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𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱? This is leena Born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India Studied Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering at Walchand College Completed MBA in Human Resources from XLRI Jamshedpur, received a gold medal Joined Hindustan Unilever as a management trainee in 1992 Took up tough HR assignments in manufacturing units, including night shifts across India Rose through various HR roles over nearly 30 years at Unilever Became Unilever’s first woman, first Asian, and youngest-ever Chief Human Resources Officer in 2016 Oversaw HR operations for over 150,000 employees in more than 190 countries Championed gender equality, increasing female representation in management to 50% Focused on employee wellbeing, diversity, inclusion, and purpose-driven work culture Developed a reputation for volunteering for the toughest roles and driving transformation Encouraged by mentor Indra Nooyi to consider herself fit for a CEO position Known for compassionate leadership, emotional intelligence, and strategic people management Appointed global CEO of Chanel in December 2021, officially took over in January 2022 Became the first Indian-origin and first female global CEO of Chanel Selected despite having no prior fashion industry experience Chosen for her strong operational leadership, cultural transformation skills, and global experience Visited 25 regional offices, 40 manufacturing sites, and over 100 stores during her first 100 days Focused on listening and understanding the company deeply before implementing changes Introduced sustainable product lines like N°1 de Chanel Launched invite-only luxury boutique formats to increase brand exclusivity Increased women representation in leadership roles to over 60% Expanded Chanel Foundation’s philanthropic fund from $20 million to $100 million Seen as a values-led leader aligned with Chanel’s vision of long-term sustainability and inclusivity Her journey reflects resilience, continuous learning, people-first leadership, and bold career choices. Follow vishakha Jangir for more such insights.