That Lady In CEO Suit(e): Caroline Mulliez On Homes, Hustle And Doing It All Her Way

“A young Audrey Hepburn,” we decided, a few minutes before I met Caroline Mulliez. It wasn’t a whimsical comparison, nor was it because Caroline is French. There was something in the way Nicky Singh, Associate Director at Vianaar, described her, and in the photographs I had seen, that led us to that conclusion. It was in her eyes. Pale, curious, alert. In her face, with its calm, almost old-fashioned symmetry. In her wavy brown hair, cut a little below the shoulder. And in that unmistakable proper-lady air, so reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in her heyday.

In Conversation With Caroline Mulliez, CEO Of The Blue Kite

Truth be told, I had no idea who would walk into that conference room. Caroline Mulliez is, after all, the CEO of The Blue Kite by Vianaar. She holds double degrees from the London School of Economics and the National University of Singapore. She also comes from one of France’s most influential business families, the Mulliez family, the force behind brands such as Auchan, Leroy Merlin, and Decathlon, all under the Association Familiale Mulliez. With a background like that, expectations have a way of setting themselves.

Our meeting was scheduled for 1:30 pm. I arrived at 1:25, half expecting to wait. In my mind, she would arrive the way many senior executives do, a little late, impeccably dressed, offering polite apologies before settling in. Instead, at exactly 1:30, the door opened and in walked a light-eyed French woman with an easy, magnetic confidence. She was dressed simply. A black pullover, blue jeans, knee-high black boots, and a black coat with a few stray hairs and bits of wool clinging to it. It was not what I had imagined, and I found myself pleasantly surprised. She smiled, shook my hand, and introduced herself. “Hi, I am Caroline, nice to meet you,” she said, before quickly adding, “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting!” I told her she hadn’t. Almost instinctively, I decided to start with a question I usually save for later.

“Caroline, are you happy?”

I often ask this because it tends to catch people off guard. More than that, it offers a glimpse into where they are, mentally and emotionally, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. It is also a question I wish we asked each other more often. In the rush of everyday life, we forget that the reason we keep running is often in search of happiness.

Caroline did not hesitate.

Almost instinctively, she replied, “I truly am!” She went on to add, “I have a wonderful family, meaningful work that gives me purpose, and the freedom to pursue my passions for sports. My life feels full, balanced, and blessed.”

Too rehearsed, you’d think? Perhaps, too polished an answer? You might think that but I was there. And I saw the conviction in her eyes. They glimmered as she spoke of her family and her work, and it was clear she meant every word. That work, of course, is The Blue Kite – the rental management arm of Vianaar, a luxury holiday home developer in Goa. Founded in 2017, The Blue Kite has soared to impressive heights, managing a portfolio of over 225 properties across Delhi, Goa, Shimla, Kasauli, and Nainital. Through The Blue Kite, guests can book luxury holiday homes with thoughtfully curated itineraries across India, with the assurance that the details will be taken care of. Need a nanny? Done. An in-house chef? Sorted. Caviar flown in from sturgeon in the Caspian Sea? Well…I can’t promise, but knowing Caroline the way I do now, she might just make it happen. (I’ll circle back for those who are seriously curious.)

The Blue Kite By Vianaar

“At The Blue Kite, we don’t just believe in ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, we live it,” Caroline tells me. For her, this is not a slogan. “Every guest’s comfort matters deeply to us, and even the smallest feedback is taken seriously. Our goal is to make guests feel at home, cared for, and valued. I tell all my team members, that they should think that every guest that comes in should be treated like their Uncle or Aunt.”

That sense of care does not stop with guests. It extends to homeowners as well, the ones who hand over their homes to The Blue Kite for much of the year. Caroline is keenly aware of that trust and wants homeowners to feel just as reassured. It is perhaps why more and more luxury homeowners gravitate toward the brand. She also credits India for shaping her understanding of what hospitality truly means. She says, “In India, guests are treated with abundant generosity and care, and I’ve embraced that wholeheartedly.”

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Her roots in India go far beyond business. Caroline is married to Varun Nagpal, Co-founder of Vianaar, and today she calls both Goa and France home – two places where family sits at the very heart of life. Maybe that’s precisely what makes her such a natural fit to lead a company built around holiday homes.

