Auctionata | Paddle8 Strengthens Its Strategic Market Position Through Notable Hires

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Sep 14, 2016, 01:36 ET

NEW YORK, September 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New team members to build and strengthen the company's position in the fields of Post-War & Contemporary Art, Photography, Prints & Multiples, Pop Memorabilia, Single Owner Sales and Special Collections
Further geographic expansion in key US markets in California, Texas and Florida

Auctionata | Paddle8, the leading online auction platform for art and luxury goods, has greatly expanded its footprint in the United States and the UK. In order to grow in notable markets, the recently merged company has hired seasoned auction professionals, and assigned new roles to dedicated team members. Stefany Morris, Head of Fine Art remarks "The addition of such high-caliber and respected authorities in the art world to our already established international team of specialists, has served to strengthen our market position, grow the quality of our sales and reach new standards in the level of service we offer our collectors."

Laura Paterson and Stuart Alexander have joined the New York team as Senior Specialists and Co-Heads of the Photographs sales. Stuart has been an independent curator and photo historian for many years, and is a recognized expert on Brassaï and Robert Frank. He was a specialist in Christie's New York Photographs department from 2005 to 2015. Paterson was at Oxford's Ashmoleon Museum before joining Christie's as Specialist in 1994 until 2015, and most recently worked with Magnum Photos. Paterson and Alexander will further solidify Auctionata | Paddle8's expertise in this area, utilizing both the timed and livestream formats to develop this important franchise.

In order to leverage the company's existing strength in Single Owner Sales and to further develop its presence on the West Coast, Brent Lewis has been appointed Head of Single Owner Sales and Special Collections, based in Los Angeles. Lewis has more than 15 years of experience in the industry, and was instrumental in executing Wright's recent record-breaking Four Seasons Restaurant Sale as the Director of the auction house's New York saleroom. Lewis previously was Vice President and Specialist with Christie's 20th Century Design department in New York.

In addition, Maura Smith joins the company in November as Director of Business Development for the Southeast Region. Smith is an auction veteran who has built strong relationships with private collectors and institutions through her decade in business development with Christie's, acting as head of the auction house's Palm Beach office for the last 5 years. She will further grow Auctionata | Paddle8's presence in Palm Beach, Miami and Atlanta, as well as continue working with clients in New York and along the East Coast.

To further build on the success of Paddle8's sales of collectible memorabilia, including the auction of Kurt Cobain's credit card and the record-setting private sale of the Wu-Tang Clan album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, the company has appointed Dean Harmeyer as Head of Music & Entertainment. Harmeyer brings a tremendous depth of personal knowledge and professional expertise to the field from his previous career as an executive with both Universal Music and Sony Music, and was most recently a Music & Entertainment specialist at Heritage Auctions. Harmeyer also oversaw complex estate sales at Christie's, where he set a world auction record for the sale of Bob Dylan's electric guitar used at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

Furthermore, Auctionata | Paddle8 has named Tanya Grigoroglou, formerly Head of Print & Multiples Sales at Bonhams, UK, as head of the category's London-based sales. Grigoroglou is joined by Rebecca Lax, who leads the Print Sales in New York. Together, they are responsible for building the company's global Print Department, and working closely with established members of the trade, private clients and master printers to continue building the joint company's already prominent market-share in this field.

By uniting Paddle8's strengths in Contemporary Art and Pop Memorabilia, and Auctionata's expertise in the field of vintage luxury and livestream auctions, the recently merged company has become the destination of choice for the 21^st century collector. Under the leadership of newly appointed CEO Thomas Hesse, who has more than 20 years of experience in the management, development and digital transformation of companies in the television and media industry, Auctionata | Paddle8 and its strong team of specialists will drive the evolution from online auction house to curated live video network and global marketplace for art and luxury goods.

About Auctionata | Paddle8

Auctionata | Paddle8 is the global online leader in art and luxury collectibles. Through innovative livestream auction formats, charity auctions, private sales, and a curated online shop, the recently merged platforms offer a seamless online process to sell and purchase art, design, classic cars, watches, jewelry, wine and real estate. With around 800,000 registered users, Auctionata | Paddle8 is one of the ten biggest auction houses worldwide outside of China. The company has offices in Berlin, New York, London, Los Angeles, Rome, Zurich, and Madrid and is thus represented in the most important international markets.