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EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS

Top Unilever FMCG executive poached to head up fashion brand

By our News Team | 2021

Leena Nair to leave senior role at Unilever to take over the day-to-day running of luxury fashion house Chanel.

In a surprise move, one of the world’s top luxury goods brands has poached a senior executive from FMCG giant Unilever to be its new CEO.

Leena Nair, who is currently global head of HR at Unilever, joins French-founded but UK-based fashion house Chanel from early in the new year. She has been with Unilever for three decades and filled various roles, including being a member of the company’s powerful executive committee.

Top-end fashion houses like Chanel rarely make such appointments from outside their tightly knit industry, and often CEOs will come from the families that traditionally control many of these brands. There are occasional exceptions, though, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that Estee Lauder recruited Fabrizio Freda, a snack-food executive at Procter & Gamble, to become its Chief Executive in 2009.

Executive Appointments

Leena Nair photo by Shinykatie, via Wikipedia

Wertheimer brothers have held the reins

Chanel is a privately run business, with brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer holding the reins. Alain has been its CEO, but moves on to become Executive Chairman.

“In swapping fast-moving consumer goods for luxury, Ms. Nair joins a sector that analysts say is poised for rapid post-pandemic growth,” the Journal reported. “Bain & Co. forecasts that global luxury revenues will rise from an estimated €283-billion, equivalent to US$320-billion, this year to around €370-billion, or $418-billion, in 2025.

“Chanel, whose lines include fashion, fragrances, jewellery and skin care, was the world’s sixth-largest luxury group by revenue in 2020, according to Deloitte, with sales of $10.1-billion. Like other big luxury groups, Chanel’s sales took a hit from the pandemic, declining 17.6% in 2020 relative to the year before. That compared with an 11% decline for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and a 17.5% decline at Kering SA.”

Nair is a British citizen of Indian descent and her appointment has caused widespread excitement in India. She will be based in London.

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Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

  • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
  • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
  • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
  • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.