Nestlé has terminated the employment of Laurent Freixe, the CEO of its strategic market division, following an investigation that confirmed he had an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate. This decision, which comes just a year after his appointment, violates the company’s code of conduct. He has been replaced by Philipp Navratil, a veteran of the group.
The Swiss multinational announced that the investigation was led by Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke and independent director Pablo Isla, with support from an external consultant. The probe substantiated that Freixe’s relationship with the employee breached corporate policy.
In a statement, Chairman Bulcke called the dismissal a “necessary decision,” emphasizing that “Nestlé’s values and governance are the solid foundations of our company.” He thanked Freixe for his years of service and expressed confidence in the new appointee, noting that Navratil “is known for his impressive results in challenging contexts.”
Navratil, a Nestlé veteran since 2001, has held numerous roles and most recently led the Nescafé and Starbucks businesses since 2020 before becoming CEO of Nespresso in 2024. He was appointed to the executive board in January of this year.
Freixe had been appointed a year prior to reinvigorate the group’s performance following the eight-year tenure of Mark Schneider, whose strategic choices Freixe had previously criticized.