The Executive Joins The British Fashion House During A Milestone Year For Founder Sir Paul Smith
Paul Smith has appointed Zia Zareem-Slade as managing director, further strengthening its leadership team as the independent British fashion house accelerates its commercial and digital transformation efforts.
Zareem-Slade joins from London fine jewelry brand Annoushka, where she served as chief executive officer and led initiatives across wholesale expansion, digital growth, and brand development. Her appointment comes during a pivotal period for Paul Smith, which is balancing succession planning, modernization, and international growth as founder Sir Paul Smith approaches his 80th birthday later this year.
The company said Zareem-Slade will focus on digital acceleration, commercial performance, and customer experience — areas that have become increasingly central as heritage luxury brands adapt to shifting consumer behaviors and evolving retail models.
“I’ve always believed that the best businesses are built on curiosity and originality. Zia gets that,” said Sir Paul Smith. “I’m looking forward to what we’ll do together.”
Zareem-Slade described Paul Smith as “one of the last truly independent British fashion houses,” emphasizing the importance of preserving the brand’s creative identity while strengthening its commercial capabilities.
“I am looking forward to working with the team to build on that foundation, and to accelerate what the brand can do digitally and commercially,” she said.
Her appointment continues a broader leadership reshaping underway at the company following the arrival of executive chairman Ewan Venters last year. Venters, formerly chief executive officer of Fortnum & Mason and Hauser & Wirth, has been instrumental in building a more structured management framework around the founder-led business.
Zareem-Slade’s background closely aligns with that strategy. Prior to Annoushka, she held senior leadership roles at Fortnum & Mason, where she oversaw customer experience and digital transformation during a period of sustained growth, including the expansion of key retail locations such as Heathrow Terminal 5 and St. Pancras International.
At Hauser & Wirth, she served as chief creative officer, leading global marketing, digital, editorial, and creative initiatives while also overseeing philanthropic projects including the Art for Better online auction supporting the UNHCR. Earlier in her career, she also held executive roles at Selfridges.
The appointment signals Paul Smith’s continued focus on evolving its business infrastructure while maintaining the independence and creative identity that have long defined the brand. Founded in 1970, the company remains one of the few globally recognized British fashion houses that is still independently owned.