Helen Shute to step down as Chief Executive of Rambert after nine years of transformative leadership

Rambert today announces that Helen Shute will step down as Chief Executive and Executive Producer after nearly a decade of leading the company. Over nine years, Helen has helped reimagine what a contemporary dance company can be, shaping another dynamic chapter in Rambert’s 100-year history. The Board has now begun an international search for Rambert’s next Chief Executive. Helen will oversee an orderly transition before becoming Chief Executive of English National Opera in November 2026.

Under the partnership between Helen and Rambert’s Artistic Director, Benoit Swan Pouffer, Rambert has developed bold new business models that have significantly expanded audience engagement. Together, they have broadened both the stories Rambert tells and who gets to tell them, placing diversity and representation firmly at the heart of its work while continuing its tradition of excellence. 

Helen has led a significant expansion of Rambert’s artistic and organisational reach. From major international collaborations with Manchester International Festival, Sadler’s Wells and The Royal Ballet, to a bold digital offer during the pandemic, she has driven a dynamic and far-reaching programme of work. Working closely with Benoit, she championed new commissions, including works streamed live from Rambert’s South Bank studios. Alongside this, she led the launch of Rambert Plus, the company’s trailblazing digital channel—now a thriving free and subscription platform connecting Rambert with audiences around the world.

Under her leadership, Rambert has prioritised talent development and access. She established Rambert2, an acclaimed ensemble for early-career dancers, which ran a successful pilot from 2018 to 2021. This, along with other opportunities for emerging artists, has helped shape a dynamic and diverse future for dance. Additionally, she launched Rambert Grades as a joint venture in partnership with Amanda Britton of Rambert School. Rambert Grades is an innovative and inclusive syllabus that unites professional practice and training and is now taught in more than 45 countries by over 700 accredited teachers. Rambert also launched Early Moves, a pioneering initiative that uses the Rambert Grades syllabus to help nursery children develop motor skills and school readiness, delivered with NHS Greater Manchester and the GMCA.

A defining feature of Helen’s tenure has been the development of a new artistic and commercial model, exemplified by Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby. With this production, Rambert became the first dance company to adapt major television intellectual property for the stage. It has achieved international success, including a current tour in China, and will be followed by It’s a Sin, premiering next year. 

Today Rambert stands as one of the most distinctive contemporary dance companies internationally, combining world-class artistic creation with pioneering work in digital performance, talent development and global education. As the company approaches its centenary, it continues to expand the reach of contemporary dance while nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences.

Dame Sue Street, Chair of Rambert’s Board, said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Helen for her exceptional leadership. Her vision, dedication and flair have strengthened every aspect of its work — artistic, organisational and commercial. Helen leaves Rambert thriving: a creative powerhouse that is bold, inclusive and forward-looking while honouring its roots and continuously advancing the rigour and excellence of contemporary dance. We will miss her deeply and the whole Board of trustees, together with Rafaël Biosse Duplan, my successor as Chair, wish her every success in the next stage of her career. Rambert now enters its centenary with extraordinary artistic momentum and a strong foundation for the next phase of its development.”

Benoit Swan Pouffer, Artistic Director, said: “Helen has been an extraordinary collaborator and partner during a period of significant growth and change. Together we’ve built a company that innovates, reaches new audiences and pushes the language of dance in exciting new directions. I have huge respect for her vision and dedication, and I’m grateful for the creative trust that has defined our partnership. I will miss her greatly but am committed to realising the vision we forged together for Rambert’s pioneering next steps.”

Helen Shute said: “It has been the privilege of my career to lead Rambert through such a bold and creative period. Together with Benoit and our remarkable teams, we’ve pushed the boundaries of what dance can do and who it can reach. Rambert will always hold a special place in my heart—it’s a company that reflects the world around us and speaks to audiences everywhere. As I begin my next chapter, I’m excited for Rambert’s future, because reinvention is where the company thrives and new voices will carry its spirit forward.”