ENO appoints Helen Shute as chief executive officer
English National Opera has named Helen Shute as its new Chief Executive Officer, with the current Rambert chief executive due to take up the role in November 2026.
Shute will also become Chief Executive of London Coliseum Limited, succeeding Jenny Mollica, who steps down in May after six years with the company.
She joins ENO from Rambert, where she has served as Chief Executive and Executive Producer since 2017. During her time there, she oversaw new commissions, major revivals and audience growth, and helped launch Rambert2 in partnership with Rambert School. Earlier in her career, she was Chief Operating Officer of film and television company House Productions and co-founded Hofesh Shechter Company.
Her appointment comes as ENO continues to develop its presence in Greater Manchester alongside its London season at the Coliseum, while also expanding its learning, participation and creative health work nationally.
Announcing the appointment, ENO Board Chair Louise Jeffreys described Shute as ‘an exceptional leader’ with ‘a deep commitment to broadening access to the arts’.
Shute said she was ‘delighted’ to be joining ENO at ‘such an exciting time in its extraordinary history’, adding that she looked forward to helping shape ‘an innovative new future for opera in Greater Manchester, London and worldwide’.