Exclusive: Berry Bros. chief executive Emma Fox to step down
Berry Bros. & Rudd chief executive Emma Fox will leave the business later this summer after six years leading the historic wine and spirits merchant. The company has appointed chief financial officer Emily Rae and UK managing director Rob Symington as co-chief executives as it prepares for its next phase of international growth.
Berry Bros. & Rudd has announced that chief executive Emma Fox will step down later this summer, bringing to a close a six-year tenure marked by international expansion and digital transformation.
The company said current chief financial officer Emily Rae and UK managing director Rob Symington will move into newly created co-chief executive roles, reporting to chair Lizzy Rudd.
Fox said: “It has been my passion and privilege to lead the team at Berry Bros. & Rudd, and I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together over the past six years.
“With this superbly talented team in place, now is the right time to begin my next chapter as I move into a portfolio career, and I am excited to see where Lizzy, Emily, Rob, and the wider team take this extraordinary business in the future.”
Expansion beyond Britain
During Fox’s leadership, Berry Bros. & Rudd accelerated its international ambitions, most notably with its launch into the United States, as previously reported by the drinks business.
In November 2025, the merchant opened a flagship retail space in Washington DC alongside a dedicated US website and private client service. The move marked the company’s first permanent retail presence in the American market after more than three centuries of trading from St James’s in London.
At the time, Fox described the launch as “an exciting new chapter” and pointed to longstanding ties between the business and American consumers.
The US expansion formed part of a broader international strategy that also included further development across Asia under the leadership of Jamie Ritchie.
Chair praises Fox’s contribution
Rudd credited Fox with helping modernise the business while guiding its international growth.
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She said, “Emma has made a tremendous impact during her time as CEO. She has been instrumental in our international expansion into the US market, our digital transformation and in driving our culture and engaging colleagues.
“She will be greatly missed by our entire team of colleagues and partners, and I personally want to thank Emma for her dedication, commitment and contribution during the past six years.”
Co-chief executives take charge
In a joint statement, Rae and Symington acknowledged the difficult conditions facing the wider wine and spirits sector while expressing confidence about the company’s future direction.
“We are honoured to lead the business into its next chapter, building on the foundations Emma has put in place,” they said.
“Our sector is facing challenging market conditions, and the world around us is changing fast, but this creates real opportunity for businesses prepared to adapt with confidence and imagination.
“Most of all, we want Berry Bros. & Rudd to be a business people are proud to work for, delighted to buy from and, occasionally, the reason they open something far too good on a Tuesday night.”
Navigating changing markets
The leadership change arrives during a period of adjustment for the fine wine trade, with many merchants responding to softer demand and shifting consumer behaviour.
As previously reported by the drinks business, Berry Bros. & Rudd undertook staff reductions in 2025 during what it described at the time as “challenging market conditions”, even as it continued to pursue international opportunities.
Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd remains Britain’s oldest fine wine and spirits merchant and continues to operate from its historic headquarters at No.3 St James’s Street in London.
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