Magnus Renfrew: Deputy Chairman, Asia and Director of Fine Arts, Asia.  Image courtesy of Bonhams

APPOINTMENT

Bonhams Appoints Magnus Renfrew as Deputy Chairman, Asia and Director of Fine Arts, Asia

LONDON—Bonhams has appointed  Magnus Renfrew as Deputy Chairman, Asia and Director of Fine Arts, Asia. According to Bonhams, Renfrew will be responsible for defining the strategy for Bonhams in Asia relating to the Fine Arts and will oversee the established departments of Classical, Modern and Contemporary Art in Asia. Renfrew will sit on the board of Bonhams Asia and will report directly to Malcolm Barber, Co Chairman of Bonhams Group and CEO Hong Kong Board.

Renfrew will join Bonhams in September following his role as Director Asia and Member of the Executive Committee of Art Basel where he was responsible for its Hong Kong edition and for the participation of galleries, collectors and the wider art community from Asia in Art Basel shows worldwide. A founding Fair Director of ART HK – Hong Kong International Art Fair , Renfrew oversaw its extraordinary development from its inception in 2008 through its acquisition by MCH Group (the parent company of Art Basel) in 2011 and its successful transition through its first two editions as Art Basel in Hong Kong in 2013 and 2014.

With almost years’ 20 experience in the international art world, there is great expectation that Renfrew will enhance the company’s growth in Asia. He was previously Head of Exhibitions for Pearl Lam’s Contrasts Gallery in Shanghai and prior to that an auction house specialist with Bonhams where he was instrumental in setting up their first sale of Contemporary Asian Art in London in June 2006.

About Magnus Renfrew and her new role as Director of Fine Arts, Asia

Renfrew holds a First Class MA (Hons) in Art History from the University of St Andrews and was awarded the OE Saunders Class Prize. He has been regularly recognized for his contribution by industry media and in 2012 he was listed alongside Art Basel directors Marc Spiegler and Annette Schönholzer at number 16 in the Art Review Power 100. In 2013 Renfrew was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

On the appointment, Renfrew comments, “I am excited to be returning to Bonhams to take up this new position and relish the opportunity to drive forward the business for the fastest growing auction house in the most rapidly developing art market in the world.”

Robert Brooks Co-Chairman of Bonhams comments, “We are delighted to welcome Magnus back to Bonhams in this newly created role. Magnus has an exceptional reputation and network within the international art world. He has played an instrumental role in the development of the art market in Asia over the past decade and we look forward to working with him to drive forward Bonhams’ business in Asia.”

Renfrew will operate from Bonhams brand new saleroom in Hong Kong on the 20^th floor of One Pacific Place, a setting that provides the most technically advanced permanent auction saleroom in the region and the first dedicated saleroom created by any auction house in Hong Kong.