British Fashion Council appoints Pavita Cooper as incoming Chair

The British Fashion Council has appointed Pavita Cooper as Chair from 1 October 2026, with Caroline Issa taking the newly created position of Deputy Chair.

Cooper will succeed David Pemsel, who steps down on 30 September after 10 years on the BFC board, including the past four as Chair. 

An experienced Chair and cross-sector adviser, Cooper has held senior executive roles at Lloyds Banking Group and Christie’s, and has served on the board of The King’s Trust.

In her new role, she will be focused on strengthening the BFC’s relationships with government and policymakers, developing its fundraising capability and promoting fashion’s contribution to UK economic and cultural growth.

Cooper said: “I am honoured to take on the role of Chair of the British Fashion Council. My priority will be to champion fashion as an important driver of UK growth and help strengthen the environment in which British designers, entrepreneurs and businesses can start, scale and compete globally.”

She said she looks forward to working with Chief Executive Laura Weir, the BFC team and its board, while thanking Pemsel for his service to the organisation and fashion industry.

Weir said Cooper’s understanding of government and policy would complement the board as the organisation delivers its BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth strategy, which launched in July. 

The strategy positions the BFC as a business accelerator and sets a goal of lifting gross annual revenue by 38% to £18 million by 2030. In the 2024-25 financial year, the organisation reported £14 million in revenue.

Caroline Issa becomes Deputy Chair

Caroline Issa, who was already on the BFC board, will move into the Deputy Chair position, a newly created role to support the BFC’s commitment to representing its designer community.

“Alongside Caroline Issa as Deputy Chair, who brings her deep industry expertise and close connections to the fashion community, we have a combination of insight, influence and industry experience to help the BFC team deliver for British fashion,” Weir said.

Pemsel prepares to leave after London Fashion Week

Pemsel joined the BFC as a Non-Executive Director in 2016 and became Chair in 2022. His departure, announced in August, will follow the SS27 edition of London Fashion Week, which runs from 17 to 21 September.

The transition comes as the BFC runs its Fashion Britain programme, which covers seven UK cities in September, with more than 1,000 events and over 100 designer members involved.

In London, the BFC is partnering with Westfield for a new programme of events, including immersive listening rooms, designer retail pop-ups and live events featuring celebrated British designers Tolu Coker, Priya Ahluwalia and Charles Jeffrey.