Nestle CEO Laurent Fräxe (left) and Nestle Chairman Paul Brucke (proper) will attend the final shareholders assembly of Swiss Meals Big Nestle held in Eckbran close to Lausanne on April 16, 2025. Photograph Credit score: AFP
On Monday (September 1, 2025), Swiss Meals Big Nestle instantly labored on “a non-public, romantic relationship straight with subordinates,” dismissing Laurent Freix as CEO.
The multinational firm behind Nespresso’s espresso capsules and KitKat chocolate bars stated Freakse’s firing adopted the investigation.
In a swift transfer, Nespresso CEO Philip Navratil was appointed to take over to fellow board members.
“Laurent Frixe’s departure follows an investigation into personal, romantic relationships with direct subordinates who violated Nestlé’s Code of Enterprise Conduct,” the assertion stated.
The board stated it ordered an investigation, which was supervised by Chairman Paul Brucke and lead impartial director Pablo Ira, with the help of exterior attorneys.
“This was a mandatory resolution. Nestlé’s values and governance are a robust basis for our firm. Laurent is grateful for the years of service,” Brucke stated in an announcement.
Freixe, an organization veteran, joined France’s Nestlé in 1986. He ran the corporate’s European operations till 2014, resulting in the subprime and euro disaster that started in 2008.
He led the Latin American division earlier than being promoted as CEO.
Freixe has been on the prime because the September 2024 Shock Change, commissioning to reverse the corporate’s tender spending of meals and family items shoppers.
Nestlé’s inventory value fell nearly 1 / 4 of the earlier 12 months, sparking issues in Switzerland, with pension funds investing closely within the firm. The model contains Prina Canine Meals, Maggie Bouillon Dice, Gerber Child Meals and Neskick Chocolate-flavored drinks.
Nestlé shares rose 0.13% on the Swiss Inventory Trade at 75.49 Swiss Francs.
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In late July, Nestlé reported a ten.3% decline in first half earnings because it struggled to show its fortune amid slower client spending in China, even when it acquired larger cocoa and low costs for shoppers.
The brand new CEO, Navratil, was govt vp of Nestle, headquartered in Vevey, Lake Geneva.
“We’re assured that the board will drive development plans and speed up effectivity efforts. We have now not modified programs of technique and won’t lose the tempo of efficiency,” Bulcke argued.
Navratil started his profession at Nestlé in 2001, the place he performed a wide range of roles in Central America, main the espresso and drink enterprise in Mexico from 2013 to 2020, taking on the accountability for international technique and innovation for the Nescafe and Starbucks manufacturers.
He turned the CEO of the Nespresso model final July and joined the Firm Committee in January 2025.
“I absolutely embrace the corporate’s strategic route and the motion plan to advertise Nestlé’s efficiency,” Navratil pledged to “promote worth creation plans with power.”
Freixe is the most recent in a sequence of prime enterprise figures pushed via the exit door for his relationship with a colleague who has been discovered to be violating inner guidelines in recent times.
Bernard Droney unexpectedly resigned in 2023 as CEO of British vitality large BP after failing to reveal his previous relationship along with his colleagues.
Steve Easterbrook was ousted as McDonald’s CEO in 2019 on account of his “consensual relationship” along with his workers in violation of firm insurance policies.
A 12 months in the past, Brian Kurzanich resigned as CEO of US pc chip large Intel over a “previous consensus” relationship with workers, violating the corporate’s non-exfoliation coverage.
