Nestle CEO Laurent Freixe sacked over affair with junior colleague, after one year in the job
On Monday, the Swiss Food giant suddenly rejected a dramatic lift a year after receiving reins, because Nestle’s general manager Laurent Freixe could not explain a romantic relationship with an AST.
The product manufacturer ranging from Kitkat to Nesquik said that Freixe appointed Senior Insider Philipp Navratil, who chaired the Nespresso coffee unit, as his successor.
Shock departure threatens more volatility for Nestle in the midst of a challenging consumer environment and global trade tariffs. The company announced that President Paul Bulcke will stop next year in June.
Nestle said Freixe’s departure followed an investigation controlled by Bulcke, and independent director Pablo Isla had a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate that violates the company’s business behavior rules.
“This was a necessary decision, Bul Bulcke said in a statement.
“Nestle’s values and management are the strong foundations of our company. I would like to thank Laurent for years of service.”
“We do not change a route about the strategy and we will not lose speed to performance.”
The company, Senior Mr Freixe, played the role of CEO exactly one year ago after overthrowing Nestle’s predecessor Mark Schneider.
Sudden exit, Nestle rival Unilever, Diageo and Hershey, including this year, a global consumer goods and the latest management change in the food company.
Kohl’s fired CEO Ashley Buchanan found that after an investigation, he pushed for agreements with a seller with a personal relationship after a period of more than 100 days in the position.
Mr. Navratil started his career as an internal auditor in 2001 with Nestle. After playing various commercial roles in Central America, he was appointed as a country manager for Nestle Honduras in 2009.
In 2013, he took the lead of coffee and beverage business in Mexico and moved to Nestle’s Coffee Strategic Business Unit in 2020.
He moved to Nespresso in July 2024 and participated in the Nestle Executive Committee on 1 January this year.
