Mark Fraser

Mark Fraser joined Bonhams in 2011 as Chairman of its Australian operation.

Mark completed his education with a History degree (1981-84) at Pembroke College Cambridge. He then worked for a year as a researcher at the Public Records Office in Kew, and co-authored a book, Ashanti, on the British in Africa and the bloodless war with the tribe which provided the name of the book.

In 1984 he joined the Numismatics Department of an international auction house in London, as a specialist in coins and medals. Three years later he moved to Australia where he quickly found himself a job with the same company in Australia, this time pursuing another interest, Decorative Arts.

In 1988 he joined the Decorative Arts Department of another international auction house in Melbourne and two years later was appointed Director of Valuations. Adding another string to his bow he took on Paintings and by 1994 was Head of the Paintings Department which he ran until 2001.

Appointed Acting MD Australia in 2001 he became Managing Director shortly afterwards and worked in this capacity till 2007, building the local team up to a strength of 30 and expanding the business considerably.

In 2007, after 19 years, Mark left for a non-profit venture, the privately funded Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Australia's biggest private museum. In his capacity as its inaugural Museum Director, he managed a team of 200 people and worked on the museum design, museum brief, art acquisition and curatorial issues, guiding it through its development stage. It opened in January this year.

Mark is Melbourne based, has two children and spends what little spare time he gets pursuing his passion for the 18th Century Enlightenment.