Bonhams announces the appointment of Philip Kantor in the newly created position of International Chairman for the Motoring department, with immediate effect.
In this new role, Philip will be working with Maarten Ten Holder, Managing Director, Bonhams Motoring, helping to set the agenda for the global motoring division as well as playing an ambassadorial role, including establishing an exclusive programme for top-tier clients across the various regions in which the auction house operates.
Philip Kantor, Bonhams International Chairman, Motoring
Since joining Bonhams Motoring department in 2007, Philip has overseen and launched successful motor cars sales on the continent, including introducing the Bonhams Paris Sale that same year. Philip later secured the city’s prestigious Grand Palais as a venue for the sale which has been the much-anticipated season-opener on the European motoring calendar. He also established the market-leading Zoute Sale in conjunction with the Zoute Grand Prix a decade ago.
A world citizen with an international (British-Austrian) background, speaking multiple languages, Philip has a Bachelor of Arts degree from University College, London. An early induction in auctions, developed at a young age growing up in a family of collectors, led Philip to join Christies in 2000, where he ensured the success of Retromobile’s first sale in the newly opened French market with the sale of the Lüscher Collection in 2002.
Philip’s highlight consignments for Bonhams include the ex-Froilan Gonzalez Ferrari 375 Plus, the Maserati Boomerang concept car – which he has successfully sold on three different occasions – and the Prym Mercedes-Benz 500K Spezial Roadster. Beyond his role with Bonhams, he is a judge at several world-class concours such as Amelia Island, Chantilly, Paleis Soestdijk, as well as president of the jury at Biarritz and Zoute.
His lifelong passion for cars, inherited from his father who collected Maseratis and Ferraris, has led to his own collection, which includes the 1960 Jaguar XK150 which had belonged to his mother and a 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA 1600 in which he has campaigned such rallies as the Tour Auto multiple times.
Commenting on the appointment, Maarten Ten Holder said: “With his wealth of experience and successes in the past and recent years, Philip is the ideal person for the job. Philip already engages on a regular basis with our most important clients and so this is not only a natural development for our business, but for him personally too.” More information
