Evelyn Lin is returning to Sotheby's as chairman of Modern and contemporary art, Asia, after a one-year stint at Pace gallery. She will start on November 3 and join the inaugural marquee sale at Sotheby's new global headquarters at the Breuer Building in New York. Lin replaces Elaine Holt, who left after a year, and will work alongside other Asia chairmen and managing directors. The appointment follows Pace's announcement that it will close its Hong Kong space at H Queen's after its current exhibition closes on October 18, though it will maintain offices in Hong Kong and Beijing.
Lin's return matters because she is a veteran auction-house rainmaker with over 25 years in the art trade, having helped establish Sotheby's Chinese contemporary art department in 2004 and brokered major records like Zeng Fanzhi's 'The Last Supper' for $23 million. Her move signals Sotheby's continued investment in the Asian market amid shifting gallery dynamics, as Pace's Hong Kong closure reflects broader challenges for blue-chip galleries in the region. Lin's dual experience in primary and secondary markets positions her to shape Sotheby's strategy in Asia at a time of transition.