Sotheby’s appoints former Phillips man in senior global role

Auction house Sotheby’s has appointed James Marks as its global head of private sales & retail, watches. 

Marks has significant industry experience under his belt, having been in senior roles over the course of six years at Phillips.

His new role will be based in Geneva, where he will be tasked with continuing the growth of the auction company’s global reach, working with the other two senior members of the global team — Sam Hines, chairman of watches, and Geoff Hess, global head of watches.

“I am thrilled to welcome James to Sotheby’s at this pivotal moment for our watches business, particularly following our record-breaking sales in Hong Kong and Geneva,” said Josh Pullan, global head of Sotheby’s luxury division. “He is a seasoned leader with a truly global perspective, and his experience across auctions, retail, and digital innovation makes him uniquely positioned to build on the strong foundations we have established over recent years and take us to the next level. 

“We have assembled one of the strongest and most experienced watches teams in the industry, and James’s appointment further reinforces this depth of expertise as we continue to advance our leadership in the luxury market,” he continued.  

Marks himself said: “I am delighted to be joining Sotheby’s at such an exciting time for its market leading luxury business whose approach and entrepreneurial vision I have long admired. Sotheby’s has built an unparalleled platform, combining a best-in-class curation and offering, a forward-thinking digital ecosystem, and a strong auction business highlighted by recent results in Hong Kong and Geneva. 

“I very much look forward to working with the team to further strengthen our position as the leading luxury marketplace with a dedicated focus on retail, fixed-price, and private sales, deepening relationships with collectors, and continuing to elevate the client experience and offering worldwide,” he concluded.