Another personnel shift: On Monday, Derek Gillman, who headed the Barnes Foundation until 2013, when he unexpectedly stepped down to join the faculty of Drexel University, started a new job yesterday–at Christie’s in New York.
There, he is Chairman, Impressionist & Modern Art,  and senior vice president of The Americas unit of the auction house. The release said:
[he] will work very closely with Giovanna Bertazzoni, International Head of Impressionist & Modern Art and Brooke Lampley, International Director, Impressionist & Modern Art, and their team of specialists. Tapping his deep experience and wide network of relationships, Gillman will nurture client relationships and support business strategy around the world for the department. In this role, Gillman will report directly to Marc Porter, Chairman, Christie’s Americas.
Drexel always seemed a stopgap for Gillman, who taught museum leadership there–at least that is what he said at the time of his departure from the Barnes. Then, he also told the Philadelphia Inquirer:
The Barnes is really well-positioned for the future and I am excited about going back into higher education, where I have spent half of my career and where I can apply my experience in institution-building along with my long-standing academic interests.
But the word in the museum world was that Gillman’s fundraising prowess, or lack thereof, failed to please the Barnes board.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Drexel University