When I ask her what home means to her, she answers easily. “For me, home has always been about being surrounded by loved ones. Growing up in France, home meant cooking together, sharing meals was our way of bonding. In India, I discovered a different expression of home, being present for one another, celebrating every occasion, and playing across generations. Today, I’m fortunate to call both France and India home, each with its own warmth and traditions.”

The Blue Kite, she tells me, is not just work. It is something she has poured herself into and is still learning to shape. “The Blue Kite is still young, and I’m a young mother, so the learning curve is steep. Like any family or business, there are good days and tougher ones. But I’ve never once thought of giving up. This is my journey of adulting, and I embrace it fully.” Curious, I ask about the fears, the thoughts that kept her awake in the early days. She smiles before answering. “You know, Valerie! Blue Kite began almost by accident…” She explains, “While on maternity leave from Decathlon, I saw an opportunity to help homeowners manage and rent their holiday homes.”

She recalls the weight of responsibility. “What kept me awake was the responsibility of creating memorable experiences for guests who often save for months to take these holidays.” She continues, “At Decathlon, I learned that profit is a consequence of having a purpose and operating with strong values; at The Blue Kite, guest satisfaction is our north star. Reading reviews where guests say they felt cared for, even during challenges like power cuts, reminds me we’re doing things right. Today 70% of our business happens directly on our website; it’s a lot of repeat guests and word of mouth at play. We have consistently managed to keep our reviews at 4.85+, and this is really paying off.”

Looking back, she admits the early days were the hardest. “The early days were hardest, when trust from homeowners and guests wasn’t yet earned. Over time, results built confidence. As a fifth-generation entrepreneur from the Mulliez family, entrepreneurship feels like part of my DNA. And yes, women often doubt themselves more. That’s why I’ve worked hard to build a meritocratic environment at The Blue Kite where women are valued for their contributions – and I’ve seen how empowering that can be.”

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Caroline has carved her own identity in a space long dominated by men. Add to that the challenge of being a foreign national finding her footing in India, and the journey was anything but easy. “As a foreign woman entrepreneur in India, I was seen as unusual,” she says, “but I rolled up my sleeves and worked alongside my team. Merit, not gender or background, defines responsibility here. I lead collaboratively, focus on results rather than hours, and empower my team to grow with the company.” She jokes that she might be a little too lenient at times, but it has never really been an issue. Ownership, she believes, changes how people show up. “I give my teams freedom to follow their convictions, even when I disagree. People learn best through experience, and that freedom fosters growth.”

Of course, leadership, especially as a woman, comes with its own tightrope walk. Be firm but not loud, kind but not so kind that you’re trampled upon. Add motherhood to that, and the pressure multiplies. Caroline has had to unlearn a great deal along the way. “It took a lot of unlearning on my part to become the woman that I am today! I am a perfectionist and sometimes you need to let go and when you do, you realise that someone might just be better than you at the tasks you were seeking perfection in, I have learnt that through experience.”

Free-spirited and endlessly curious, Caroline loves to travel. She knows that many of her guests, especially women, think about safety before anything else. On that front, she is clear. “We at The Blue Kite are very safety conscious not just for women but for all our guests. We have cameras across properties; there are 24×7 security guards across all our gated communities. Our guests always have emergency contact details of our teams who are available around the clock, in case of emergency.”

Then I ask her something more personal; beyond being a CEO, a wife, daughter and a mother, who is Caroline Mulliez? “I’m a sports enthusiast at heart,” she says.

“I practice aerial silk three times a week, play pickleball with friends, and kitesurf or snowboard whenever conditions allow. Last year, I even placed third in my category at the Goa triathlon. Sport teaches resilience, discipline, and the value of hard work – qualities I bring into leadership too.”

And when she is not working or training, she prefers simple things. Time outdoors. The beach. The forest. Being with her children and family.

Caroline Mulliez leads The Blue Kite with a rare balance of focus and ease. She has built the brand across five cities with care, thought, and a steady hand. Guests come back. Homeowners trust her. The industry respects her.

Before we wrap up, I ask her one last question. What did she achieve today.

She grins. “Well I did manage to make time for my doctors’ appointment before heading for this meeting, I prioritised me today – despite my crazy schedule – I did it!”

And this feels like a fitting note to end on.