Biography
Cécile Bernard is the Managing Director for Sotheby’s Europe and Middle East, a role she has held since 2023, overseeing seven salerooms, eight offices, and twenty-one representative offices. With a unique background combining deep financial acumen and art historical expertise, Cécile plays a central role in shaping Sotheby’s growth and innovation across the regions, leading strategic planning, operations, and business development across key markets.
Cécile joined Sotheby’s in 2016 as Managing Director of Sotheby’s France, where she led the business through a period of unprecedented expansion. In 2019, she was appointed Worldwide Head of Operations and joined the Sotheby’s Executive Team. In 2023, she assumed her current role, dividing her time between London and Paris to oversee regional operations and strategy.
Cécile began her career as a specialist in Old Master Paintings at Christie’s, rising over two decades to become a leading international director in the field. She later transitioned into executive leadership roles, including Head of Operations at Christie’s France and Secretary and Strategy Director at Hôtel Drouot, before joining Sotheby’s.
Raised in a family of passionate art collectors, Cécile combines a lifelong affinity for the arts with a strong foundation in business. She holds a Master’s degree in Art History from the Sorbonne, a diploma in Museology from the École du Louvre, and a Master’s in Finance from the Institut Supérieur du Commerce in Paris – an academic blend that underpins her dual expertise in art and strategy.
