The Unsung Heroines of Christie’s Asia: Exclusive Interview with Three Female Regional Managing Directors

Joining Christie’s

Originally from Kent, UK, Nicole Wright has been living in Asia for over 30 years. When she joined Christie's in 1996, the business in the region was not as developed as it is now, and she started as an administrator in the Chinese Ceramics Department. She then became the Administrative Manager of the Chinese Paintings Department and helped organise Contemporary Art auctions, witnessing Christie's steady growth in the Asia Pacific region throughout the years. Anyone who has worked with Nicole would be surprised to learn that she speaks fluent Chinese despite her appearance. In fact, her mother is from Shanghai and Nicole attended a local nursery school in Shau Kei Wan in Hong Kong when she was a child. But Nicole herself joked that she only became fluent in Cantonese after joining Christie's. Indeed, as the Regional Managing Director responsible for the Chinese Ceramics and Chinese Painting departments, knowledge of the Chinese language is certainly an advantage.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, Lillian moved back to the city after graduating from the University of Toronto, and began her career at Richemont Asia Pacific Limited, an international luxury group, where she initially fostered her love of the luxury industry. Feeling a strong need to better understand the Chinese market and opportunities, Lillian went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Business Administration from The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. She then joined Christie's in 2010 after several years of experience in the luxury business. She admits that she didn't know much about the auction industry at the time, and joined Christie's with both curiosity and dedication. She worked as a business director in the Wine, Watches and Jewellery departments, before joining the Asian Contemporary Art department (now the 20th and 21st Century Art department), which she has led the team to grow ever since. As one of Christie's core categories globally, it is Lillian's dedication that has made 20th and 21st Century Art in the Asia Pacific region the department it is today, from building the impeccable team, setting clear goals to ensuring operational excellence.

Born into a family of diplomats, Michelle grew up in Europe and the United States due to her father's duties. She started her career in the investment banking industry after graduation and later entered the auction business with the skills she had honed in the financial world. Since then, she has opened gallery spaces, conducted private sales, organized auctions and introduced Western art to Asian audiences. Since joining Christie’s in 2022, she has been leading Christie's Jewellery, Watches, Wine, and Handbags departments, achieving incredible results. Undoubtedly, she is an outstanding cross-disciplinarian in the industry, with experience in both the Fine Art and Luxury categories.

‘Governor’ of Christie’s major categories

The role of Regional Managing Director is in fact a multi-tasking governor, working closely with a team of specialists with keen financial acumen and numerical sensitivity, in order to ensure they win consignments from collectors in a competitive marketplace, while at the same time leverage the resources available to promote the lots to potential buyers and make the sales go smoothly. The Regional Managing Director is as well responsible for defining the clear division of responsibilities within the team and setting goals, while managing costs and staff deployment. Through understanding each colleague's strengths and advantages, they strive to build solid foundations of trust and communication channels, listen to everyone's opinions and help them progress in their career. Moreover, they would be the teams’ first point of contact should collectors have any questions or issues that need to be resolved before or after an auction.

In the eyes of the audience, an auction may only last two or three hours, with the glamorous auctioneers under the spotlight, pushing the lots to the highest bid and then hammering them down. Yet, behind the scenes of every auction is a team effort, from finding consignments, authenticating and cataloguing the collections, to contacting potential buyers and implementing marketing plans – the Regional Managing Director is a part of every stage along with the team. With that in mind, it's no exaggeration to say that the Regional Managing Director is the governor who’s in charge of everything.

Most Memorable Career Highlights

Over the past 30 years, in terms of the most memorable career highlight at Christie's, Nicole says it was when the company made the strategic decision to move its auctions from the JW Marriott Hotel to the more spacious Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in 2005. It was the 19th anniversary of the company's presence in Asia, and it was a strategic decision made to further expand its business scope. The high ceilings and large space of the HKCEC enabled Christie’s to present an unprecedented range of Asian works of art, which was undoubtedly a major change for Nicole and the team.

Since then, time has flown and another nineteen years have passed - in the second half of 2024, Christie's Asia Pacific headquarters will relocate into The Henderson, the newest addition to Hong Kong Island's dramatic skyline, and the auction and exhibition schedule will no longer be limited by the traditional spring and autumn auction seasons, setting a precedent in the industry. Nicole felt that she was witnessing the continuity of the past and the future. Most importantly, what remains unchanged is her love and passion for art.

Self-Challenge and Reboot

What is it like to start from scratch in a different field while at a high point of your career? Lillian and Michelle have both held senior positions in the Luxury and Fine Art categories, and when asked how they face the challenge positively, Lillian who’s known for her strong and decisive approach at work firmly believes: ‘Life is like rowing a boat upstream, if you stop moving forward you fall back, and if you are doing the same thing this year as you did last year, you are already behind others.’ She still remembers the personnel and operational challenges she faced every time she changed divisions, and how she had to adjust her work habits in a short period of time to adapt to the transition from the Luxury cluster to 20th and 21st Century Art. ‘Success does not come easily. Criticisms and setbacks from the outside world are inevitable, instead of focusing on the emotional side of it, it is crucial to analyse the negative comments, make corrections wherever possible, and focus on meaningful self-improvement.’ These are the words that Lillian often uses to motivate her team, and they are words of wisdom that are universally applicable.

Moving from the fine art field to luxury, Michelle has chosen to step out of her comfort zone and expand her portfolio. What struck her most is that the luxury market is much easier to access than the art market –the Luxury cluster has always been Christie’s number one recruiter for new buyers to begin their collecting journeys. Given the great potential of the market, the competition is in return incredibly fierce- with not only other auction houses, but also the major brands aiming at the secondary market. ‘The luxury market is known for its rapid growth and changes, as well as intense competition. It is a constant challenge for the team to be flexible enough to capitalize on opportunities for growth, while at the same time ensuring that it remains in line with the company's core values.’ Together with other department heads, Michelle further explores more ways to tell the stories behind each object through passionate expertise and up-to-date marketing strategies, in order to ultimately deliver impeccable experiences for clients. It is not an easy process, but also a source of satisfaction for her.

What is ‘Women Power’?

‘Women Power’ has been a hot topic in recent years, and many women often find themselves having to make various choices in their lives- to return to their families or to fight for their careers? Educating their children or getting a promotion? While men do not seem to have the need to make such decisions, Nicole believes that this inner conflict and sense of entanglement is inherent in motherhood - on whether to be a full-time mom or to return to the workplace, she advises women listen to their heart and find a balance between the external conditions and their inner selves. Women should not be defined by any stereotypes, instead they should explore where their passion lies and try new things, while being open to changes and embracing new opportunities. ‘Women Power’ is the embodiment of self-confidence, strength, fairness, vision, and open-mindedness.

Lillian shares that nowadays, women are capable of facing any challenge and taking on any role. The key is to be confident and motivated, to find out your passion, and then plan your career accordingly - think about where you want to be in five years' time, what you want to focus on, and work towards that direction. We need to have motivation, confidence, passion and the ability to reflect, because no matter at what stage we are in life, there is always room for improvement.

Michelle has always believed that the art and auction industry is a perfect fit for women's unique qualities - multi-tasking, empathy, high EQ and versatility - all of which are valuable qualities for the auction industry. On top of that, it’s important to always be open-minded, embrace changes, and never put limits on yourself - what you see as your weaknesses may be your strengths in the eyes of others. Don't say no so easily, and with determination, perseverance, passion and willingness to learn, you'll be able to achieve your goals and find your own path in life.