Monday, September 22, 2025
spot_img

Laurent Freixe Dismissed as Nestlé CEO Following Internal Probe

spot_img
- Advertisement -

Swiss multinational Nestlé SA has dismissed Chief Executive Officer Laurent Freixe with immediate effect following an internal investigation that confirmed an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate.

The company stated that the relationship violated its Code of Business Conduct, prompting swift action from the board to uphold its governance standards.

The dismissal was announced on September 1, 2025, and marks the end of Freixe’s nearly 40-year tenure with the company.

Philipp Navratil, previously CEO of Nestlé’s Nespresso division, has been appointed as the new CEO, effective immediately.

Nestlé CEO’s Investigation Triggered by Whistleblower Complaint

According to Nestlé’s official statement, the matter came to light through its internal whistleblower channel, “Speak Up.”

An initial inquiry earlier in the year had dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated.

However, persistent complaints led to a second investigation, overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla, with support from external legal counsel.

The probe confirmed that Laurent had engaged in a romantic relationship with a subordinate who was not part of the executive board.

The company emphasized that the relationship represented a conflict of interest and breached internal ethical guidelines.

“This was a necessary decision. Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company,” said Chairman Paul in a statement.

“I thank Laurent for his years of service,” he added.

Laurent Freixe’s Career and Sudden Exit

Laurent Freixe, 63, joined Nestlé in 1986 and held various leadership roles across Europe and Latin America.

He was appointed CEO of Nestlé SA in September 2024, succeeding Mark Schneider.

His brief tenure as global CEO was marked by efforts to revive consumer spending amid economic headwinds, particularly in China.

Laurent had previously led Nestlé’s European operations through the 2008 subprime and eurozone crises and later headed the Latin America division.

His dismissal ends a four-decade career at the company. Nestlé has confirmed that Laurent will not receive an exit package.

Philipp Navratil: A Veteran Steps In

Philipp Navratil, a Nestlé veteran who joined the company in 2001, has been named the new CEO.

He began his career at Nestlé as an internal auditor.

Over the years, he held several leadership roles across Central America and Mexico, notably heading the coffee and beverage business from 2013 to 2020.

He later took charge of global strategy and innovation for the Nescafé and Starbucks brands.

Philipp became CEO of Nespresso in July 2024 and joined Nestlé’s executive board in January 2025.

In his first statement as CEO, Philipp said, “I fully embrace the company’s strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestlé’s performance.” He pledged to “drive the value creation plan with intensity.”

Chairman Paul expressed confidence in Philipp’s leadership, stating, “We are not changing course on strategy and we will not lose pace on performance.”


Note: We are also on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and YouTube to get the latest news updates. Subscribe to our Channels. WhatsApp– Click HereYouTube – Click Here, and LinkedIn– Click Here.

spot_img

Editorial

Why TCS Deferred FY25 Salary Hike: Better Hike Ahead?

TCS had initially announced its annual salary hike during...

Deloitte, PWC, EY, KPMG to Hire 1 Lakh People in India in FY25

According to estimates from top company officials and industry...

Higher EPS Pension Application Stuck: A Step-by-Step Guide to Fix

Nearly 97,640 Provident Fund (PF) members and pensioners under...

Employee Benefits at India’s Big 4 Firms Deloitte, PwC , EY, KPMG

The Big 4 firms; Deloitte, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), EY (Ernst...

TCS Announces 4-8% Salary Hike for FY25, Lowest in Last 4 Years

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's largest IT services provider,...

Must Read

Corporates focus on gender diversity, to hire more women in 2023

Corporate India has been hiring women professionals focusing on...

Cognizant’s Attrition has come down in the fourth quarter

Cognizant, one of the world's leading professional services companies,...

PepsiCo to shut Kerala’s Manufacturing unit due to protests

After Coca-Cola, now PepsiCo has decided to take an...

Meesho Mega Hiring Spree; 8.5 Lakh Seasonal Staff Onboarded

Meesho, a leading e-commerce platform, is gearing up for...

EDLI to provide benefit up to Rs. 7 lakh paid to the nominee

Several social security programs have been introduced under the Employees’...

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons addresses employees at year-end

The parent company of the Tata Group, Tata Sons...

TCS not to lay off employees, freezes salary hikes

MUMBAI:Largest Indian software exporter TCS on Thursday said it will...

The Resumé is Dead, Long Live the Resumé

Leonardo Da Vinci is credited with having been the...

Related Articles

Sahiba Sharma
Sahiba Sharmahttps://sightsinplus.com/
Sahiba Sharma, Senior Editor - Content at SightsIn Plus