Strauss & Co, Johannesburg

Strauss and Co was established in 2008 by celebrated figures in the business world, Mrs Elisabeth Bradley and Dr Conrad Strauss as well as art doyen Stephan Welz, with the purpose of placing auctioneering on a plane worthy of the best South Africa has to offer in both the fine and decorative arts. In March 2009 Strauss and Co held its highly successful inaugural auction selling over 87 percent of the lots on offer and turning over almost R 39 million. Shortly afterwards a Cape Town office was established and auctions have been held bi annually in both Johannesburg and Cape Town ever since.Early in 2016, Strauss and Co announced important appointments to its Board and team of art specialists bolstering the rock solid legacy of founding managing director, Stephan Welz, who passed away at the end of 2015. Frank Kilbourn has been appointed Executive Chairman of Strauss and Co. Kilbourn is well known and respected in business and the art world and brings with him substantial knowledge, experience and passion in both fields of enterprise. Kilbourn began his professional career in law, merchant banking and business in the 1990s. In 2002 he founded the Bright Group of companies.