By Muhammad Mamman
Nestlé, the world’s largest food company, has dismissed its chief executive, Laurent Freixe, after an internal probe revealed he had concealed a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate — a breach of the company’s code of conduct.
The Swiss giant confirmed his immediate removal on Monday, announcing seasoned executive Philipp Navratil as the new CEO.
“The dismissal of Laurent Freixe follows an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate which breached Nestlé’s Code of Business Conduct,” the company said in a statement.
The inquiry, ordered by Nestlé’s board and overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke alongside Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla, was conducted with the support of external legal advisers.
Bulcke stressed that the decision was unavoidable: “Nestlé’s values and governance are the strong foundations of our company.”
Unveiling Navratil as the new chief, Bulcke added: “I am pleased to announce Philipp Navratil as CEO. He is renowned for his ability to deliver results in challenging environments and for his collaborative, inclusive leadership style.”
Navratil, who joined Nestlé in 2001 as an internal auditor, has built a reputation as a dynamic leader with a proven track record across the company’s global operations.
