Nestlé sacks CEO Laurent Freixe after relationship with subordinate, Philipp Navratil appointed successor

Nestlé has announced a major leadership change, removing Laurent Freixe (pictured, left) as CEO with immediate effect and appointing Philipp Navratil (pictured, right) as his successor.

The decision follows the conclusion of an investigation into Freixe’s undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which the company said breached its code of business conduct. The review was conducted under the oversight of chairman Paul Bulcke and lead independent director Pablo Isla, with support from independent outside counsel.

“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,” said Bulcke in a statement. 

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He continued: “I am pleased to announce Philipp Navratil as CEO. Philipp is recognised 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.”

Navratil, who officially joined the Nestlé executive board at the start of this year, is a company veteran with more than two decades of experience. Having started as an internal auditor in 2001, he went on to hold commercial and leadership roles across Central America and Mexico, strengthening the Nescafé brand before steering strategy and innovation for both Nescafé and Starbucks coffee globally. He most recently headed Nespresso, where he was credited with accelerating growth since his appointment in 2024.

“I am honoured 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,” said Navratil. “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.”

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