Malcolm is a well-known character throughout the industry, with an unrivalled five-decade career that has seen him lead businesses, achieve world-firsts and world records, and conduct some of the most important auctions of fine art and classic motor cars across the globe. He is, without a doubt, one of the most recognized and highly respected personalities within the collector car market. His career began when he joined Sotheby's in 1970, after which he joined the Car department in 1975 and, in 1980, was appointed Department Director and assumed the roles of Head of the International Car Department and Managing Director of Operations at Sotheby's saleroom in Amsterdam. In 1995, Barber left Sotheby's to join Brooks Auctioneers as Group Managing Director, before becoming Managing Director of Bonhams in 2000. He was CEO of Bonhams and Butterfields USA from 2003, running the general and fine art auction business as well as motor cars in the USA, before returning to the UK in 2015 as Co-Chairman alongside Robert Brooks, and then CEO of Asia from 2020 to 2022.

Barber is a member of the Royal Automobile Club, a Freeman of the City of London, a member of the Automobile Club of Monaco, the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain, the Vintage Sportscar Club, and the Goodwood Aeroclub and has a collection of veteran, vintage, and classic cars which he enjoys regularly. Malcolm initiated Sotheby’s original sponsorship of the Royal Automobile Club’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and has personally participated in more than 37 Runs!