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Sotheby’s Taps Dior Exec to Lead Jewelry, Watches
Laurence Nicolas will join the auction house on Feb. 1 as vice president and global managing director of two of its fastest-growing categories.
Laurence Nicolas will join Sotheby’s as vice president, global managing director, jewelry and watches, in February, leading two of the auction house’s fastest-growing categories.
New York--Sotheby’s has appointed Laurence Nicolas to the newly created role of executive vice president, global managing director, jewelry and watches.
She will join the company Feb. 1 and be based in New York. Nicolas will report to CEO Tad Smith.
In her role, Nicolas will lead Sotheby’s Jewelry and Watch businesses--which it said are two of its fastest-growing categories--including auction, private, e-commerce and retail sales, as well as its diamond venture, Sotheby’s Diamonds.
Nicolas joins Sotheby’s with more than 25 years of luxury experience and of managing leading international brands.
She recently served as CEO of Dior Timepieces & Fine Jewelry at Christian Dior Couture. She created the Fine Jewelry division there in 2001, followed by the Timepieces division in 2008.
She also held key positions at Cartier between 1990 and 2001, where she was involved in the international retail and marketing operations of the brand.
“Our jewelry and watch businesses operate in markets much larger than the art market and this newly created role has been designed to strengthen our cross-platform strategy and take advantage of the significant opportunity,” Smith said. “Laurence’s creativity, energy and experience will no doubt be inspirational for the talented teams she will lead, while also further enhancing our clients’ experience and fostering Sotheby’s growth in these two key areas.”
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