India, Sept. 2 -- Nestle's Board of Directors announces that Philipp Navratil has been appointed as CEO of Nestle, S.A., following the dismissal of Laurent Freixe with immediate effect.
The departure of Laurent Freixe follows an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate which breached Nestle's Code of Business Conduct. In line with best practice corporate governance, the Board ordered an investigation overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director, Pablo Isla, with the support of independent outside counsel.
Paul Bulcke, Chairman, stated: "This was a necessary decision. Nestle's values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service at Nestle."
He continued: "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."
Philipp Navratil began his career with Nestle in 2001 as an internal auditor. After holding various commercial roles in Central America, he was appointed Country Manager for Nestle Honduras in 2009. In 2013, Philipp Navratil assumed leadership of the coffee and beverage business in Mexico, where he played a pivotal role in strengthening the Nescafe brand. In 2020, he transitioned to Nestle's Coffee Strategic Business Unit, where he was responsible for shaping the global strategy and driving innovation for Nescafe and Starbucks coffee brands. He assumed his position at Nespresso in July 2024, where he has accelerated growth and built strong momentum. Philipp Navratil joined the Nestle Executive Board on January 1, 2025.
Philipp Navratil, CEO of Nestle, added: "I am honored by the trust the Board has placed in me, and it is a privilege to take on the responsibility of leading Nestle into the future. I fully embrace the company's strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestle'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."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from FoodTechBiz.