NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips announced the appointment of Edward Dolman, a renowned global leader in the arts, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Dolman joined Phillips this month. He is primarily focused on the execution of an aggressive growth strategy for the business which will include a move into categories not currently offered by Phillips, whilst continuing the geographic expansion of the business.
He will split his time between Phillips headquarters in New York and London and will be instrumental in launching the new London auction space at 30 Berkeley Square in October this year.
I am delighted to have been given this opportunity to further develop Phillips, working alongside an experienced management team and with the support of the Mercury Group. I join at a very exciting time - the opening of our spectacular new auction and exhibition space in Berkeley Square representing another important step in the evolution of the business. said Edward Dolman.
In 2011 Mr. Dolman was appointed Director of the office of Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al- Thani, Chairperson of the Qatar Museums Authority. In addition, in 2012 Her Excellency appointed Edward Dolman as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Museums Authority, positions he held until May 2014. In these roles he developed a wide-ranging ten-year strategic plan for the development of arts and culture in the State of Qatar and focused on the development of a cultural diplomacy programme which included the highly successful 2013 Qatar/UK Year of Culture.
Edward Dolman joined the Qatar Museums Authority from Christies International plc where he had served as Chairman, focusing on global business development and client relationships at the highest levels of the art market. He previously served as the Companys Chief Executive Officer, a position he held for 11 years, leading the business through an unprecedented era of growth driven by the shift to modernism and a rapidly expanding global client base. During this time he oversaw some of the most important auction sales of recent times. These included the Gaffe Collection on behalf of UNICEF in 2001, the sale of five works by Gustav Klimt restituted to Maria Altman and her family by the Austrian State in 2006, and the groundbreaking Yves Saint Laurent sale in 2009. Mr. Dolman directed Christies new business development and strategy, enhanced operations on a global basis and shaped many innovative initiatives for the Company. This included rapid expansion in China and the Middle East and the introduction of live on-line bidding, bringing many new buyers into the auctions. Mr. Dolman's 27 year career at Christie's included earlier roles as Managing Director of Christies Europe, Managing Director of Christies Americas and Managing Director of Christies Amsterdam.
Mr. Dolman was educated at Dulwich College and Southampton University. He continued his studies in the connoisseurship, appreciation and history of the decorative arts at the Study Centre for Fine and Decorative Arts in London. He was awarded the Légion dHonneur as Chevalier in May 2007 and in 2011 was elevated to the distinguished position of Officier de la Légion dHonneur by President Sarkozy.