LONDON – Ralph Toledano has stepped down as chairman of Victoria Beckham Ltd. after eight years and said that while he will always remain close to the designer, the time had come to move on.

“Technically, I’m retiring but in reality it’s the start of a new chapter for me, and my mind is still working 24/7,” said Toledano, who had served as chairman since 2018, and was active in building the brand alongside David Belhassen of Neo Investment Partners, which holds a substantial minority stake.

In an interview, Toledano said his new phase will be about indulging two of his favorite things — “learning and transmitting.”

He’ll be devoting himself to reading, writing and mentoring fashion and creative talent. He said he wants to read about every country in Europe, and look closely at its history, and evolution. He also wants to do an in-depth study of different religions.

“I want to read in a different way, take my time and ask, “What does this actually mean?’ Reading about history has been my dream,” said Toledano, who said the shelves in his home are heaving with weighty books that have been neglected for too long.

He also plans to put his thoughts down on paper, and “write without constraint, leaving a legacy and transmitting my values to my family and my grandchildren.”

Toledano will continue to mentor fashion talent, and help people to grow in their careers. He still considers himself to be a “creative team coach.”

Toledano will also be stepping aside from Neo, where he became a partner shortly after taking on the chairman’s role at Victoria Beckham. He said he was “very serene” about his decision, and that the brand is in fine shape.  

“The results are good, the roadmap is clear and there is great leadership,” said Toledano, who was Victoria Beckham’s first major management hire after the company received a 30 million pound investment from Neo in 2017.

Toledano was Victoria’s personal choice for the role.

In 2018, Beckham said she tapped Toledano for his “unrivaled industry experience. Since I founded the company 10 years ago, I have always looked to bring on board the best people to help me deliver my vision.”

As reported last month, group sales, which include fashion and beauty, grew 19 percent to more than $170 million in 2025 while core operating profit was more than four times higher than in the previous year. Beauty, leather goods, dresses and denim have been the main drivers behind sales.

Victoria Beckham Ltd. is close to achieving a 10 percent EBITDA margin for the first time, and both fashion and beauty are profitable, according to Belhassen, founder of Neo. Full company results will be announced later this year.

Belhassen said he sees the brand eventually reaching $1 billion in revenue, fueled by fast-growing categories such as leather goods and beauty, and by retail and wholesale expansion.

It’s a pivotal time for Toledano, an industry veteran and the former president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.

In January he was promoted to Officer of the Legion of Honor in France’s New Year’s Honors. He became a Knight in 2003.

Before joining Victoria Beckham, Toledano served as president of Puig Group’s fashion division and has run companies including Karl Lagerfeld, Guy Laroche and Chloé, where he named Phoebe Philo artistic director following Stella McCartney’s exit. He has also served as chairman of St. John.

He served as president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode from 2014 to 2022, having succeeded Didier Grumbach..