Leena Nair

Leena Nair (née Menon; born 1969) is a British-Indian business executive who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Chanel. Nair was previously Unilever's chief human resource officer and a Unilever leadership executive member. 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.

Early life and education Leena Nair was born in India, into a Kerala-based family in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. She was a part of the first female cohort to graduate from the Holy Cross Convent High School, Kolhapur. She was the first woman in her family to pursue higher education. The gold medallist recognition awards the top 10 rank holders. She then worked at various factories located in Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Ambattur, and Taloja.

Career Unilever Nair joined Hindustan Unilever (HUL) as a summer intern and became a management trainee in 1992. At this time, she was the first woman to work the night shift on HUL's factory floor. 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." From 2012 to 2016, she was SVP of Leadership and Organization and Head of DEI. Simultaneously, from 2016 to 2021, she was a member of Unilever's Executive Committee. During her tenure, Nair desired to "build a global reputation for progressive human-centered leadership, delivering significant business impact." She assumed the role in January 2022. Throughout her first few months as CEO, Nair's philosophy was to "seek to understand before you seek to change." 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."

During Nair's tenure, Foundation Chanel has become the biggest investor in the "UK cultural landscape." Annual funding has increased by $80 million, from $20 to $100 million. and Nigel Higgins, the chairman of Barclays Bank, among her mentors.

Other responsibilities Non-Executive Board Member – BT plc Member of the Trust Board - Leverhulme Trust Leadership Council Member – International Centre for Research on Women (2019 – present) NED on the UK Government's department of Business, Energy and Industrial strategy (BEIS) (2018- 2020)

Recognitions Ranked 68th on Fortune 's list of Most Powerful Women in 2023 Top 10 list of FT HERoes Champions of Women in Business by the Financial Times (2017–2019) Thinkers50 List – Thinkers Who Will Shape the Future of Business (2019) 2021 HERoes in Business Women Role Model list 2025 CBE (Commanders of the Order of the British Empire)

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,