Design writer Max Fraser has been named the new editorial director of Dezeen.

Fraser will start the position on 20 March 2023, a role that will see him oversee Dezeen's editorial, digital and partnerships teams, which are responsible for Dezeen's editorial output.

He will also join co-CEOs Benedict Hobson and Wai Shin Li on Dezeen's senior management team alongside founding director and board member Rupinder Bhogal.

Fraser's appointment follows the sudden death of Marcus Fairs, Dezeen's founder and former CEO and editor-in-chief, on 30 June 2022.

Fraser a "hugely talented and experienced design writer"

"Our search for an editorial director has been a lengthy and exhaustive process, with an extremely competitive field of candidates," said Hobson, Li and Bhogal.

"Max is a hugely talented and experienced design writer who really impressed us with the scope and ambition of his editorial ideas. We feel he will complement our existing team extremely well to ensure Dezeen continues to set the global agenda for architecture and design."

Fraser said: "I'm delighted to be joining Dezeen's senior leadership team as editorial director. I can remember when Dezeen was just a seed of an idea, which Marcus and his team rapidly nurtured to become the internationally influential media platform that it is today."

He added: "Following the tragic and unexpected death of Marcus, it is with great privilege, gratitude and humility that I join the rest of the talented Dezeen team to carry his legacy forward into the next chapter of this thriving venture."

Role at Dezeen the latest step in Fraser's 20-year career

Fraser has worked as a commentator in the design industry for more than 20 years.

He is the author of more than 10 books including the Design UK series, Designers on Design co-authored with Terence Conran, the London Design Guide series as well as monograph titles on Piet Hein Eek, Luca Nichetto and Benjamin Hubert.

In parallel, Fraser has worked internationally as a consultant delivering content and strategy for varied companies and institutions.

He was the deputy director of London Design Festival from 2012 to 2015 and has run his own small publishing imprint Spotlight Press since 2009.

Fraser has collaborated on various projects with Dezeen over the years, co-publishing Dezeen Book of Ideas in 2011, instigating the Brexit Design Manifesto in 2016, and judging Dezeen Awards several times.

Dezeen continues to seek sales director

Fraser's appointment as editorial director concludes a four-month recruitment process, which started on 1 November 2022 when Hobson and Li were announced as co-CEOs of Dezeen.

The company continues to seek a sales director to join Hobson, Li, Bhogal and Fraser on its senior management team.

The photography is by Mark Cocksedge.