Son takes over from father at Panaz

Entrepreneur Tony Attard has announced that his son, Rollie Attard, is to replace him as chief executive of Panaz, the successful contract fabric manufacturer.

Tony, who founded the Burnley-based company 37 years ago, will now become chairman of the growing number of companies under Panaz Holdings, which includes Panaz Ltd, ESF Ltd and Chase Erwin Ltd.

Rollie joined Panaz in 2015 as the east coast regional sales manager for the USA, before returning to Panaz’s UK headquarters in 2018 as chief operations officer. He is credited with playing an integral role in accelerating the company's growth throughout the hospitality, healthcare and corporate sectors across Europe and America.

He holds undergraduate degree in Financial Economics from Leeds University and a Masters in Management from London Business School. He has extensive experience in sales and marketing management following roles at Gousto and Amazon. 

Rollie said: “My father founded Panaz based on a culture of innovation and with a commitment to designing and supplying a complete range of beautiful and fire retardant contract fabrics that set the standard for both aesthetics and performance.

“This dedication continues to be reflected throughout all areas of the business as we work together to push the boundaries and expectations of contract fabric capabilities. I look forward to driving this even further as chief executive officer and carrying on my father’s legacy.”

Tony is a former president of the British Contract Furnishings Association and has been honoured by the Queen for his contribution to design.

He said: “Since I founded the business in 1987, Panaz has grown from just a handful of people to now being a stronghold of global designers and suppliers that achieve design excellence and differentiation through technical innovation. I am extremely proud of everything that we have achieved over the last 35 years and I look forward to seeing how the business grows with Rollie at the helm.”