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Why Nestlé Ousted CEO Laurent Freixe and Appointed Philipp Navratil

Nestlé dismissed Laurent Freixe on 1 September 2025 after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate, and appointed Philipp Navratil CEO.

By TheFinanceBase Team 2 min read
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Nestlé said it dismissed CEO Laurent Freixe with immediate effect on 1 September 2025 after an investigation concluded that he had an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, in breach of the company’s Code of Business Conduct. The company appointed Philipp Navratil as CEO at the same time.

Why Nestlé dismissed Laurent Freixe

Nestlé’s 1 September 2025 announcement said the board ordered an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship between Freixe and a direct subordinate. The company said the relationship breached its Code of Business Conduct and that Freixe was dismissed with immediate effect.

The announcement did not identify the subordinate or publish detailed investigative findings. It establishes Nestlé’s stated conclusion, but does not provide a basis for claims about the employee’s identity, the particulars of the relationship, or additional findings.

What Nestlé disclosed about the investigation

Nestlé said Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla oversaw the board-ordered investigation, supported by independent outside counsel. Chairman Bulcke called the dismissal “a necessary decision” and said he thanked Freixe for his years of service at Nestlé.

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What Reuters later reported

A Reuters report republished by Investing.com on 3 September 2025 added that staff concerns about alleged favoritism were raised through Nestlé’s Speak Up system in May 2025. Reuters quoted CFO Anna Manz as saying Freixe denied the relationship when asked about the concerns. These details are Reuters-reported background, not information in Nestlé’s initial announcement.

Who replaced Freixe as Nestlé CEO?

Nestlé appointed Philipp Navratil as CEO with immediate effect on 1 September 2025. The company said Navratil joined Nestlé in 2001 as an internal auditor, later held commercial roles in Central America, led the business in Honduras and Mexico, and worked on global coffee strategy. Nestlé’s 2025 governance report, published in 2026, records Freixe’s departure from the Executive Board and Navratil’s appointment as effective on that date.

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What the change meant for Nestlé’s strategy

In its announcement, Nestlé said it was “not changing course on strategy” and would “not lose pace on performance.” That was the company’s stated position at the time of the leadership change; the statement alone does not establish subsequent business performance.

Reuters described Freixe’s dismissal as coming exactly one year after he took over from Mark Schneider. The key confirmed transition date is 1 September 2025, when Nestlé announced both Freixe’s immediate dismissal and Navratil’s appointment.

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