The invention relates to a valve drive for a gas exchange valve (4) of a prime mover or working machine, which comprises a magnetic rotor (12) that extends with a gas exchange valve (4) distal rotor section within a stator (1) provided with a current coil (18) so as to be longitudinally displaceable therein in such a manner that an end of the rotor (12) projecting from the stator (1) actuates the gas exchange valve (11) when the current coil (18) is excited. The rotor (12), in the area of the rotor section, is preferably configured as a vertically mobile rotor plate (11) having a flat side valve-type design, wherein individual magnetic elements (21) are aligned in a plurality of planes.