Leena Nair, the Indian-origin CEO of Chanel, has been awarded Britain’s highest civilian honour, the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), by Prince William. She was recognised in the 2025 honorary awards list for her contributions to the retail and consumer sector.

Appointed in January 2022, Leena is the first woman to lead Chanel. Under her leadership, the brand has enhanced its global reputation, improved customer experience, and advanced sustainability efforts. Her work has also benefited over 9 million women and girls worldwide through financial aid and empowerment initiatives.

Before joining Chanel, she held the position of Chief Human Resources Officer at Unilever, where she was also part of the company’s top executive leadership. Originally from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Leena moved to the UK for higher studies and has since settled there.