Sotheby's Appoints Jean Qian as China Director Amid Strong Asian Buyer Influence
Sotheby's has appointed Jean Qian as the new head of its operations in China, highlighting their dedication to the region. Qian previously served as the vice president for the China Asia-Pacific market at Farfetch, and she has experience as a management consultant with Accenture and Ernst & Young. This move shows how important online and digital sales have become for Sotheby’s strategy. Nathan Drahi, the managing director for Sotheby’s Asia, pointed out that China is a key market for the company. Recent figures reveal that nearly 50% of bids over US$5 million came from Asian buyers, contributing to Sotheby's impressive global revenue of $7.3 billion, surpassing Christie's $7.1 billion in sales last year.
Key facts
- Jean Qian appointed as Sotheby's new director for China operations
- Qian was previously vice president for China Asia-Pacific at Farfetch
- She worked as a management consultant at Accenture and Ernst & Young
- Nearly half of winning bids for lots over US$5 million came from Asian buyers
- Sotheby's global turnover reached a record $7.3 billion
- Sotheby's sales surpassed Christie's $7.1 billion last year
- Nathan Drahi confirmed the appointment as managing director of Sotheby's Asia
- Digital and online sales remain a key focus for Sotheby's
Entities
Institutions
- Sotheby's
- Farfetch
- Accenture
- Ernst & Young
- Christie's
Locations
- China
- Asia-Pacific