Nestle ousted its top executive, Laurent Freixe, after a breach of the company’s code of business conduct.
The move was confirmed on Monday when Nestle announced that it would be replacing him with Philipp Navratil as the new CEO.
The firing came after an internal probe by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla. The investigation revolved around an undisclosed romantic affair between Freixe and a direct report, which the board concluded violated Nestle’s code of conduct.
“This was the right decision,” Bulcke stated. “Nestle’s values and governance are firm pillars of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service.”
Freixe, a veteran of Nestle for many years, was only in the job since last September. He followed the ousting of his predecessor, Mark Schneider, from the board as part of a broader leadership overhaul.
His successor, Philipp Navratil, has spent more than two decades with the company. He began his career in 2001 as an internal auditor before taking on commercial roles in Central America. By 2009, he had been appointed country manager for Nestle Honduras.
In 2013, Navratil relocated into management of Nestle’s coffee and beverage business in Mexico. Seven years later, he migrated to the group’s Coffee strategic business unit, contributing to developing Nestle’s global beverage strategy.
Navratil most recently served at Nespresso, assuming leadership duties in July 2024. He was also promoted to the Nestle executive board early in 2025, further solidifying his place among the top leaders of the company prior to this current appointment.
The shift in leadership is another key change for Nestle as it steers through changing global markets and changing consumer preferences. The food and beverage giant, owner of some of the world’s best-known brands in coffee, beverages, and packaged foods, has come under pressure to strengthen its governance standards while driving growth.
Although Nestle has not revealed additional information regarding the inquiry, the firm stressed that upholding its value of integrity at the leadership level remains crucial in its corporate culture.
Under Navratil’s guidance, Nestle wants to put behind the scandal and focus on long-term business.
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