Céline Assimon, the former chief executive officer of De Beers Jewellers, has been appointed chief commercial officer at Bonhams, the international auction house headquartered on New Bond Street, WWD has learned.
Her appointment was confirmed in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday morning.
“Excited to share that I have joined Bonhams as chief commercial officer. I am privileged to be a part of this international auction house, which was established in 1793 in London, and I look forward to contributing to its rich legacy. A big thank you to Chabi Priscilla Nouri and Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard for their [Nouri and Hoejsgaard] trust,” Assimon said in a post.
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the four original Georgian London auction houses. It is owned by Epiris, the U.K.-based private equity company, and has 14 salerooms across the globe, selling items in more than 60 collecting categories.
Assimon joined De Beers in 2020 and left at the end of February.
As reported, De Beers wished her “the very best for all future endeavors,” and said a search is underway to recruit a successor.
The company said Assimon “successfully repositioned De Beers Jewellers as a design-led luxury brand through the expansion of our creative product portfolio in core collections and high jewelery.”
It added that Assimon “built the jeweler’s global brand presence through relationships with market leading partners and laid the groundwork for the launch of its Rue de la Paix flagship store in Paris later this year.”
The brand is set to open the flagship in the fourth quarter in a building that has recently been renovated.
De Beers also credited Assimon with revamping the look and feel of the brand.
“Over the course of nearly five years, I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as the custodian of De Beers Jewellers,” said Assimon, adding that she was particularly proud of the rebranding and upcoming ad campaign.
“Collaborating with my team to research and articulate its distinctive DNA has been a remarkable adventure. The blend of African heritage with a touch of London sophistication resonates deeply,” she added.
