A London-based director of Christie’s Middle East will be moving to its Middle East office in Dubai to focus on client development in the region, said a statement.

Isabelle de La Bruyère, director, Christie’s Middle East, will join Michael Jeha, managing director of Christie’s Middle East and his permanent team in Dubai.

From her new location, she will be closer to Middle Eastern clients as the business develops its presence in the region and will continue to travel widely to support Christie’s international sales, according to the statement.

“Isabelle is a highly experienced ambassador for Christie’s and her move to the Middle East underscores Christie’s continuing investment in the region and the team behind our leadership position in sourcing and selling the finest and most rare examples available in the market in the Middle East,” said Jussi Pylkkänen, president of Christie's Middle East and Europe.

In the last five years, much of de La Bruyère’s time has been concentrated on the Middle East, expanding Christie’s presence and business in the region and supporting the team based locally.

She has organised important exhibitions of jewellery and art, charity sales and, together with the Dubai team, established Christie’s presence and market share in the Middle East in the bi-annual, record-breaking auctions.

She also organised an Islamic art exhibition in the embassy of Saudi Arabia in London and the Ali Omar Ermes exhibition at Christie’s King Street.

Christie’s have had an office in the region since 2005. The first auction was held in 2006 and since then Christie’s has sold $116 million worth of art in the region and in October of last year held a ground-breaking exhibition of $300 million worth of international sale highlights at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. – TradeArabia News Service