Female Leadership Lessons with Leena Nair – From HR to Global CEO at Chanel

Female leadership lessons don’t get better than this.

In 2022, Leena Nair stunned the business world when she stepped into the role of Global CEO at Chanel. No fashion background. No luxury industry experience. Just a powerful belief in human potential—and a track record to prove it.

Before joining Chanel, Nair spent over 30 years climbing the ranks at Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. She eventually became its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), responsible for 160,000 employees across 100+ countries. But Leena was no traditional HR executive. She reinvented the role into something far more strategic—something deeply human.

At Unilever, she didn’t just hire people. She helped shape lives. She pushed for flexible work models long before remote work was the norm. She advocated for inclusion not as a checkbox, but as a core business advantage. Under her leadership, Unilever reached a 50-50 gender balance in management—a milestone that many global corporations are still far from achieving.

Yet, despite her accomplishments, Leena felt a wave of self-doubt when Chanel came calling. In a conversation with her mentor, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, Leena admitted she wasn’t sure if she was ready. “I don’t have this network capability. I don’t have that capability,” she said.

Indra’s response was simple but profound: “Do you know what you bring?”

That moment shifted everything.

Powerful insights –

It reminded her—and now reminds all of us—that leadership isn’t about fitting into a mold. It’s about owning your strengths, especially when they don’t look like everyone else’s. Leena’s strength wasn’t couture. It was culture. She knew how to build it, protect it, and scale it. And that was exactly what Chanel needed.

Fast forward to today, and she is not just running a luxury house. She is redefining it. Female leadership can usher in not just change but also well positioned change. At Chanel, Leena has infused her people-first leadership style into the DNA of the brand. She’s driving inclusive innovation, championing sustainability, and building a workplace where creativity and wellbeing coexist.

She hasn’t tried to imitate previous leaders. She leads on her own terms—with authenticity, empathy, and vision.

Prioritising people as much as profits –

For women around the world, Leena’s journey is more than inspiring—it’s a signal that the world is ready for something different. It’s ready for leaders who prioritize people as much as profits. For women who don’t wait for the perfect credentials but instead show up with boldness, curiosity, and a relentless commitment to growth.

Her story also signals a transformation in how we define executive leadership. For too long, sectors like HR have been undervalued in the C-suite. But Leena’s rise proves otherwise. She brought the full weight of her HR experience to the boardroom and showed that understanding people isn’t soft—it’s strategic.

The truth is, what got her there wasn’t a perfect resume. It was emotional intelligence. It was knowing how to build teams, navigate global complexity, and bring out the best in others. These are the traits that keep companies alive in a rapidly changing world.

Dare to dream big –

More importantly, Leena Nair’s story teaches great lessons in female leadership. Her story assures women everywhere that they don’t need to wait for permission to dream big. You don’t have to be from the right industry. You don’t need every qualification. What you do need is self-awareness, resilience, and the confidence to walk into rooms where no one looks like you—and lead anyway.

When we look at Chanel today, we’re not just seeing a fashion house. We’re seeing a case study in what happens when inclusive leadership is given room to breathe. We’re seeing a brand that continues to thrive not in spite of change, but because of it.

And Leena? She’s not just Chanel’s CEO. She’s a global example of what happens when you bring your whole self to the table—when you own your difference instead of hiding it.

Female leadership has indeed come of age. So to the young woman wondering if she’s good enough, experienced enough, or connected enough to lead: Leena’s journey says yes. You are.

You belong in the room. In the C-suite. At the top.

Because leadership isn’t about industry—it’s about impact.