In a curious move within the context of the shareholder activism swirling around Sotheby’s the company announced today the appointment of a new Chief Marketing Officer coming from a company nearly 30 times its size:

Sotheby’s today announced that Alfredo Gangotena, a veteran marketing executive with an accomplished record of creating, managing and promoting global brands, has been named Chief Marketing Officer of the Company.

Mr. Gangotena joins Sotheby’s from MasterCard Worldwide, where he most recently was the Chief Marketing Officer. During his tenure, MasterCard was the #1 global brand in terms of ranking growth from 2009-2013, according to Millward Brown BrandZ. Mr. Gangotena joined MasterCard in 2004 as General Manager for the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa Region, and was then appointed General Manager for Continental Europe and Global Products & Solutions lead for Europe.

Mr. Gangotena will serve as Sotheby’s brand steward and lead an integrated worldwide effort encompassing all the Company’s communications platforms. He will assume his duties early in 2014.