Jennifer Hyman

Jennifer Hyman is an entrepreneur and business leader who pioneered the fashion rental model and championed sustainable, mission-driven enterprise. As Co-Founder and former CEO of Rent the Runway, she built the company from a Harvard Business School concept into a publicly traded business valued at over one billion dollars, serving 11 million members and achieving profitability in 2025. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Estée Lauder Companies and Zalando, and is a Founding Member of the NYSE Board Advisory Council promoting board diversity. Now incoming CEO of Babylist, she continues her commitment to supporting women through transformative business models. Jennifer equips audiences with practical strategies for building resilient, values-driven companies, sharing candid insights on scaling through uncertainty, leading with purpose, and creating lasting social impact alongside commercial success.

After 17 years of building Rent the Runway from a Harvard Business School concept into a publicly traded company that achieved profitability in 2025, Jennifer Hyman stepped down as Chief Executive Officer in May 2026 and will join Babylist as CEO in September 2026. Her decision to lead the $750 million baby registry and parenting platform marks a new chapter in her mission to help women accomplish everything they want to achieve, this time supporting them through one of life's most transformative journeys. At Rent the Runway, she co-founded and scaled a business that served 11 million members and pioneered a new model of dynamic ownership, enabling millions of women to access designer fashion through rental and creating a more sustainable, inclusive, and practical way to get dressed.

Jennifer co-founded Rent the Runway in 2009, building the business to a valuation of over one billion dollars, a milestone fewer than 20 women-owned companies in the United States have ever achieved. She scaled the business to serve millions whilst nine months pregnant, demonstrating the resilience and determination that define her leadership. Beyond commercial success, Jennifer became a vocal advocate for workplace equality, equalising benefits for salaried and hourly workers within her own company and championing the responsibility of business leaders to act as moral leaders. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Estée Lauder Companies and Zalando, and is a Founding Member of the NYSE Board Advisory Council, which promotes increased board diversity. Her commitment to sustainability and gender equality has positioned her as a leading voice in the movement towards a more eco-friendly and equitable fashion ecosystem, and now she applies this same values-driven approach to supporting families through Babylist.

Jennifer equips audiences with the mindset and strategies to build mission-driven businesses that create lasting social impact. Drawing on her experience navigating fierce competition, scaling through uncertainty, and maintaining belief in a bold vision, she offers practical insights on resilience, innovation, and leadership. She speaks candidly about the realities of entrepreneurship, including managing burnout, staying grounded under pressure, and ensuring that growth never comes at the expense of values. Audiences leave inspired not only to challenge outdated systems but to lead with purpose, build inclusive cultures, and create businesses that serve both profit and people. Her story is a powerful reminder that the most transformative ideas often begin with a simple observation and the courage to reimagine what's possible.