Executors of Zaha Hadid’s will named

Former Arts Council chairman Peter Palumbo and artist Brian Clarke have been made executors of Zaha Hadid’s will, documents filed at Companies House show.

The pair along with Rana Hadid, the late architect’s niece, and practice principal Patrik Schumacher are all named as “persons with significant control” at Zaha Hadid Holdings.

A spokesman for the practice said: “I can confirm they are the executors of Zaha Hadid’s will. Aside to Patrik Schumacher, the executors do not offer advice nor have any involvement with the day-to-day activity of the office.”

Palumbo and Clarke were decades-long friends of Hadid who died at the end of March in the US from a heart attack.

An architecture patron, Palumbo was chair of the jury when Hadid picked up the 2004 Pritzker Prize and following her death said: “The world of culture has lost a standard-bearer for the art of architecture. Dame Zaha Hadid fought prejudice all her life with great success. And this, in addition to her genius as an architect, will secure her legacy for all time.”

Oldham-born Clarke has worked with a number of high-profile architects, including Norman Foster, Renzo Piano and Hadid, to create large-scale glass installations for buildings worldwide.

Rana Hadid, whose nationality is given as Lebanese on the Companies House documents, lives in Lebanon and is the daughter of Hadid’s oldest brother Haytham.

Zaha Hadid Holdings is the main business at Zaha Hadid and includes its architecture and product design subsidiaries.