:Leena Nair

{{Infobox person

| name = Leena Nair

| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}

| image = Leena-Nair-Chief-HR-Officer_(cropped).jpg

| caption = Nair in 2022

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|06|11}}

| birth_place = Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India

| nationality = British{{cite web |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/leena-nair |title=Leena Nair |access-date=14 July 2023 |publisher=businessoffashion.com }}

| alma_mater = {{ubl|XLRI- Xavier School of Management|Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli}}

| occupation =

| title = CEO, Chanel

}}

Leena Nair (née Menon; born 1969) is a British-Indian{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/french-fashion-brand-chanel-global-ceo-leena-nair-unilever-1888002-2021-12-15 |website=India Today |title=Who is Leena Nair, the new CEO of Chanel|date=15 December 2021 }} business executive who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Chanel.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/leena-nair |title=Leena Nair |access-date=14 July 2023 |publisher=gov.uk }}{{Cite news|agency=PTI|date=2021-12-15|title=Chanel appoints Unilever executive Leena Nair as Global CEO|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/chanel-appoints-unilever-executive-leena-nair-as-ceo/article37957876.ece|access-date=2021-12-15|issn=0971-751X}} Nair was previously Unilever's chief human resource officer and a Unilever leadership executive member.{{Cite web|title=Leena Nair|url=https://www.unilever.com/our-company/our-leadership/leena-nair/|access-date=2021-12-12|website=Unilever|language=en-GB|archive-date=12 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212101642/https://www.unilever.com/our-company/our-leadership/leena-nair/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.peoplematters.in/article/rapid-fire/rapid-fire-with-unilevers-chro-leena-nair-22016|title=Rapid Fire with Unilever's CHRO, Leena Nair|last=Pant|first=Drishti|work=people matters|access-date=8 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.easterneye.biz/indian-origin-leena-nair-to-join-bt-board/|title=Indian origin Leena Nair to join BT Board|last=S|first=Radhakrishna N.|date=2019-06-29|website=EasternEye|access-date=2019-08-08}} Nair was responsible for the human capital of Unilever, which operates across multiple regulatory and labor environments spread over 190 countries. Nair is an advocate for human-centered workplaces and compassionate leadership.{{Cite web|last=Hougaard|first=Rasmus|title=How Unilever Develops Leaders To Be A Force For Good|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/rasmushougaard/2021/06/08/how-unilever-develops-leaders-to-be-a-force-for-good/|access-date=2021-12-12|website=Forbes|language=en}}

Early life and education

Nair was born to a Hindu Malayali family in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, on June 11, 1969.https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/indian-origin-ceos-leading-industries-across-the-world/manish-sharma/slideshow/89363480.cms&ved=2ahUKEwjvpOjX3pr_AhVyZ_EDHSXzCW0Qqb0CegQIABAj&usg=AOvVaw25vHxugbRHCnq3HsvK0RBX{{Dead link|date=September 2024}} She was a part of the first female cohort to graduate from Holy Cross Convent High School Kolhapur.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIJUgnykkOA&themeRefresh=1 |title=Leena Nair, Global CEO, Chanel |date=2024-10-24 |last=Stanford Graduate School of Business |access-date=2025-04-24 |via=YouTube}} Nair then became the first woman in her family to pursue higher education. After completing her bachelor's degree in electronics and telecommunication (E&TC) Engineering at Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli (Maharashtra), she graduated with her MBA from XLRI – Xavier School of Management as a gold medallist (1990–1992).{{Cite web |last=Prakash |first=Prarthana |title=How Chanel's Leena Nair went from fashion outsider to CEO |url=https://fortune.com/europe/2023/08/30/chanel-ceo-leena-nair-unilever-career/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=Fortune Europe |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-24 |title=CEO Leena Nair Shows that Hard Work is Always in Fashion - Key Executives |url=https://www.thekeyexecutives.com/2022/08/24/ceo-leena-nair-shows-that-hard-work-is-always-in-fashion/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |language=en-US}} The [https://ximb.edu.in/students/academic-awards-criteria/ gold medallist] recognition awards the top 10 rank holders.{{Cite web |last=XIMB |date=2020-03-31 |title=Academic Awards Criteria {{!}} Xavier Institute of Management |url=https://ximb.edu.in/students/academic-awards-criteria/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |language=en-US}} Apart from working in Jamshedpur, she also worked at three different factories in Kolkata, Ambattur, Tamil Nadu, and Taloja, Maharashtra.{{cite web|title=As good as it gets|date=21 November 2012 |url=http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/people-in-news-leena-nair-datawind-suneet-tuli-more/1/189918.html|publisher=business today|access-date=10 February 2013}}

