HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s announced today the appointment of Adam Bilbey as Head of Sotheby’s Wine, Asia, replacing Robert Sleigh who will assume a new role in Sotheby’s Asia management team. Based in Hong Kong, Mr. Bilbey will lead Sotheby’s Wine, driving the company’s wine auction and retail businesses throughout Asia.

Jamie Ritchie, CEO & President of Sotheby’s Wine, Americas & Asia, said, “We are excited to appoint Adam Bilbey as Head of Sotheby’s Wine, Asia, where he will be responsible for continuing to grow our auction and retail businesses across the region. Adam has great experience in the Asian fine wine market and brings a proven track record in sales from his twelve years with Berry Bros & Rudd, most recently as Sales Director in Hong Kong. He has a passion for the fine wine business and we look forward to having him as part of the management team.

We would also like to thank Robert Sleigh for his exemplary management of our wine business in Asia over the last five years and congratulate him on his new role joining the overall management team of Sotheby’s Asia.”

Adam Bilbey has over fourteen years of experience working in the fine wine industry, and has previously worked in the UK, Australia and various locations in Asia, including Hong Kong and Japan. Prior to joining Sotheby’s, he was the Sales Director of Berry Brothers and Rudd, where he was responsible for driving sales and business growth in Hong Kong and Greater China.

Adam Bilbey, Head of Sotheby’s Wine, Asia, said, “I am incredibly excited to join Sotheby’s. We have an established team in place, and I am looking forward to working with them and using my experience to continue to grow our auction and retail businesses in Asia.”

Sotheby’s Wine specialises in offering fine and rare wines for current drinking, cellaring and investment at auction and retail. Tapping into the increasingly sophisticated and knowledgeable Asian wine market, Sotheby’s Wine hosted its inaugural auction in Hong Kong in 2009 and the auction business has enjoyed tremendous success selling HK$1.4 billion (US$184 million) since then. In 2014, Sotheby’s was the wine auction market leader with global annual sales of HK$509.3 million / US$65.3 million. Also in 2014, Sotheby’s Wine launched its first retail business in Asia, with a wine space and website based at Sotheby’s Hong Kong headquarters at One Pacific Place.