Biography
Tom Baxter joined Sotheby’s in August of 2020 and was initially based in the London office on New Bond Street. Prior to this, he held Senior Sommelier and Wine Buyer positions at two Michelin-starred restaurants: long-standing Michelin guide stalwart Pied-à-Terre, where he ran the beverage programme, and Brett Graham’s The Ledbury. His continuous interaction with discerning collectors on the restaurant floor and exposure to fine wine combined to facilitate an eventual (and perhaps inevitable) move to Sotheby’s. His particular passion for the wines of Burgundy, Champagne and Spain (his first love in the wine world) extends well beyond the offices and auction rooms of Sotheby’s.
Tom relocated to Hong Kong in March 2024 having spent two years in New York, where he was responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with private clients across the United States. From Sotheby’s headquarters in Asia, he relishes the opportunity to continue this work with clients across the region as Private Sales Manager for Sotheby’s Wine.
Aside from his wine acumen, Tom is a graduate of the University of Cambridge where he read Chinese Studies at Pembroke College and the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Foreign languages are a veritable passion of his and the desire to use them was in part what brought him to Sotheby’s – namely, Mandarin, French, Spanish and basic Cantonese (a work in progress).
Tom obtained the Certified qualification from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2019 and in 2021 passed the WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits.
