Editor’s Note
Phillips auction house continues its strategic expansion in Asia, marked by key infrastructure investments and talent development. Today’s announcement of Dina Zhang’s appointment underscores this commitment to strengthening expertise in the region’s vital art markets.
Phillips has continued to invest and expand its business in Asia since holding its first Hong Kong auction in 2005. For instance, in terms of infrastructure, it established its new Asia headquarters in the West Kowloon Cultural District last year. Regarding talent, the focus has naturally been on recruitment and development.
This international auction house announced today (the 16th) the appointment of Dina Zhang as Head of Department and Senior Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art, China, based in Beijing.
Last year, Phillips appointed Benoît Repellin as Global Head of Jewellery and successfully held its inaugural jewellery auction in Geneva with remarkable results. To further expand its business, it has now appointed Shanne Ng and Janet Lam as Senior Jewellery Specialists, based in Hong Kong.
Based in Beijing, Dina Zhang has been appointed as Head of Department and Senior Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art, China. She will play a crucial role in expanding the Mainland China business for this category and will work closely with the company’s business development team based in Shanghai and its global network of Modern & Contemporary Art specialists to further develop the Chinese market.
She also participated in curating thematic auctions for artists such as Wu Guanzhong and Liu Wei, and contributed to setting world auction records for several Asian artists. From 2017 to 2018, she established the “Jiaxi” private selling exhibition at Christie’s Beijing, pioneering the presentation of paintings, sculptures, and home furnishings, which was well received.
Shanne Ng recently joined Phillips as a Senior Jewellery Specialist. She will work closely with the global jewellery team, focusing on consignment acquisition, and will also be dedicated to deepening client relationships within Asia and assisting Phillips’ jewellery auctions worldwide.
As a senior specialist with 30 years of experience in the jewellery field, Shanne Ng’s relationships with international jewellers and her network of important private clients in Asia will further assist in the development of the jewellery business.
Since joining Phillips in September 2023, Janet Lam has held a key management role in the company’s Hong Kong jewellery department, leading the team in providing strategic planning for consignment acquisition and sales for jewellery auctions in Hong Kong, Geneva, and New York.
Janet Lam was born in Hong Kong and completed her education in Canada. Before joining Phillips, she served as Head of Private Sales at the high jewellery company FORMS Jewellery, which designs and creates imaginative, rare, and limited-edition contemporary jewellery.
Before joining FORMS, Janet Lam also worked as a Senior Jewellery Specialist at Bonhams and had worked in the jewellery departments of China Guardian and Skyline International. Early in her career, she also worked at Christie’s and Sotheby’s.