He will take up his new post in early 2017.
Rotter was worldwide co-Head of Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s in New York from 2008-2016.
“The Christie’s Post War and Contemporary Art team is the clear market leader,” he said. “I have long respected their innovative approach.”
Rotter is one of a number of high-ranking specialists who have recently left Sotheby’s including David Norman, the vice chairman of Sotheby’s Americas and co-chairman of their global Impressionist & Modern Art department, and Cheyenne Westphal who was Sotheby’s worldwide co-head of Contemporary art and is joining Phillips, also starting her new role in 2017.
Brett Gorvy, chairman and international head of Post-War and Contemporary art at Christie’s said: “We have long admired Alex's art expertise and his innate understanding of both clients’ needs and the art market in which we operate.”
As well as his role overseeing the contemporary art auctions at Sotheby's, Rotter also led the launch of S2, the auction house's gallery space and hub for private sales in 2011.
Rotter was educated at University of Vienna and grew up in a family of art dealers in Austria.
