Former senior VP at Burberry, Adrian Ward-Rees, has been named as the new CEO of US-based luxury fashion retailer Amiri.
The appointment will take effect from April 1. In his new role, Ward-Rees will be in charge of expanding and strengthening the brand’s global presence.
Prior to Burberry, Ward-Rees served at Dior Homme as managing director and at Speedo as the worldwide head of swim and apparel.
According to WWD, Amiri’s founder Mike Amiri said the CEO, who received his degree from the University of Surrey, has 30 years of expertise and experience in the fashion and luxury goods industries.
“Adrian has strong and holistic expertise in all facets of the business,” Amiri said. “His thoughtful insight within the luxury sector combined with a modern approach made him the best candidate to drive the continued growth at Amiri.”
Mike Amiri debuted his line in 2014 with a capsule collection at the luxury West Hollywood boutique Maxfield. OTB Group, the owner of Diesel, Maison Margiela, Jil Sander, and Viktor & Rolf, purchased a minority stake in the LA company in 2019.
As part of the brand’s effort to strengthen its presence in Asia, Amiri launched its first flagship store in Japan last year, soon after opening its first international location in Shanghai.