View from the Top: Bill Ruprecht, chief executive of Sotheby

excerpts from an interview by Deborah Brewster and Chrystia Freeland

Financial Times, July 18 2008

Bill Ruprecht took over as chief executive of Sotheby's in 2000, after the auction house had been plunged into crisis with the news that it and rival Christie's had colluded over prices. He succeeded Diana Brooks, who was found guilty along with Alfred Taubman, chairman and major shareholder.

In a video interview with FT.com, he discusses the continuing demand for fine art among the super rich, the growth of interest in Russian and Chinese art and the risks of seller guarantees.

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[Davis8800]

sad that you spend you're time poking fun of people that are infinitely more successful than you will ever be...

[jackal2071]

WTF is this apart from an insult to Bill!

[monki99]

DIE you are so rude you clearly have no idea what you are talking about sorry you work for a shit company

[stewarthome]

Glad to see you calling this idiot out. The art market is definitely gonna go down, remember 1992 - 60% drop in London art sales and one in four west end galleries closing - but looks like we can have an even better collapse this time! I haven't enjoyed following the news so much since 1974.