Chanel CEO Leena Nair brings in Elisabetta Caldera as global people chief

Elisabetta Caldera, 55, has been appointed global chief people and organisation officer at Chanel Ltd., succeeding Claire Isnard, 64, who is retiring after more than 17 years with the company.

Chanel confirmed the appointment in a statement to Bloomberg News, saying Caldera will take up the role next month. She will join the company’s global leadership team, report to chief executive Leena Nair, and be based in London.

Isnard’s departure marks another senior transition under Nair, who has been rebuilding Chanel’s top management ranks as long-serving executives step aside. The luxury group employed about 38,400 people last year, according to company disclosures cited by Bloomberg.

Caldera joins Chanel from Aegon Ltd., where she spent more than four years as global chief human resources officer and served on the insurer’s executive committee. Before that, she held a series of senior HR roles during a 17-year tenure at Vodafone Group, leaving the telecoms company in 2021.

Chanel, best known for its No. 5 fragrance, is privately owned by brothers Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, whose fortunes are estimated at about $43 billion each, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Founded in Paris, the company is headquartered in London and reports its financial results annually, typically in late May.

In its most recent disclosure, Chanel said revenue fell 4.3% to $18.7 billion in 2024 on a comparable basis, while operating profit declined by nearly a third. Bloomberg reported that the drop reflected heavy advertising spending and increased hiring costs.

With Caldera’s appointment, Chanel is signalling continued emphasis on leadership renewal and organisational capability as it navigates softer luxury demand and tighter margins, while maintaining its long-term investment in talent and brand-building.