A leader, a lawyer, a designer, a scholar, a Tedx speaker and an educationist, Chandni Kapadia has diverse interests as reflected by her educational qualifications including a degree in Law, Fashion Merchandising from FIT, New York, and MBA from London School of Economics. Equipped with a PhD in Management, Kapadia in her role as Executive Director, GLS University, and Dean, GLS Institute of Design, takes care of the university’s international collaborations with different universities across the globe, including marketing and promotions. Striving to meet the changing needs of students, she has been able to establish collaborations with Ivy League universities like Harvard, Luiss Business School, CBU, New Castle, etc. Kapadia also plays a significant role in top management level decisions at GLS University.
From her adolescence, Kapadia has had a quest for learning. Her professional journey has been a testament to resilience, focus, and unwavering dedication. From leadership roles as the Country and Asia Pacific head for various luxury brands like Calvin Klein, Starbucks and other Marquee organizations like Debenhams PLC, Delta Trade, etc., Kapadia is now focused more on education and steering budding talents under her care at the GLS University.
Kapadia’s association with education has been for more than a decade. At GLS University, established under Gujarat Law Society, she was initially associated as a consultant for international and professional education before taking charge as the Chief Operating Officer. A multi-tasker, apart from her leadership role at GLS University, Kapadia is a practicing lawyer at Nanavati & Nanavati, Ahmedabad (India), and an independent brand consultant for various international brands, which continue to seek her expertise to establish their brand identity in India and in the region.
Cherishing fortuitous encounters with like-minded individuals, particularly women, she has worked as President of WICCI National Design Council and Rotary Club of Mumbai. She is also involved with other NGOs that advocate for empowering women. In her role of a transformational leader and an ardent advocate for women, Kapadia has deliberately chosen to work with and lead teams predominantly composed of women as she recognizes their exceptional dedication, kindness, and mutual support. She attributes her current success to standing her ground, voicing opinions, and making decisions despite criticisms—a mantra she shares in her empowering TEDx talks.
Kapadia has been accredited in the Forbes List of Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs of India as well as Forbes Women Power in 2022 and 2021. She has been named as one of the Asia’s most Trusted Leader 2022 by WCRC International and Women Leaders of India 2022 by the Economic Times & Femina and has also been honoured with other prestigious awards like the Times Women Icon by Times of India, Asia’s Most Trusted leader by WCRC International, Black Swan Award for Women Empowerment in support of UN Global Compact Network & Government of India, the World Women Leadership Congress Award by the Hillary Clinton Foundation, Leaders of Change 2021 Award by Economic Times and many more. At GLS, Kapadia has been conferred with “CEO of the Year” Award by Indian Achiever’s Forum and has received World Women Leadership Congress Award 2019 for her immense contribution to the fashion industry.
Despite achieving international recognition and receiving numerous awards for her contributions like the World Women Leadership, Kapadia says, “When I look back today, there is nothing that I probably wouldn’t do again. However, there are things that I would do in a different way.” Kapadia emphasizes the irreplaceable value of hard work, dedication, and unwavering determination, strongly asserting that success will inevitably follow those who dare to dream and persist.
