When Leena Nair accepted the role of global CEO of luxury giant Chanel in 2022, she had worked at Unilever for three decades and had risen to the role of head of human resources.
But the journey to get there started by train.
In a The last interview At Stanford Graduate School of Business, Nair talked about how she was met with naysayers every step of the way — from when she chose to pursue engineering to when she decided to build a career at Hindustan Unilever, the Indian consumer arm. Merchandise giant Unilever.
Obtaining an MBA was an essential step that paved the way for her to achieve her ambition. There was one problem: the university she chose was located in the eastern side of India, while it was based in the west. 48 hour train journey.
“For my family, it was another planet, so it was taking a lot of time for me to be able to go there and do that,” Nair said.
Her family came, but not without hesitation.
“My father was a great sponsor of my education. He said, ‘I will educate you, but I can’t promise you that you will have a career because I don’t know if attitudes will change.’”
Nair realized she had a rare opportunity and wanted to make the most of it – and sure enough, she excelled at university and joined Unilever as a management trainee soon after completing her MBA.
Since then, it has taken an upward trajectory, with Nair moving from being a factory manager for select brands in India to HR leader and Head of Diversity and Inclusion. During the last five years of her career at Unilever, she worked as a Human Resources Executive in London.
“Lifting while climbing has become a big mantra for me. How can I make sure I make it easier for those who come after me? I’m going to be able to do it,” Nair said during the interview.
Perform a “quadruple transition”
Having spent her entire career with Unilever, Nair was surprised when she received a call from Chanel and did not want to take the call.
“I told my husband that Chanel called me, but I won’t think about it. Are they crazy?” The CEO of the London-based company said. “I couldn’t say goodbye to Unilever.”
It took her nine months to finally say yes to the leadership role of one of the world’s largest luxury companies, which is ranked No. 209 on the Fortune 500 list in Europe.
This will be a huge leap: from fast-moving consumer goods to bespoke fashion, from Anglo-Dutch culture to French culture. Nair was also moving from head of HR at a public company to CEO of a private company, a rare transition in big companies.
“The quadruple metamorphosis means you are either very brave or very foolish,” she said.
Edouard Berthelot – Getty Images
Nair had to abandon Unilever’s fast-paced mass production mentality and understand the more meticulous artisanal world of Chanel, which produces high-end bags, clothing and perfumes. At the French-origin company, it takes artists five years to work on fake bags before they can work on real Chanel bags. During that period, Unilever was involved in millions of products, from iced tea to laundry detergent.
Despite the sharp difference between the two companies, Nair, who is approaching two years in the position, has made big changes.
On the one hand, Chanel has been able to weather the downturn that much of the luxury goods sector is facing. Private company 2023 results It saw a 16% jump in revenue compared to the previous year. It is now expanding its presence globally by investing in more stores.
Nair, who is among the few female CEOs in Europe, has increased funding for the Chanel Foundation, the company’s charitable arm dedicated to supporting women, to $100 million. Chanel has also recently entered this field Sports sponsorshipfollowing the trend among other luxury companies.
While hesitant spending continues to weigh on luxury brands, Nair’s vision for Chanel is a long-term one. It wants the brand to be a leading force through its leadership even 100 years from now.
“I would love for an 11-year-old to be proud of the leader I have become,” Nair said.