In June 2025, Indian-origin British, Leena Nair, Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of French Luxury brand Chanel, Inc., has been awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) honour in recognition of her exceptional leadership in the retail and consumer sector.
- She received the award from Prince William, the Prince of Wales, during an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom (UK).
- The recognition is part of the 2025 King New Year Honours list, which honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to British Society across various fields: business, science, public service, arts, and charity.
About 2025 King New Year Honours List:
i.In December 2024, Cabinet Office of British Government released King Charles’ 2025 New Year Honours List in London, the UK.
ii.This latest edition of the list featured over 1,200 recipients across various sectors like: sport, healthcare, academia and voluntary service.
iii.The list is released annually by the Cabinet Office in the name of the British monarch includes: CBE, Order of the British Empire (OBE), and Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs).
iv.This year total 30 Indian-origin persons included in the list. Among the 2025 Indian-origin CBE includes: Satwant Kaur Deol (Education), Mayank Prakash, President of the British Computing Society, (advancement of technology professionals), Professor Sneh Khemka(Healthcare), among others.
About Leena Nair:
i.Leena Nair is a British-Indian business executive renowned for her transformative leadership in both consumer goods and luxury fashion industries.
ii.She joined Hindustan Unilever (HUL) in 1992 as a management trainee and quickly ascended through various roles, including factory manager and Human Resources(HR) lead.
iii.She became the first woman on HUL’s South Asia leadership team and later served as Unilever’s Chief Human Resources Officer(CHRO) from 2016 to 2021.
iv.In December 2021, Nair was appointed Global CEO of Chanel, making her the first woman and first person of Indian origin to lead the company.
v.She worked as a member of the board of the Leverhulme Trust, as well as non-executive director at London (the UK) based leading fixed and mobile communications provider, BT Group Plc (formerly British Telecommunication plc).
- She has also worked at various government departments of UK like: Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.
vi.She was named one of TIME’s “Women of the Year” for 2024 and Fortune India’s Most Powerful Women (MPW) List for 2025.
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