Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe Ousted Over Undisclosed Relationship; Philipp Navratil Named Successor.
Nestlé has removed Chief Executive Laurent Freixe after an internal probe revealed he failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, violating the company’s code of conduct.
The investigation, overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and lead independent director Pablo Isla with support from external counsel, concluded that Freixe’s actions breached Nestlé’s governance standards.
“This was a necessary decision,” Bulcke said. “Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company.”
Philipp Navratil, a company veteran who joined Nestlé in 2001, has been appointed CEO. He began his career as an internal auditor, later holding leadership roles across Central America and in the global coffee business. In 2020, he moved to Nestlé’s Coffee Strategic Business Unit, before becoming CEO of Nespresso in 2024.
Nestlé, headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, is currently grappling with higher commodity costs and tariffs. In July, the company said price hikes had helped offset rising expenses for coffee and cocoa.
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