Career

=Unilever=

Nair joined Hindustan Unilever (HUL) as a summer intern and became a management trainee in 1992.{{Cite Q|Q121886668|access-date=2023-08-27}} At this time, she was the first woman to work the night shift on HUL's factory floor. Nair then held multiple managerial roles at the "fast-paced, mass-production" company, such as factory manager for Indian brands, human resources (HR) lead, senior vice president (SVP) of leadership and organization, head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and chief human resources officer.

In 2007, Unilever appointed Nair the Executive Director and Vice President of HR, making her the first woman on the Unilever South Asia Leadership Team (SALT).{{Cite web |last=Nair |first=Leena |title=Leena Nair |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/details/experience/ |access-date=April 23, 2025 |website=LinkedIn}} In this role, she focused on two initiatives: performance culture and program launches. Nair "improved productivity levels by 33% in two years" and "implemented the Career by Choice programme, which helped women to re-join the workforce after a career break."

After twenty years at HUL, Nair moved to the global headquarters in London.The Wall Street Journal, "Chanel's Unexpected CEO Is Reinventing the Company," Aug 27, 2023 [https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/leena-nair-chanel-ceo-unilever-e2c2b697] From 2012 to 2016, she was SVP of Leadership and Organization and Head of DEI. In 2016, Nair became Unilever's "first female, first Asian, youngest ever" chief human resources officer.{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Marguerite |title=Chanel's incoming Global CEO, Leena Nair, could shake up the future of fashion |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chanel-new-ceo-leena-nair-could-shake-up-future-fashion-2021-12 |access-date=2022-01-02 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} Simultaneously, from 2016 to 2021, she was a member of Unilever's Executive Committee.{{Cite web |title=Leena Nair - Agenda Contributor |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/authors/leena-nair/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250124105051/https://www.weforum.org/stories/authors/leena-nair/ |archive-date=2025-01-24 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=World Economic Forum |language=en}} During her tenure, Nair desired to "build a global reputation for progressive human-centered leadership, delivering significant business impact." It began with her focus on Unilever's social commitments. First, Nair increased the percentage of female managers within the company from 38% to 50%; second, she assisted the company in committing to pay living wages to all workers across their supply chain by 2030; third, she helped Unilever achieve a 50/50 gender balance across global leadership and management roles.

= Chanel =

Despite having no prior fashion experience, Alain Wertheimer recruited her to Chanel. Nair became Chanel's first female and Indian-origin chief executive officer (CEO) in December 2021.{{Cite web|title=Indian-origin Leena Nair is new Chanel Global CEO|url=https://www.connectedtoindia.com/indian-origin-leena-nair-is-new-chanel-global-ceo-9636.html|access-date=15 December 2021|website=Connected to India|date=15 December 2021 }} She assumed the role in January 2022.[https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/leena-nair-chanel-ceo-unilever-e2c2b697?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1 "WSJ - Chanel's Unexpected CEO Is Reinventing the Company"] Throughout her first few months as CEO, Nair's philosophy was to "seek to understand before you seek to change." Thus, in her first year, she visited 25 regional offices, 40 manufacturing locations, heritage sites, over 100 company retail locations,{{Cite news |date=2023-01-12 |title=Leena Nair's 1st year in Chanel: Visited 25 regional offices, 40 manufacturing sites & 100 PoS |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/leena-nairs-1st-year-in-chanel-visited-25-regional-offices-40-manufacturing-sites-100-pos/articleshow/96935512.cms |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}} and every creation studio while familiarizing herself with key fashion leaders, including Chanel's creative director, Virginie Viard.

