A woman, an Asian, and an Indian; steering the timeless French luxury brand with panache
Leena Nair’s appointment as the CEO of Chanel marks a significant position in the crème de la crème of the world’s fashion history. As an Indian-origin woman, she is a rare outsider at the tightly controlled family fashion house, defying stereotypes and embodying the power of diversity and inclusivity in leadership roles.
With her appointment as the global CEO of the French luxury retailer in January 2022, Leena’s journey is an inspiring tale of success and recognition in the corporate realm. She is the second female boss in the 113-year history of Chanel, an iconic and admired company. Leena becomes the latest to join the list of Indians who have taken on challenging roles at the helm of global companies. She is also the second Indian-origin woman to become a global CEO, after former Pepsi Co. Chief Indira Nooyi.
Before joining Chanel, Leena Nair’s career was on a stellar growth curve at Unilever. She held the leadership position of Chief Human Resource Officer at Unilever, a global consumer-goods multinational. In 2016, she joined the Unilever leadership executive team, based in London, and added a milestone to her career growth by becoming the youngest and first woman and first Asian to be elevated as the CHRO. Her strategic acumen and transformative leadership played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s human resources function and fostering a progressive work culture. As chief HR officer at Unilever, she was awarded Global Indian of the Year at the Economic Times Prime Women Leadership Award 2020.
“Coco Chanel, the designer, exuded elegance, strength, and grace. The iconic Chanel logo with the 2 ‘C’s interlacing was created to reflect the founder’s name; it also stands for sophistication, luxury, elegance, and vision”
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in electronics and telecommunications engineering from Walchand College of Engineering in Maharashtra, she completed management studies at XLRI Jamshedpur, obtaining a gold medal for excellence, and joined HUL as a management trainee. Her determination and hunger to excel, prompted her to opt for unconventional postings. She was the first woman to be appointed as the factory personnel manager of Lipton India in 1993. In 2013, she took over as global head of diversity.
Throughout her illustrious career, Leena Nair has garnered well-deserved recognition for her exceptional contributions to the corporate world. Verve magazine recognized her as one of the 50 most influential women in India, highlighting her influence in shaping gender dynamics in business. Starting with the ‘Young Woman Achiever in Business Award’ from FICCI in 2008, she received acknowledgment for her outstanding achievements at a young age. The World Human Resource Development Congress crowned her ‘Human Resource Achiever of the Year’ in 2009 for transforming HR practices. Her professional growth was sharp, and she earned the role of senior vice president of HR at Unilever, responsible for leadership and organisational development. She earned recognition as an ‘Experienced HR Professional for 2010’ by NHRD and many other prestigious awards from associations and the media industry.
Leena Nair’s rise from Unilever to Chanel is a testament to her remarkable leadership and pioneering spirit. Leena Nair’s inspiring career growth is a reminder that determination, talent, and dedication can lead to unparalleled success, regardless of one’s ethnicity or gender.