Carly Murphy, Christie’s head of client strategy for the Americas, is leaving the auction house to join Art Basel as global head of collector and institutional relations. The newly created position, which starts later this month, will report to Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s chief artistic officer and global director of fairs. Murphy previously held client-facing roles at Sotheby’s and Phillips, and called the move "a once in a lifetime opportunity" to apply her auction-world experience at the fair organizer.
The appointment signals Art Basel’s effort to strengthen ties with core collectors, museums, and cultural institutions amid a challenging art market. Global sales of art and antiques fell 12% in 2024 to $57.5 billion, the second consecutive year of decline, according to the Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report. Sales at fairs rose slightly but remain below pre-pandemic levels. The hire is part of broader shifts between auction houses, galleries, and fairs, with other notable moves including Christie’s former CEO Guillaume Cerutti joining the Pinault family and Sotheby’s Brooke Lampley moving to Gagosian.