What I’ve learned: Julien Pradels, global head of operations

When you work for Christie’s, there are surprises around every corner. I spend a lot of time in our warehouses, and I love it when I stumble across a stunning work of art or object that has just arrived for valuation. It adds a little magic to your day. Those moments are really special and quite unique to this world.

It’s always a challenge to move from one industry to another. I spent 12 years with Four Seasons Hotels before joining Christie’s in 2011. It was a huge jump, but both businesses are ultimately about presenting the very best to clients. I found that by telling people you don’t know something, then asking for their help, you gain respect and trust. That feeling of being unsettled in a new role usually then disappears by month three.

An understanding of cultural differences is important to a global business. A few years after I started as operations director for Christie’s in Paris, a role came up in Asia. It wasn’t a promotion, but I’d always wanted to live there, so I went for it. I moved my family to Hong Kong for six years and ended up as general manager for the region. There I learned that the auction world in Asia can be quite distinct from that in Europe, which is a very beneficial thing to know in my current role.

My days are spent making sure facilities at Christie’s run smoothly. This ranges from creating offices that are safe, secure and comfortable, to implementing shipping and logistical practices that are as efficient as possible, and always looking for ways to elevate our client experience. As a global head, I support a group of regional directors, so that they each know how to direct their teams.

Since 2022, about a quarter of my time has been dedicated to making Christie’s more sustainable. We want to be a leading voice in the conversation about the art world’s impact on the planet. But effecting change alone is hard — you need partnerships and collaborations. The 2024 Venice Biennale hosted The Hope Forum, bringing together artists, museums, curators and non-profits to discuss how our industry must do better. I was part of the panel debating ‘Art and Systemic Change’.

We can’t stop someone requesting air freight to ship their Picasso, but we can fight for greener alternatives. Before, certain clients might have demanded new wooden crates with no old stamps or scuffs, and insisted on transporting them by air. Now we give them the option of using a new type of reusable crate and biodegradable materials, and to opt for sea freight, which can produce 80 per cent less carbon emissions.

Soon, these will be the default methods of shipping, and in some categories that travel particularly well by sea, such as wine, they will be the only option we provide. Clients will also be given a breakdown on their invoice of how much CO2 they’ve saved, helping them to visualise the benefit of these greener choices.

Christie’s new Asia Pacific flagship at The Henderson in Hong Kong affirms our dedication to sustainability. The 36-storey building by Zaha Hadid Architects is already being spoken of as the city’s newest landmark, and the sophisticated, high-tech design of our space, and the entire development, supports our global commitment to conduct business in an environmentally responsible manner. The Henderson has been pre-certified for the highest green and healthy-building awards, promising to have a positive impact across many areas of Christie’s business.

Big changes can start with small actions. Christie’s has reduced the amount of carbon it produces by 57 per cent since 2019. This has been the result of hard work and tough decisions, but also simple things such as switching all our buildings to green renewable energy, turning down thermostats, switching off lights at night, sending digital catalogues instead of paper ones, placing recycling bins in every office to divert 90 per cent of our waste from landfill, and encouraging staff to commute by train. For the past three years, in all our sale sites and galleries, we have been paying particular attention to our use of resources with a view to reducing waste: we always make sure, wherever possible, to reuse exhibition walls, plinths and any other materials needed to present artworks and objects. We have electric vehicles for the final stage of deliveries in the UK and Europe’s main sale sites, and will soon be similarly equipped in New York and Hong Kong.

We are also currently working on an even more ambitious target for 2050. To make it work, we’ll need all our vendors and partners to align on the mission, but it’s absolutely necessary for us to play our part in protecting the planet for future generations.

I love art across all categories, but I do have my favourites. I particularly love Photographs, African and Oceanic and contemporary art. I’m always amazed by how much passion our teams at Christie’s have — and how that then evolves into sharing an artwork’s story with collectors. Telling the world what lies behind a piece of art is truly fascinating.

Read more about Christie’s sustainability commitments. Sales at The Henderson in Hong Kong commence on 26 and 27 September 2024 with 20th and 21st Century Art, followed by Christie’s Luxury season in October and Asian Art in November