Sotheby’s India head Gaurav Bhatia quits after #MeToo allegations

By

Maverick Martins

Published
Jan 7, 2019

Auction house Sotheby’s' India head Gaurav Bhatia has resigned from the post of managing director following allegations of sexual misconduct.
 

Sotheby's had asked Bhatia to go on a leave of absence pending a probe into anonymous allegations of sexual misconduct in November. Bhatia officially put in his papers on December 20, 2018, after two years with the auction house.
 
“Sotheby’s managing director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20, 2018, after two years with the company, during which he had launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service,” Sotheby's said in a statement.

Bhatia added, “After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby’s future in India. I wish them the very best."
 
The #MeToo campaign against sexual harassment, which began in the United States’ entertainment industry, gained traction in India earlier this year after Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta accused a co-actor of sexually harassing her on a movie set a decade ago.
 
The movement has since spread with prominent journalists, film personalities, and executives being named.