UK designer Daniel Lee succeeds Riccardo Tisci at Burberry - who is he, why has CFO Julie Brown stepped down?

After five years at the helm, Riccardo Tisci makes way for a new Burberry Chief Creative Officer - Bradford’s Daniel Lee.

In 2016, fashion CEO Marco Gobetti, took over Burberry, in aim of redeveloping the brand’s narrative and re-energising the company’s luxury status.

When Gobetti stepped down in the summer of 2021, shares in Burberry immediately fell by 8.7% and the company would plunge into a period of uncertainty.

Riccardo Tisci - who worked with Gobettii at Givenchy and Burberry - has followed the CEO out the door, a year later than expected.

In hopes of bringing much-needed change to the luxury fashion house, new CEO and former Gianni Versace boss Jonathan Akeroyd replaced Tisci with up-and-coming, Bradford-born designer, Daniel Lee.

Another Gobbetti appointment, Julia Brown, will also be stepping down from her position as Chief Financial Officer to fulfil a role outside of the luxury industry.

Who is Daniel Lee?

Daniel Lee was born in 1986, in Bradford.

When the 36-year-old was still studying at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, he started interning at brands such as Maison Margiela and Balenciaga.

After graduating, Lee joined French ready-to-wear brand Celine, as part of the design team. However, it wasn’t until he joined Bottega Veneta in 2018 that he really made his name.

Tasked with revamping the ready-to-wear collection, Lee doubled down on Veneta’s historic brand codes and reinforced the Italian fashion house’s elegant and luxurious style.

In 2021, Lee parted ways with Veneta and left his post as Creative Director. A year later, he was announced as the new Chief Creative Officer of Burberry.

“I am honoured to join Burberry as Chief Creative Officer,” he said.

“Together with the team, we will write the exciting next chapter for this legendary British luxury brand, continuing its historic heritage and building on Riccardo’s legacy.”

Lee will unveil his first collection at London fashion week, in February 2023.

Who is Julie Brown and why has she stepped down?

Julie Brown’s career started in the pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca, in 1987, where she rose to Interim Chief Financial Officer, a position Brown held for 25 years.

In 2017, Brown joined Burberry as Chief Financial Officer, and directed the company through the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of Brexit.

In September 2022, Burberry announced that Brown will be stepping down next year to return to the pharmaceutical industry, becoming GSK’s first female CFO.

Outside of fashion and pharmaceuticals, Brown has worked on the Business Advisory Board for the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Business Council earlier this year.