Nestle CEO Laurent Freakes (left) and Nestle Chairman Paul Bulk (right) participate in a general shareholder meeting of Swiss food giant Nestle in Equality, near Lazen on 16 April 2025. Photo Credit: AFP
On Monday (September 1, 2025), Swiss food giant Nestle dismissed Laurent Frex as the chief executive with immediate effect on the undeclared romantic relationship with a direct subordinate.
The multinational companies behind the Nespresso coffee capsules and KitKat Chocolate Bar said that Mr. Frex’s dismissal followed an inquiry.
In a sharp trick, Nespresso CEO Philip Navratri was appointed to take over by his fellow board members.
A statement stated, “The departure of the Laurent Frex follows an investigation into an unknown romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which has violated the Nestle’s Business Conduct Code,” a statement said.
The board said that it had ordered an inquiry into the support of the external lawyer by Chairman Paul Bulke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla.
“This was an essential decision. The value of Nestle and the rule are the strong foundation of our company. I thank Laurent for the years of his service,” Mr. Bulke said in a statement.
An veteran, an experienced of a company, Mr. Freix joined Nestle in France in 1986. He ran the firm’s European operations until 2014, steering him through subprime and euro crises starting in 2008.
He led the Latin America Division before his campaigning as CEO.
Mr. Freix was only at the top position since a surprise switch in September 2024, assigned to reversed soft expenses by consumers for the company’s food and household items.
Nestle’s share price decreased by about a quarter last year, which increased concerns in Switzerland, where pension funds invest heavy in the company, whose brands also include Purina Dog Food, Maggi Bowlon Cubes, Gerber Baby Food and Nascic Chocolate-Flavor drinks.
Nestle shares increased by 0.13% on 75.49 Swiss Francs at Swiss Stock Exchange.
net profits
At the end of July, Nestle recorded a decline of 10.3 percent in the first half profit, as it struggled to move around its fate amid dull consumer expenses in China, even it passed at the prices of high cocoa and coffee to consumers.
The new Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Navratil, was an executive vice -president in Nestle, headquartered in the Wave on Lake Geneva.
“The board is confident that it will pursue our development plans and will speed up efforts for efficiency. We are not changing the syllabus on the strategy and we will not lose pace on the performance,” the Chairman Mr. Bulak insisted.
Mr. Navratti started his career with Nestle in 2001 and played various roles in Central America, led by coffee and beverage trade in Mexico from 2013 to 2020, when he took responsibility for global strategy and innovation for Neskafa and Starbucks brands.
He became the chief executive of the Nespresso brand in July last year and joined the Company Board in January 2025.
“I completely embrace the company’s strategic direction, as well as embrace the action plan to run the Nestle’s performance,” Mr. Navratil said, “Promising” running the price construction plan “.
Mr. Freix is only the latest of a string of top commercial figures, which has been found in a violation of internal rules through the exhaust gate in recent years.
Bernard Loni resigned unexpectedly as the CEO of British Energy Giant BP in 2023, which was on his failure to disclose the previous relationship with colleagues.
Steve Easterbrook was wasted as the chief executive of McDonald’s in 2019, “consenting relationship with an employee in violation of the company’s policy.
A year ago, Brian Krajanich stepped up as the chief executive of the US Computer Chip veteran Intel on “previous consent” with an employee in a violation of the company’s Non-Fremnation Policy.
Published – 02 September, 2025 02:59 am IST