Christie's
Philanthropic Leadership Award; Represented by Marc Porter, Chairman of Christie's Americas
When the final gavel fell last May, Christie’s sale of the Peggy and David Rockefeller Collection had raised $833 million and had broken the record for charitable auctions by nearly a factor of two. Led by Marc Porter, Chairman of Christie’s Americas, the complex, global campaign to sell one of the world’s largest private collections demonstrated Christie’s leadership in facilitating philanthropy.
Founded by James Christie in 1766, Christie’s is the oldest fine-art auction house in the world, renowned for extraordinary art and unparalleled service, expertise and global reach. It has conducted the most-celebrated auctions and currently offers around 350 auctions a year in more than 80 categories, as well as private sales for its clients. Christie’s has a presence in 46 countries and is expanding in high-growth Asian markets, like China and India. Hong Kong and Shanghai are home to two of Christie’s 10 salesrooms worldwide.
The growing importance of collectors in Asia – as well as Los Angeles – was evident in the sale of the Rockefeller Collection. Christie’s toured select items to six cities, half of them Asian: Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Los Angeles was the only U.S. city that got a preview before Christie’s installed a landmark exhibition of the collection – visited by 30,000 people – at New York’s Rockefeller Center.
Marc’s leadership in that sale represents the best of Christie’s, from art expertise to developing trusted relationships with major collectors and stewarding their collections for the maximum benefit to charitable organizations. David Rockefeller Jr. praised the Christie’s team for the “deep care and attention they took in presenting our parents’ collection to the world.”
Over his 25 years at Christie’s, Marc has contributed to key areas of the global art business. He created Christie’s first online sales on behalf of the Elizabeth Taylor and Andy Warhol estates. Christie’s Online has become one of the auction house’s three primary sales channels. In the restitution field, Marc has led Christie’s efforts in its groundbreaking acknowledgment of matters regarding World War II-period art theft and destruction, as well as national patrimony issues. Marc was previously International Head of Private Sales, leading some of Christie’s most important transactions, for artists from Rembrandt to Eakins.
Marc earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences, a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School and a law degree from Yale. He serves on the boards of the New York Botanical Garden and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art American Friends.