Assuming her role as CEO of Chanel in 2022, Leena Nair is the first Indian and first non-white person and only the second woman—after Coco herself—to head the French luxury brand in its 114-year history. But these triumphs are not the only things that make Nair a unique selection. Before joining Chanel, she had never worked in the fashion or luxury industries.
Nair built a 30-year career at Unilever, where she served as chief human resources officer—responsible for roughly 150,000 people across more than 100 countries. She headed the company’s diversity and inclusion agenda and a groundbreaking, successful initiative to attain a 50/50 gender balance in global leadership. Nair also made aggressive social commitments, such as implementing a living wage throughout the supply chain by 2030 and providing 10 million young people with essential skills by the same year. She started the Career by Choice program for Southeast Asia, supporting women who have stepped away from their careers to rejoin the workforce.
In her first year at Chanel, Nair saw a 17% increase in sales, consistent with other top luxury brands bouncing back from COVID-19. While Nair is undoubtedly an unconventional choice, her track record of generating significant business impact through human-led initiatives could indicate a shift in the brand’s priorities.
