Auction house Phillips has named Alexis Vourvoulis (pictured) a senior specialist and vice president in its Los Angeles office.

In a statement, the auction house said it sees its jewelry department as an important area of growth for the company, and it’s also increasingly targeting its efforts in California.

Vourvoulis joins Phillips from rival auction house Bonhams, where she was a jewelry specialist, also based in Los Angeles. Before that, she was the owner of Paris-based Bijoux Society, which offered clients private sales, consulting services, and historic jewelry education. She also served as managing partner at the Worth Collection in Palm Beach, Fla., and was responsible for all sales and jewelry buying.

In her new role, she will report to Susan Abeles, another veteran of Bonhams who joined Phillips last year as head of jewelry for the Americas and senior international specialist.

“Alexis has a deep understanding of the jewelry market and a commitment to putting clients first,” Abeles said in a statement. “A well-respected expert in the industry having worked in Florida, California, New York, and Paris, she is passionate about estate jewelry, possesses extraordinary personal skills, and is actively working with a number of charitable organizations.”

Graeme Thompson, global head of jewelry at Phillips and another veteran of Bonhams, added in the same statement, “We are delighted to have Alexis join our team as we’re building a world-class jewelry department around the world. California is a key target for our development efforts, and I believe Alexis is perfectly positioned to increase our activities and visibility in the region. She will spend a great deal of time with collectors on the West Coast and throughout the Americas as we build on our strategy of engaging with clients across the globe so we can continue to grow our market share.”

(Image courtesy of Phillips)

Rob Bates

JCK News Director