An Art Investment and Retail Fund
An Art Investment and Retail Fund
Ralph was until recently CEO and Managing Director of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and prior to that Managing Director of the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade). He was for many years a management consultant, initially with McKinsey and Company and later as a director of Pappas Carter Evans & Koop and a vice-president of the Boston Consultancy Group.
Ralph holds a Bachelor of Engineering from University of Sydney, and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University Graduate School of Business As Chairman, Ralph brings a wealth of experience to Australian Fine Art Management.
Bill is a lawyer with 35 years experience in the practise of the law. Since graduating from Monash University in 1971, Bill has practised in the areas of commercial law relating to property and transport and has extensive litigation experience in commercial and criminal law.
He has been admitted to practise in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Bill brings legal and ethical strengths to the Trust.
David has had more then 35 years' experience in accounting, stockbroking, banking and funds management both in Australia and the UK. After commencing in accounting in Melbourne, David spent 7 years in Sydney stockbroking prior to moving to London. After 6 years of banking with Natwest and Citibank in London David returned to Sydney with Citibank in 1980. In 1984 David was appointed HSBC's State Manager for Western Australia and then State Manager for Victoria.
Since 1990 he has been a principal and director of Baker & Weyhausen Pty Ltd (B&W), a company that has provided advice to foreign banks and companies operating in Australia. It has acted for European banks – BHF and Charterhouse, Nord LB and Bremers LB.
B&W was involved in the setup of the fi rst major Australian wind farm at Codrington in Victoria. B&W set up and managed the Victorian arm of Challenger International's commercial property fi nancing business (Howard Mortgage Trust) in Victoria for 5 years until 2003, culminating in annual transactions of AUD$A170 million being arranged in its final years.
Since 2003 B&W, through its associates, has continued to arrange commercial property financing.
David brings strong general management skills to the Trust.
Laurie is a Fellow of the Institute Chartered Accountants and he holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Member of the Institute of Management Consultants. He was a partner of HLB Mann Judd Chartered Accountants for 20 years, including 10 years as Managing Partner.
Since 1997 Laurie has operated his own Business Consultancy (The Hillcrest Group) specialising in strategic planning, business development, business valuations, mergers and acquisitions and litigation support.
He co-founded the Australian Art Investment Trust in 1997 and remains a Director and Secretary of the trustee of this Trust. He also holds a number of directorships and advisory board positions.
Laurie brings a wide range of knowledge and skills to The Art Trust, not only from his 10 years experience as a director of Australian Art Investment Pty Limited, but also in the areas of operational management, and financial management, strategic planning, strategy implementation and business development.