Zia Zareem-Slade appointed Chief Executive Officer of Paul Smith

Paul Smith opens a new chapter in its history with the appointment of Zia Zareem-Slade as Chief Executive Officer. A recognised figure in premium retail and customer experience, she joins the British fashion house to work alongside Executive Chairman Euan Venters.

Paul Smith is changing direction. The British brand has just appointed Zia Zareem-Slade as Chief Executive Officer. Her appointment will take effect from May 2026. The business leader will work alongside Euan Venters, who has served as Executive Chairman of the House since 2024.

Together, the duo will notably oversee the brand’s strategy and international development. For the fiscal year ending 30 June 2025, Paul Smith reported results down 8% to £181 million, alongside a pre-tax loss of £17 million compared with £5.4 million in 2024.

A career spanning retail, customer experience and brand content

Zia Zareem-Slade joins Paul Smith with an especially strong background across the worlds of luxury, premium retail, and customer experience. Prior to this appointment, she spent two years as Managing Director of British jewellery house Annoushka, after serving for more than two years as Creative Director at Hauser & Wirth.

She also established herself within major British retailers, notably at Fortnum & Mason, where she spent nearly eight years as Customer Experience Director. Earlier in her career, she also held the role of Head of E-commerce at Selfridges, developing recognised expertise in brand strategy and high-end customer relations.

Her career has been shaped around the challenges of digital transformation and omnichannel strategy, now central issues within the fashion and luxury industries. As early as the 2000s, Zia Zareem-Slade was already working on e-commerce and customer journey strategies, notably at MFI UK LTD and later at EMC Consulting, where she advised major players such as Tesco.com and River Island.

Alongside her work in luxury, she has also served since 2020 as a non-executive director of Bold Tendencies Community Interest Company.

This dual expertise – combining creativity, strategy, and digital innovation – aligns with the new phase of development undertaken by Paul Smith, one of the last major independent British fashion houses.