Chanel appoints Leena Nair as its first Indian CEO

Leena Nair, the first female and youngest-ever Chief Human Resources Officer of Anglo-Dutch FMCG multinational Unilever, has stepped down to become the Global Chief Executive Officer of French luxury firm Chanel.
She was a member of Unilever's Leadership Executive (ULE), which is in charge of the company's business and financial success.

"Leena Nair, CHRO, has chosen to leave the firm in January 2022 to explore a new career opportunity as Global Chief Executive Officer, Chanel Ltd," Unilever announced in a statement.

Nair's professional career now spans almost 30 years. She joined Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) as a management trainee in 1992, after graduating with honours from the Xavier School of Management, one of India's premier business schools.

She was one of the few female factory workers at the time, and she was named factory personnel manager of Lipton (India) Ltd in 1993.