Steven Kolb, the chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), is stepping down from his role after leading the organization for two decades. His resignation comes just days after a video went viral showing him in a physical confrontation with two protesters from the animal rights group Peta at a runway show in New York.

In a formal statement released on Friday, Kolb expressed pride in his tenure and stated that he believes it is the appropriate time for both himself and the organization to move forward. While the statement did not explicitly link his departure to the viral incident, the timing of the announcement has drawn significant public attention due to the proximity of the two events. The CFDA is a prominent trade association in the fashion industry, and Kolb’s leadership has been a fixture in the organization for twenty years. Neither the CFDA nor Kolb has provided further details regarding the specific circumstances of the altercation or whether the incident directly influenced the decision to resign.