North America. Among his other accomplishments, Mr. Norman directed Sotheby’s first sales of 20th Century German art, staging the first international auction in a unified Berlin in the early 1990s. He also curated Sotheby’s first private selling exhibition of Modern Art in Hong Kong and Beijing as well as a monographic exhibition in New York dedicated to the later works of Georges Braque.

Mr. Norman launched David Norman Fine Art, LLC, advising collectors and institutions around the world, in 2017.