Leena Nair is the Global CEO of Chanel, the iconic French luxury fashion house. She made history in January 2022 when she became Chanel’s first female and Indian-origin chief executive officer, marking a significant milestone for both the brand and diversity in luxury fashion leadership. Nair attended Holy Cross Convent High School in Kolhapur before pursuing higher studies at The New College, Kolhapur. She later completed her MBA, which launched her distinguished career in human resources and business leadership. Before joining Chanel, Nair spent three decades at Unilever, where she rose through the ranks to become the company’s first female and youngest-ever Chief Human Resources Officer. Her extensive experience in HR and organizational leadership positioned her uniquely for the transition to luxury fashion.

Nair assumed the CEO role with the philosophy to “seek to understand before you seek to change.” In her first year, she visited 25 countries to understand the brand’s global operations and culture. As an outsider to the fashion world, Nair is pioneering a different kind of leadership that celebrates compassion, empathy, and kindness. She believes in moving away from the traditional “superhero CEO” model toward more collaborative and inclusive leadership approaches.

Under Nair’s leadership, Chanel experienced strong growth in 2023, with revenues growing 16% year-on-year to $19.7 billion.  Queen Elizabeth II honored Leena Nair in 2017 for her contributions to business and diversity. She continues to be recognized as a trailblazer in both the corporate world and the luxury fashion industry. Nair is working to expand Chanel’s retail footprint while navigating the challenging luxury market environment. Her leadership represents a significant shift toward more inclusive and empathetic corporate governance in the traditionally exclusive luxury sector. Indiaspora is proud to have Leena Nair on our Business Leaders 2.0 List.