PHILADELPHIA – June 4, 2026 – True, the premier global executive talent platform powered by data, AI, and deep sector expertise, announced the appointment of Ashley Mills as Partner and Switzerland Regional Lead. Based in Zurich, he will spearhead the firm’s Swiss market entry and anchor its consumer, apparel and luxury capability across EMEA, bringing nearly two decades of senior executive search expertise spanning luxury, travel, hospitality, and leisure. He will partner with True’s global apparel and luxury leaders, including Shella Abe, Kristyna Smetanova and Linsay Trueman, to build a premium cross-sector offering for multinationals, private equity-backed businesses, and founder-led companies across the region.
Ashley joins from Korn Ferry, where he spent 13 years leading executive search and leadership advisory work across EMEA. He most recently led the firm’s EMEA Corporate Officers Practice, having previously scaled its Consumer Market Practice across the region. During that time, he advised clients on executive hiring, succession planning, leadership assessment and organizational design across multiple sectors and geographies.
“Ashley understands where the consumer market is moving globally and why Switzerland is becoming increasingly important within that shift,” said Sam McGrath, GM, Global Search at True. “Luxury and hospitality businesses today are operating in a far more complex environment than they were even a few years ago. Customer expectations are changing quickly, wellness and experience are becoming more central to brand strategy, and many companies are balancing global expansion with pressure to remain highly differentiated. Ashley has spent years advising leadership teams through those challenges across international markets. He brings a sophisticated understanding of the sector and a highly credible presence in one of Europe’s most influential business hubs.”
Fluent in French and having lived and worked in London, Paris, Geneva, Zurich and Dubai, Ashley brings a genuinely international perspective to his client work and leadership approach. He partners closely with boards, CEOs and senior leadership teams on critical appointments, particularly during periods of growth, transformation and expansion.
“Traditional search firms still tend to operate within rigid sector and geographic boundaries, but the companies creating the most value today are increasingly operating at the intersection of industries,” said Ashley Mills. “What stood out to me about True was how differently the firm thinks about leadership and the future of consumer. Conversations with the team made it clear that True understands where markets are heading, particularly where luxury intersects with technology, hospitality, healthcare and longevity. That perspective feels highly relevant to Switzerland, which naturally brings together global enterprise, innovation and investment in a way few markets do.”
Ashley holds an executive MBA from HULT International Business School.
ABOUT TRUE
True is the premier global talent management platform clients turn to for their most pressing talent needs. True is powered by the industry’s most comprehensive and actionable talent intelligence, AI, and expert insight to strengthen every aspect of clients’ leadership strategy and drive lasting impact. Products and services include True Search for executive recruiting with TrueBridge for fractional and interim placements; and True Talent Labs to strengthen leadership teams through coaching and assessment. Thrive, a modern Talent CRM, streamlines talent management, while SearchEssentials brings tech-enabled precision to hiring.
Jillian Ruggieri / Senior Director Communications
jillian.ruggieri@trueplatform.com