Caroline Rush CBE to step down as CEO of British Fashion Council : The British Beauty Council
After an incredibly influential tenure, Rush is set to step down from her position as CEO of the British Fashion Council (BFC) in June 2025
In a statement on Thursday, the British Fashion Council said: ‘Rush is stepping down from her role at the BFC after what will be a 16-year tenure. Rush will continue to lead the organisation while the search for her successor begins as part of the governance of the not-for-profit.’
Caroline Rush was a driving force behind the formation of the British Beauty Council, her knowledge and expertise were vital in the early stages of the organisation. The British Beauty Council team would like to personally thank Rush for her ongoing support. She will continue to work with the Council as a member of its Advisory Board.
At BFC, Rush has been instrumental in supporting young talent, launching planet-first initiatives and increasing the influence of British fashion on the global stage.
Rush has also been key to the strengthening of London Fashion Week as a cultural platform, positioning it as one of the four main fashion weeks globally. This has only been reinforced by the increased activity surrounding this year’s event to celebrate 40 years of the celebration.
On top of spotlighting young talent at LFW, she was also behind the formation of the BFC Foundation which was created to support and secure the pipeline of talent to the global industry. The charity has awarded £4.3 million to support designers and their businesses since 2020.
David Pemsel, current Chair of the BFC is now tasked with finding a replacement. Rush’s boots are hard ones to fill though, Pensel said: ‘Caroline is a fantastic industry leader and has relentlessly championed British fashion globally for the past 15 years. During her tenure she has remained dynamic and agile whilst navigating some of the most challenging times for the industry.’
Throughout her tenure, Rush has guided fashion through unique structural challenges including Brexit and pushed for increased funding, representation and equity when the fashion industry needed it most.
On stepping down, Rush said: ‘I couldn’t be prouder of what we at the British Fashion Council have achieved and how we have adapted to constant innovation and change.
The resilience and creativity of our designers and industry is exceptional as we witnessed throughout London Fashion Week and I have huge respect for this dynamic community… Having built the organisation’s resources back to better than pre-pandemic levels, it is in a great position to continue its essential and incredibly important work with new leadership and a new chapter.’
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