WH Smith appoints Ziad El-Assad to lead US expansion
WH Smith has appointed Ziad El-Assad to the role of senior vice president of business development for its US business.
El-Assad will be responsible for expanding the retailer’s travel retail business within the country and will also be forming brand partnerships and establishing operating joint ventures.
Prior to WH Smith, El-Assad was vice president of business development for NewsLink Group.
Phil McNally, managing director of WH Smith International, said: “Since WH Smith’s acquisition of InMotion Entertainment in November 2018, we have been developing our plan to enter the US news and gifts travel market with the WH Smith brand.
“I am delighted that Ziad, with his many years of experience in the industry, has decided to join WH Smith at this very exciting time. The appointment of Ziad is a crucial step towards our goal of establishing a meaningful presence for the WH Smith brand in the US.”
WH Smith operates more than 1,400 stores in 32 countries.
