Who is Nestlé’s New CEO & Why has Laurent Freixe Departed?

Nestlé, the biggest food and drink company globally by revenue, has announced the dismissal of CEO Laurent Freixe with immediate effect.

“The departure of Laurent Freixe follows an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate which breached Nestlé's Code of Business Conduct,” the company said in a statement. 

Philipp Navratil has been appointed CEO of Nestlé in Laurent’s place. 

Paul Bulcke, Chairman of Nestlé's Board of Directors, said: "This was a necessary decision. Nestlé's values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service at Nestlé.

"I am pleased to announce Philipp Navratil as CEO. Philipp is recognized for his impressive track record of achieving results in challenging environments. 

“Renowned for his dynamic presence, he inspires teams and leads with a collaborative, inclusive management style. 

“The Board is confident that he will drive our growth plans forward and accelerate efficiency efforts. We are not changing course on strategy and we will not lose pace on performance."

Laurent Freixe’s leadership and dismissal

Laurent became CEO of Nestlé on 1 September 2024, succeeding Ulf Mark Schneider. 

He joined Nestlé in 1986 in sales and marketing before holding a number of roles as Market Head.

In 2008 he was appointed Executive Vice President and Zone Director for Europe, then took on the role of CEO for Zone Americas in 2014. 

In 2022 he became CEO for Zone Latin America and in 2024, CEO of the business. 

Nestlé’s Board of Directors dismissed Laurent with immediate effect following an investigation into an “undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate”. 

According to Les Echos, in his time as CEO, Laurent increased the company’s spend on advertising and moved focus to higher margin activities.

Laurent was involved with the World Business Council for Sustainable Design and served as the Chair of the Global Alliance for YOUth. 

In February 2025, he told UN Today that he aimed to “ensure Nestlé delivers sustainable, profitable growth and gain market share, while transforming Nestlé for long-term success” and that “it is only by driving business growth that we will be able to make a positive impact on people and the planet”. 

Philipp Navratil’s career so far

Philipp joined Nestlé in 2001 as an internal auditor and held a variety of commercial roles in Central America. 

In 2009 he was appointed country manager for Nestlé Honduras and in 2013 he assumed leadership of the coffee and beverage business in Mexico. 

Philipp moved to Nestlé’s Coffee Strategic Business Unit in 2020 where he was responsible for shaping the global strategy and driving innovation for Nescafé and Starbucks coffee brands.

He took on the role of CEO of Nestlé Nespresso in July 2024 and joined the company’s executive board on 1 January 2025.

Philipp said on his appointment as CEO: "I am honored by the trust the Board has placed in me, and it is a privilege to take on the responsibility of leading Nestlé into the future. 

“I fully embrace the company's strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestlé's performance. 

“I look forward to working closely with the entire leadership of the company, in alignment with the Board, Chairman Paul Bulcke, and Chairman-Designate Pablo Isla, to accelerate execution and to drive the value creation plan with intensity."