In 1987 Arden was appointed executive creative director. He has spent 14 years with the agency, handling accounts of British Airways, Anchor Butter, Toyota, Ryvita, Nivea, Trust House Forte, Alexon Group and Fuji among others. His British Airways campaigns continue to be remembered as one of the greatest advertising campaigns of all time, changing the fortunes of the airline.

"Arden was the ringmaster behind the whole creative circus that saw British Airways become 'The World's Favourite Airline', The Independent become the new intelligentsia's favourite newspaper, Margaret Thatcher the nation's favourite leader and Silk Cut their favourite fag." Dave Trott, The Independent

"Tempestuous advertising director who thought up memorable campaigns for Silk Cut, BA and The Independent" Times Online

Arden chose to leave Saatchi & Saatchi in 1992 but remained a key consultant for the agency until 1995.

Arden set up, with his daughter-in-law and her brother the company called Arden, Sutherland-Dodd, beginning a new career as a director of commercials. He also contributed a regular column to The Independent. Arden always had a strong interest in photography and in 2003 together with his wife Toni, they set up a gallery Arden & Anstruther, near their home at Petworth, West Sussex.

Paul Arden died on April 02 2008 after suffering a heart attack.

Paul Arden in his book "God Explained in a Taxi Ride" attempted to explain the meaning of life in 125 pages - he accepted that some would see the work as "a bit of fluff," but said that such critics had "tunnel vision" and that "the tunnel goes right up their arse", because being an ad-man, men whose work may well be that of the Beelzebub himself, he was, of course, the best qualified man to explain the secrets of life.