Speakers

Paula is a dual qualified (US and English) lawyer with over 35 years of experience focusing almost entirely on luxury/premium brands and retail. She is presently General Counsel of Manzanita Capital, the owner of iconic brands including Diptyque, Byredo, Space NK, Malin + Goetz and Susanne Kaufmann, where she heads the legal team responsible for acquisitions and legal support for the investee companies. Manzanita is the investment fund in Europe for the San Francisco based Fisher family, founders of Gap, Inc. Paula has worked for and with the family for 30 years, first as Associate General Counsel of Gap and latterly as outside counsel for Manzanita and its portfolio companies when she was a partner in two international law firms based in London, and more recently since she became General Counsel of Manzanita in 2017. Her international experience covers all corners of the globe but she brings an American perspective to the table in all matters. Paula lives in London where Manzanita is based. Manzanita’s investment focus is on beauty and retail, with a strong preference for scalable brands that have growth opportunities internationally where Manzanita can add value.