September 2, 2025

Big shock at Nestlé! The giant Swiss consumer goods company has fired its CEO, Laurent Freixe, because he was caught in a secret love affair with a direct subordinate. This broke Nestlé's very strict Code of Business Conduct. The company said, “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 investigation was tightly watched over by Chairman Paul Bulcke and an independent director, with outside lawyers helping in the process. Nestlé acted fast and named a new captain for the ship. Philipp Navratil has been appointed as the new CEO of Nestlé S.A., effective immediately. Chairman Paul Bulcke 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.” Who is Laurent Freixe? Starting his Nestlé journey in 1986 in France, Laurent climbed the ladder with roles in Marketing and Sales. He led the Nutrition Division of Nestlé France from 1999 and later became CEO of Nestlé Hungary in 2003, followed by CEO of the Iberian Region in 2007. In 2008, he joined the Nestlé Executive Board and became CEO of Zone Americas in 2014, the company’s biggest region. His last role was CEO Zone Latin America starting in 2022. Nestlé praised him as a natural leader during his appointment in 2024. He pushed innovative ideas and helped Nestlé grow while focusing on healthier lives and community support. One big success was the Nestlé Needs YOUth campaign launched in 2013, helping young people under 30 find jobs. The program aims to give 10 million youths worldwide access to economic chances by 2030. Laurent was born in Paris and studied at Ecole de Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord, Lille. He also took part in the IMD Executive Development Program in Switzerland. But despite his strong background and achievements, this undisclosed romance meant he had to say goodbye to Nestlé’s top job. Now, all eyes turn to Philipp Navratil as the new boss to keep the global giant on track!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Nestle, Laurent freixe, Philipp navratil, Ceo change, Corporate governance, Code of business conduct,