Here is what you all need to know about Leena Nair

• 183
• 0

 Leena Nair, 52, who was born in India, will take over as the Global Chief Executive Officer of French luxury fashion business Chanel in January of next year, joining the ranks of Indian-origin CEOs around the world. 

 

She was previously the first female, first Asian, and youngest ever chief human resource officer of Unilever, as well as a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive. She was born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. 

 

Nair, an alumnus of XLRI—Xavier School of Management, reminisced about her days at her old master in the November 15 issue of India Today magazine. Nair, 52, bears the title of "Unilever's first female, Asian, and youngest ever" chief human resources officer (CHRO). She also serves on the Unilever Leadership Executive Committee (ULE). 

 

Nair's professional career has spanned roughly 30 years. After receiving a gold medal from the Xavier School of Management, one of India's best B-schools, she joined Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) as a management trainee in 1992. 

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

 

On December 14, Leena Nair, a prominent Unilever executive, was named the new global CEO of the French luxury business Chanel. 

Chanel stated in a statement that Nair will join the firm in January and that the new appointments will assure the company's "long-term success as a private enterprise." 

 

With this appointment, Nair joins a growing list of Indians who have taken on demanding jobs at the top of major corporations in recent years.

In the early years of her career, she worked at HUL plants in Kolkata, West Bengal, Ambattur, Tamil Nadu, and Taloja, Maharashtra. 

HUL appointed her as Employee Relations Manager in 1996, and by 2000, she had been promoted to HR Manager of Hindustan Lever India. 

Nair joined the company as general manager HR of 'home and personal care India' in 2004 and was promoted to general manager HR in 2006.