Leadership Shake-Up at Nestle: CEO Laurent Freixe Dismissed Amid Scandal
Nestle's CEO Laurent Freixe was fired after a year in the role due to an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate. Freixe's departure compounds existing challenges, including declining sales and a leadership vacuum. Nespresso chief Philipp Navratil will replace him as the Swiss giant struggles with investor confidence.

Nestle, the Swiss food conglomerate best known for its Nescafe and KitKat brands, has dismissed CEO Laurent Freixe after he failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a subordinate. This leadership crisis adds to Nestle's ongoing struggle with a declining share price and sluggish sales.
Philipp Navratil, previously the head of Nespresso, has been appointed as the new CEO, tasked with revamping Nestle's business strategy amid the challenging economic environment exacerbated by U.S. tariffs and dwindling investor confidence. Concerns were initially raised within the company, prompting an investigation overseen by senior executives, leading to Freixe's immediate sacking.
The dismissal of Freixe, who spent nearly four decades at Nestle, brings to light broader issues within the corporate world regarding undisclosed relationships and governance, following similar scandals at BP and McDonald's. Moving forward, Nestle faces urgent calls to refocus on sustainable growth and cost-cutting strategies to restore investor trust.