Leena Nair

Leena Nair is the global chief executive of Chanel since January 2022. Under Nair’s leadership, Chanel appointed Matthieu Blazy as the new Artistic Director of Fashion Activities in early 2025, marking a "new chapter" for the house.

As a British-Indian woman who spent decades leading human resources and company culture for consumer goods giant Unilever, Nair stands out among luxury's top executives who remain mostly male and white, in addition to bringing an outsider view on fashion. Nair has prioritised long-term growth in emerging markets, like India and Mexico; defended Chanel's price hikes as a response to global inflation; and increased funding to Fondation Chanel to $100 million annually in support of global gender equality and climate resilience initiatives.

Nair, who joined the French couture-and-beauty icon during a time of transition following Karl Lagerfeld ’s death in 2019, is tasked with extending the luxury label’s long-running success while modernising its structures and storytelling. Her appointment signals the importance of attracting and managing talent for Chanel's evolution. 

Nair was born in India, and joined Unilever almost 30 years ago. She rose to the top of the company’s South Asian human resources team, then moved to London to serve as senior vice president for leadership and organisational development, before finally being appointed chief human resources officer of the group. 

In 2025, Nair was appointed a commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by HRH Prince William for her contributions to the retail and consumer sector.

As chief executive of Chanel, she became the only woman of colour leading a major global luxury brand.