TTR Sotheby’s reshapes executive team

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, the firm that sells luxury real estate to the rich and famous in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, started off the last month of the year with leadership changes.

On Monday, the firm announced that Mark Lowham, its longtime CEO and managing partner, has transitioned to chairman. David DeSantis and Derrick Swaak, previously co-chief operating officers at TTR Sotheby’s, will take on new leadership roles. DeSantis will become CEO, while Swaak will be president and COO.

“The strategic leadership changes at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty reinforce the strength and longevity of the Sotheby’s network when combined with high-performing local ownership,” Jonathan Taylor, who founded the firm that became TTR Sotheby’s with Wallace Tutt in 1988, said in a statement. “Mark, David and Derrick are exactly the kind of leadership team we need as the firm advances its leadership in the luxury real estate sector.”

In his new position, Lowham will focus on strategic oversight, board engagement, growth partnerships and long-term value creation.

As CEO and managing partner since 2011, Lowham is credited with leading the firm through a tenfold increase in sales volume to nearly $6 billion in annual sales, according to a news release. He’s also led agent growth and expansion to markets including Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Lowham represented the seller of The Cliffs, a McLean home that went for $25.5 million to a mystery buyer in October 2024. He also sold his own McLean home in March for $6.15 million, down from the original listing price of $7.95 million.

“While I transition into this role, I remain deeply committed to driving value for our advisers, clients and the global Sotheby’s real estate network,” Lowham said in a statement. “I am proud to work closely with David and Derrick, confident in their ability to grow our market share while enhancing service.”

DeSantis, who became co-chief operating officer in 2023, joined TTR Sotheby’s as a partner and managing broker in 2007. He has a track record, according to the firm, of high-performance real-estate operations, agent development and using technology for growth. In his new position, DeSantis will lead day-to-day strategic execution and agent productivity initiatives while driving the firm’s growth targets.

As TTR Sotheby’s president and COO, Swaak will oversee operational discipline, process enhancements, marketing and adviser experience. He also joined TTR Sotheby’s in 2007 and became co-chief operating officer more than two years ago. In 2021, Swaak served as board president for the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, and in 2022, he was named NVAR Realtor of the Year.

TTR Sotheby’s is an independently owned and operated affiliate of the Sotheby’s International Realty network. It has nearly 550 advisers and 13 office locations.