Sotheby's auction house says News Corp. executive James Murdoch is stepping down from its board.

In a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, the auctioneer said Murdoch had decided not to stand for re-election at Sotheby's May 8 annual meeting in order to focus on his role as News Corp.'s deputy chief operating officer.

Murdoch, he younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has been shedding posts to concentrate on his role in his father's television business.

Last month he quit as chairman of News International, News Corp.'s British newspaper division.

He has repeatedly denied knowing about widespread phone hacking at the now-shuttered News of the World tabloid, though his account has been contradicted by former associates.