GENEVA, Switzerland – Swiss food giant Nestlé terminated Chief Executive Laurent Freixe with immediate effect this week following an investigation into an “undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate” that violated the company’s code of conduct.
The world’s largest food company, known for brands including Nespresso, KitKat, and Purina, moved quickly to replace Freixe with Nespresso CEO Philipp Navratil, who was appointed by the board of directors.
“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 Vevey-based company said in a statement.
The board ordered the investigation under the oversight of Chairman Paul Bulcke and lead independent director Pablo Isla, with assistance from external legal 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,” Bulcke said.
Freixe, a 39-year company veteran who joined Nestlé France in 1986, had served as CEO for less than a year. He assumed the top role in September 2024 with a mandate to revitalize consumer spending amid challenging market conditions.
The leadership change comes as Nestlé grapples with significant headwinds. The company’s share price plummeted nearly 25% last year, raising concerns among Swiss pension funds that are major investors. In July, Nestlé reported a 10.3% decline in first-half profits as it struggled with sluggish consumer spending, particularly in China.
Despite the turmoil, Nestlé shares closed up 0.13% at 75.49 Swiss francs on Monday.
Navratil, who began his Nestlé career in 2001, brings extensive experience across the company’s coffee and beverage portfolio. He led operations in Central America and Mexico before overseeing global strategy for the Nescafe and Starbucks brands. He joined the company’s board in January.
“I fully embrace the company’s strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestlé’s performance,” Navratil said, promising to “drive the value creation plan with intensity.”
Chairman Bulcke expressed confidence in the transition: “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.”
Freixe’s dismissal adds to a growing list of corporate executives who have lost their positions over workplace relationships that violated company policies.
BP’s Bernard Looney resigned unexpectedly in 2023 over undisclosed relationships with colleagues. McDonald’s dismissed CEO Steve Easterbrook in 2019 for a consensual relationship with an employee, while Intel’s Brian Krzanich stepped down in 2018 over a similar policy violation.
The swift action by Nestlé’s board underscores the increasing scrutiny of executive conduct and the enforcement of corporate governance standards at major multinational corporations.
