Nestlé has terminated Laurent Freixe, the CEO of the Swiss multinational, following an internal investigation into his “undisclosed romantic relationship” with a junior employee, which breached the company’s code of conduct.
Philipp Navratil has been appointed as the new CEO with immediate effect.
Who Is Laurent Freixe?
Laurent Freixe, 63, is a French business executive who served as Nestlé’s CEO for exactly one year. He succeeded Ulf Mark Schneider on September 1, 2024, and was dismissed on September 1, 2025, after the investigation concluded.
Freixe had spent 40 years at Nestlé, rising through the ranks from negotiating contracts with grocery stores to leading one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies.
Reason for Dismissal
Nestlé’s chairman, Paul Bulcke, and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla led the inquiry into Freixe’s relationship with a subordinate. The company stated:
“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. This was a necessary decision. Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company.”
How the Relationship Was Exposed
The romantic relationship came to light through a report via Nestlé’s whistleblowing channel, prompting a formal investigation. While an initial inquiry found the allegations unsubstantiated, a subsequent investigation conducted with external counsel upheld the claims, highlighting the conflict of interest posed by the relationship.
The identity of the subordinate has not been publicly disclosed, though reports confirm the individual was not on the executive board.
Financials and Exit Package
Nestlé has not revealed Freixe’s exact CEO salary, but his predecessor earned 9.6 million Swiss francs (~$11.9 million USD). Freixe held over 41,000 shares, valued at approximately $3.6 million USD. According to reports, he will not receive an exit package.
About Nestlé’s Leadership Transition
Philipp Navratil has been appointed CEO effective immediately, tasked with continuing Nestlé’s strategic direction and maintaining corporate governance standards.
