Leena Nair, CEO of Chanel, says that PM Modi aims to facilitate business establishment and investment in India. She highlighted her discussions with PM Modi centred around India's development, particularly emphasizing the promotion of hand artisans. Additionally, they explored strategies to elevate Khadi as a global brand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is really interested in ensuring that India is an investment hub for everyone, Leena Nair, the Global CEO of renowned French luxury fashion house Chanel, has said. Emerging from her meeting with the Prime Minister in Paris, she said: "It was an absolute pleasure to meet PM Modi. He was very encouraging about my achievements. But more importantly, he was very keen that I continue to support other women and girls in business and be a role model for other women from India. You could see his passion and commitment to supporting women more and more in business"
"PM Modi wants to make it easy for businesses to build in India, and invest in India. We spoke on the subject of India's development, especially with regard to how hand artisans be promoted. We also spoke about how Khadi can be made a global brand," she added.
On his part, PM Modi took to Twitter to say, "It is always a delight to meet a person of Indian origin who has made a mark on the world stage. We had a great conversation about ways to further boost skill development among artisans and to make Khadi more popular."
Who is Leena Nair?
Leena Nair made history in January 2022 as the first-ever Global CEO of Chanel, the renowned French luxury fashion house, marking a significant milestone for Indian-origin executives. Hailing from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, the 54-year-old business leader has risen through the ranks to become the face of the esteemed brand.
Leena pursued her education in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering at Walchand College of Engineering in Sangli, Maharashtra. She furthered her studies and achieved an MBA in Human Resources from XLRI, Jamshedpur, graduating with a gold medal in 1992.
Prior to joining Chanel, Leena dedicated 30 years of her career to Unilever, where she commenced as a Management Trainee and steadily climbed the corporate ladder. Her remarkable journey at Unilever culminated in her becoming the first female, Asian, and youngest female Chief Human Resource Officer, as well as a member of the Unilever leadership executive.
Departing from a three-decade-long association with Unilever, Leena expressed deep gratitude for the transformative experiences she had in the company, stating in an Instagram post, "Unilever, in so many ways, has been one of the defining relationships of my life."
After completing a year at Chanel, Leena took to LinkedIn to reflect on her experiences at the iconic and revered company. She shared memories of visiting 25 regional offices, 40 manufacturing locations, heritage sites, 100 points of sale, and every creation studio, further emphasizing her deep immersion in the world of Chanel.
Leena Nair's achievements have earned her numerous accolades and recognition. In 2017, Queen Elizabeth II honoured her as one of the most accomplished Indian Business Leaders in the UK, and she was bestowed with the "Role Model of Year" award at The Great British Businesswoman's Awards in 2021. Additionally, she was featured on Forbes India's Top Self-Made Women's List in 2022. Currently residing in London, Leena has taken the helm of one of the most influential couture brands globally, leading a business empire valued at Rs. 1,28,000 crore.
