Google’s Sundar Pichai to Chanel’s Leena Nair: Inside the education and career paths of Indian-origin global CEOs

Indian-origin leaders are rewriting the global corporate playbook. With their deep-rooted values, diverse educational backgrounds, and cross-cultural work ethics, they now helm some of the world's most powerful companies - across tech, luxury, advertising, and consumer goods.

The latest to join this elite club is Shailesh Jejurikar, who is set to take over as President and CEO of Procter & Gamble on January 1, 2026, succeeding Jon Moeller.

Read More: Shailesh Jejurikar named P&G President and Chief Executive Officer

Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer, Jejurikar has played a critical role in overseeing operations across Enterprise Markets, driving innovation and profitability.

Born in Mumbai, he holds a B.A. in Economics from Mumbai University and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management-Lucknow (IIM-L), class of 1989.

Between 2016 and 2021, Jejurikar served as executive sponsor for global sustainability at P&G. He helped embed the company's environmental and social impact goals across business operations, aligning shareholder value with societal good.

Jejurikar's ascent marks a significant milestone for P&G as it underscores the company's commitment to purpose-led growth and emerging market leadership.

His rise also reflects a larger trend: the growing presence of Indian-origin executives in global leadership.

Let's take a look at a few:

Sundar Pichai: - CEO, Alphabet & Google

Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Pichai's journey began at IIT Kharagpur, where he earned a B.Tech in Metallurgy. He later pursued a Master's at Stanford University and an MBA from Wharton.

Pichai became CEO of Google in 2015 and CEO of Alphabet in 2019, leading the tech giant through innovation, regulation, and global expansion.

Satya Nadella - Chairman & CEO, Microsoft

A native of Hyderabad, Nadella holds an engineering degree from the Manipal Institute of Technology, an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Since taking over in 2014, Nadella has transformed Microsoft into a cloud-first powerhouse.

Shantanu Narayen - CEO, Adobe

Also from Hyderabad, Narayen studied electronics at Osmania University, followed by an M.S. from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from UC Berkeley.

He became Adobe's CEO in 2007, leading the brand through a revolutionary shift from packaged software to cloud-based solutions.

Arvind Krishna - Chairman & CEO, IBM

Born in Andhra Pradesh, Krishna earned a B.Tech from IIT Kanpur and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

As CEO of IBM since 2020, he has spearheaded the company's focus on hybrid cloud and AI.

Leena Nair - CEO, Chanel

Leena Nair made history when she became CEO of luxury fashion house Chanel in 2021 - the first woman and first person of Indian-origin to hold the role.

Raised in Kolhapur, she studied at Walchand College of Engineering, and graduated as a gold medallist from XLRI - Xavier School of Management. Nair spent decades at Unilever, where she was known for her people-first leadership as the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Devika Bulchandani - Global CEO, Ogilvy

Born and raised in India, Devika Bulchandani is a powerhouse in the advertising world. An alumna of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, with a Master's in Communications from USC, she became Global CEO of Ogilvy in 2022.

She's the first Indian-origin woman to lead the iconic agency and is known for her fierce belief in purpose-led creativity.

Read More: Devika Bulchandani is Ogilvy’s new global CEO; Andy Main steps down

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