Nestle Sacks CEO Laurent Freixe Over Code of Conduct Breach

BY Victoria otonyemeba
September 2, 2025
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Swiss food giant, Nestle has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe with immediate effect due to a breach of the company’s code of business conduct.

An investigation revealed that Freixe had an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, violating Nestle’s governance policies.

Freixe joined Nestle in 1986 and served as CEO since September 2024, tasked with reversing soft spending on the company’s food and household goods. Philipp Navratil, previously CEO of Nespresso, has been appointed as the new CEO of Nestle. Navratil has been with the company since 2001 and has held various roles, including executive vice-president and head of the Coffee Strategic Business Unit.

Nestle’s chairman, Paul Bulcke stated that the decision to dismiss Freixe was necessary, emphasizing the company’s strong values and governance. Bulcke expressed confidence in Navratil’s ability to drive growth plans forward and accelerate efficiency efforts.

Navratil has pledged to drive Nestle’s value creation plan with intensity and maintain the company’s strategic direction. Nestle’s shares closed up 0.13% at 75.49 Swiss francs on the Swiss stock exchange following the announcement.