Simon de Pury

Simon de Pury is a prominent figure in the art world. He began his career in the 1970s after studying Japanese painting techniques in Tokyo. In 1974, he joined Sotheby’s, where he held various positions; in 1986, he was appointed Chairman of Sotheby’s Switzerland and later became Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe and the company’s principal auctioneer worldwide. In 2002, he acquired a majority stake in Phillips, and under his leadership, the auction house became one of the leading players in the field of contemporary and design art. In 2013, he founded De Pury, a private art consultancy and advisory firm.

Since then, he has curated and organized exhibitions with artists such as Erik Bulatov, Mario Testino, Mary McCartney, and Wojciech Fangor. He has also played a key role in promoting the careers of numerous contemporary artists, photographers, and designers, in addition to having served as curator of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, now housed in its own museum in Madrid.

As a charity auctioneer, de Pury has raised hundreds of millions for organizations such as amfAR, the Elton John Foundation, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, and the Callia Foundation, among others. In 2016, he published his book The Auctioneer, which has been translated into Spanish, French, and Mandarin.