Under Nair's leadership, Chanel has three new themes: sustainability, exclusivity, and gender equality. In 2022, N°1 de Chanel, a sustainability-focused beauty range, launched to appeal to their "climate-conscious shoppers." The luxury brand is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Simultaneously, they have introduced private, invite-only boutiques to maintain their status and appeal to "ultra-wealthy shoppers." Lastly, Nair's continued commitment to gender equality in leadership has allowed women to hold 60% of Chanel's management positions.{{Cite magazine |last=Semuels |first=Alana |date=2024-02-21 |title=Chanel CEO Leena Nair Is Testing a World Run by Women |url=https://time.com/6691525/leena-nair-2/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}

During Nair's tenure, [https://www.fondationchanel.org/ Foundation Chanel] has become the biggest investor in the "UK cultural landscape."{{Cite web |title=Top UK business leaders, job creators and Post Office campaigners awarded New Year's Honours |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-uk-business-leaders-job-creators-and-post-office-campaigners-awarded-new-years-honours#:~:text=Leena%20Nair%20CBE,%20the%20Global,under%20her%20leadership%20and%20commitment. |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} Annual funding has increased by $80 million, from $20 to $100 million.

Nair counts Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo,{{Cite news|title=Indra Nooyi lauds Leena Nair's leadership skills, says it was an honour to see the next Chanel CEO grow|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/indra-nooyi-lauds-leena-nairs-leadership-skills-says-it-was-an-honour-to-see-the-next-chanel-ceo-grow/articleshow/88317783.cms|access-date=2022-01-02}}{{Cite web|title=Fashion house Chanel hires Indian-born Leena Nair as CEO|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fashion-house-chanel-hires-indian-born-leena-nair-ceo-n1286083|access-date=2022-01-02|website=NBC News|date=16 December 2021 |language=en}} and Nigel Higgins, the chairman of Barclays Bank, among her mentors.

=Other responsibilities=

Non-Executive Board Member – BT plc{{Cite web|title=Leena Nair - Board of directors - Group governance - Our company {{!}} BT Plc|url=https://www.bt.com/about/bt/our-board/leena-nair|access-date=2021-12-12|website=www.bt.com|language=en|archive-date=12 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212110507/https://www.bt.com/about/bt/our-board/leena-nair|url-status=dead}}
Member of the Trust Board - Leverhulme Trust{{Cite web|title=THE LEVERHULME TRUST - Charity 1159154|url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5053028/trustees|access-date=2021-12-12|website=register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk|language=en-GB}}
Leadership Council Member – International Centre for Research on Women (2019 – present){{Cite web|title=ICRW Leadership Council|url=https://www.icrw.org/icrw-leadership-council/|access-date=2021-12-12|website=ICRW {{!}} PASSION. PROOF. POWER.|language=en-US}}
NED on the UK Government's department of Business, Energy and Industrial strategy (BEIS) (2018- 2020){{Cite web|title=Leena Nair|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/leena-nair|access-date=2021-12-12|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}

= Recognitions =

Ranked 68th on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in 2023{{Cite web |title=Most Powerful Women |url=https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/ |access-date= |website=Fortune |language=en}}
Top 10 list of FT HERoes Champions of Women in Business by the Financial Times (2017–2019){{Cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Emma |last2=Fildes |first2=Nic |date=2017-09-27 |title=HERoes ranking: champions of women in business |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6ad9144c-93d4-11e7-a9e6-11d2f0ebb7f0 |access-date=2021-12-12 |work=Financial Times}}
Thinkers50 List – Thinkers Who Will Shape the Future of Business (2019){{Cite web|title=Leena Nair - Thinkers50|url=https://thinkers50.com/radar-2019/leena-nair/|access-date=2021-12-12|website=thinkers50.com|date=29 March 2019|language=en-US|archive-date=12 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212110512/https://thinkers50.com/radar-2019/leena-nair/|url-status=dead}}
2021 HERoes in Business Women Role Model list
The Great British Businesswoman's Role Model of the Year Award (2021)
Forbes India's W-Power list (2022)
WWD 50 Women in Power list (2023)
TIME's Women of the Year (2024){{Cite magazine |last=Semuels |first=Alana |date=2024-03-31 |title=Why Chanel CEO Leena Nair Is Leading With Compassion |url=https://time.com/6962053/leena-nair-chanel-interview/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}
2025 CBE (Commanders of the Order of the British Empire)
Awarded for her services to the retail and consumer sector

Personal life

Nair is the daughter of K. Karthikeyan and the cousin of industrialists Vijay Menon and Sachin Menon, who hail from Kerala. Their company, Menon Pistons, is part of the $70 million Menon Group. She is married to Kumar Nair, a financial services entrepreneur, and they have two sons.{{Cite magazine|title=How Unilever's Head of HR Sees The Future of Work|url=https://time.com/6049936/leena-nair-unilever-interview/|access-date=2021-12-12|magazine=Time|language=en}}