Bonnie Brennan

In early 2025, after nearly 30 years in the auction house business, Birmingham native Bonnie Brennan became the CEO of Christie’s, a worldwide leader in the global art and luxury business including auctions, art appraisal and international real estate.

Growing up in Michigan, Brennan attended Academy of the Sacred Heart for 12 years and currently serves on the school’s board of trustees.

Brennan shared that from a young age she was interested in art and still enjoys painting, although not as often as she’d like. Her interest in auction houses was piqued from a story she heard on the radio during a ride to school with her father.

Brennan attended Northwestern University where she earned a BA in both communication and art history. She started her work life in New York in the advertising industry at J. Walter Thompson. “It was a great training ground as you were always competing for business.”

In 1997, Brennan began her auction house career at Sotheby’s in New York which, at the time, was owned by A. Alfred Taubman and based in Michigan.

“Sotheby’s had many Michigan clients, so it brought me home frequently,” she reminisced, adding, “I’ve worked with great Detroit and Michigan collectors at both firms.”

She continued, “Some of the greatest art in the country comes from Midwest collectors…I love bringing European colleagues to the DIA [Detroit Institute of Art]. They are blown away by the quality of the collection.”

Brennan recalled a particularly memorable item from the estate of local philanthropist, art collector and the only granddaughter of Henry Ford, Josephine Clay Ford. After her death in 2005, the prominent Grosse Pointe home she and her husband shared was slated for demolition and an auction was held by Sotheby’s. One such object was a late 19th century verdigris copper weathervane featuring a figure of a noble Indian chief raising his bow - which unexpectedly sold at auction for nearly $6 million, becoming the most expensive weathervane in the world.

In 2012, Brennan joined Christie’s, working in a progression of positions, including four years as head of Christie’s Americas before being named chief executive last year. She is the first CEO at the British company to be based in the United States, which during her tenure has grown to nearly half of the company’s sales.

Brennan recently greeted King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their attendance at the annual King’s Trust Global Gala held at Christie’s New York during their state visit to the U.S.

Asked about her favorite part of her job, Brennan responded: “It’s the people – my colleagues and our team who are passionate about the work. We also have extraordinary clients, many of whom use their art collections thoughtfully to further their philanthropic pursuits…This is definitely a people business built on relationships, trust, expertise and knowledge.”

Despite a challenging work and global travel schedule, Brennan tries to “disconnect from devices” in her personal time, including while playing golf with her fiancé and gardening. She has a house in the Pennsylvania mountains where she has a room for painting. She enjoys visits to Michigan to see her brother and his family as well as her large extended family in the Detroit area.

“It’s great to come home to see all the old haunts in Birmingham – some have changed and some haven’t,” she said, adding, “I’m super proud and love walking around downtown Detroit seeing all the new growth and vibrancy.”

When it comes to career advice, Brennan acknowledged that internships and opportunities in the arts and culture industry are competitive, but encourages students to start by gaining relevant practical experience locally – at a museum, art center or by covering the arts for a school paper.

She advised, “Be brave. When you do what you love there’s a greater chance of success.”

Story: Tracy Donohue

Photo: BFA