Leena Nair0:34
Honorable Minister Jaishankar, Mr. Jain, and esteemed guests, it is a real honor to win this prestigious award. I actually walked before you announced it, so you can see I'm so happy to receive it. I'm a true Made in India product. I grew up in Kapur, studied in Sangali, worked all over India from ETA to T to Karur to places you may not have even heard of. I really believe my 20-year professional career in India has shaped my mindset and outlook to everything I do today. I feel very proud to see India on the world stage commanding such respect. In a moment like this, you do feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I want to start by thanking my husband Kumar, who along with our sons Arin and Sidhant, are the three men in my life—not the Men in Black, but the three men in my life who make everything possible for me. I also want to thank my parents who always believed in me, my in-laws, and my wider family who are my constant cheerleaders, biggest fans, sometimes embarrassingly so. I want to thank mentors, coaches—many of them I see in this room—because we are products of what came before us. Colleagues from Unilever, colleagues from Chanel, I'm really grateful for the time, wisdom, and kindness you've invested in my growth. Most importantly, I want to thank the 37,000 people working at Chanel. Your passion and your amazing contribution is what makes Chanel one of the most iconic brands in the world. This award is dedicated to each and every one of you. Our founder Gabrielle Chanel, a hundred years ago, created designs—creating trousers, crossbody bags—so that women could ride horses, anticipated the needs of the modern woman, and created clothes for an independent and active lifestyle. This was not just about creating clothes; it was about the freedom of becoming, supporting women to be and become whoever they wanted to be. Because clothes are not just about self-expression; it's about empowering you to be whoever you want to be. Today, we at Chanel want to continue to be a beacon of inspiration for the next 100 years. We endeavor to have a positive impact in the world. We want to preserve human creation, human craftsmanship, human skills. This dress has taken 250 hours of man-made love and craftsmanship to make. And we want to be part of what's next. I feel privileged to lead a company that's inspiring to the next generation of creatives, talent, artists, clients. You know, when I was cycling through the lanes of Kapur at 10 years old, I can tell you I didn't imagine anything like this. I feel a sense of joy and a sense of disbelief at receiving this award. Throughout my career, I've been the first in every role I've done—the first woman, the first Asian, the first Indian, the first person of color to lead a global luxury brand. It needs a lot of courage, a lot of determination, and very big dreams to do that. But it also is possible because of many, many, many people who supported me on this journey. Today, I want to say to all the winners of today and many years: let us lift as we climb and make it easier and encourage others to follow in our footsteps. Let's make it easier for everybody. Thank you so much.
