International Women's Forum Announces Scholarship Honoring Distinguished Alumna Leena Nair, Global CEO of Chanel

International human rights lawyer Ms. Natasha Latiff was granted a full scholarship for the 2025-2026 Leadership Fellows Program in tribute to Leena Nair's inspirational and aspirational achievements.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, International Women's Forum (IWF) announced that it has awarded a scholarship in honor of Global Chanel CEO Leena Nair, recipient of the inaugural Leadership Fellows Program Distinguished Alumna Award. The scholarship recipient, Natasha Latiff, is an international human rights lawyer and co-founder and director of two award-winning nonprofit organizations, Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights and Women for Justice Afghanistan.

The scholarship enables Ms. Latiff to participate in the 2025-2026 Leadership Fellows Program, IWF's transformative initiative to accelerate women's advancement into the C-suite and highest levels in their professions. She will join 38 accomplished women leaders from 11 countries across sectors ranging from healthcare to finance to technology.

"Ms. Latiff's work reflects Leena Nair's purposeful, holistic business approach and the work of Fondation CHANEL which supports millions of women and girls around the world to shape their own destiny," said IWF Chief Executive Officer Stephanie O'Keefe.

Leena Nair, Chanel Global CEO commented: "I am deeply humbled by this honour. The spirit of women supporting women has shaped my journey, and it is my hope that this scholarship will help another woman pursue her dreams and make an impact, just as I was encouraged through the IWF Fellows programme over a decade ago. I am a firm believer in the power of mentorship, community, and being able to 'lift as you climb'. This initiative and the work of IWF does just that."

"My mission is to strengthen international justice for women and affected communities, particularly in conflict and politically fragile contexts. The IWF Leadership Fellows Program is an invaluable opportunity to reimagine women's leadership, carry this mission forward, and contribute to a global community of women leaders," stated Ms. Latiff.

IWF's world-class Leadership Fellows Program accelerates the career path of high-performing women, catalyzing their potential and elevating their impact within companies worldwide. The program addresses the three key barriers that research shows restrict the potential of women leaders: inadequate leadership training; limited access to professional networks; and lack of mentors. 

Now in its 32^nd year with more than 820 alumnae from 59 countries, the IWF Leadership Fellows Program is unique among leadership development programs globally. Its scope, rigor, and results make it an unparalleled tool for career development and succession planning.

The International Women's Forum (IWF) unites our global community of women leaders to advance women's leadership today and tomorrow. IWF connects more than 8,400 preeminent women leaders in 76 Forums in 35 countries around the world. For more information, please visit: https://iwforum.org/ . 

Press Contact:
Laine Funkhouser, Global Head of Communications, International Women's Forum
[email protected]

SOURCE International Women's Forum