Nestlé, the world’s biggest food company, said it fired its CEO, Laurent Freixe, after an internal investigation. The investigation was led by Chairman Paul Bulcke and independent director Pablo Isla. They found that Freixe did not tell the company about a romantic relationship with a worker who reported to him. This broke the company’s rules.
Freixe became CEO in September 2024. At first, he denied the claims. But he was fired without any severance pay, which is rare for someone at his level. This shows how serious Nestlé is about ethics at work.
Freixe started at Nestlé in 1986 in France. Over the years, he worked his way up and led teams in Europe and Latin America. He was praised for programs like Nestlé Needs YOUth, which helps young people find jobs. After nearly 40 years, he was seen as a stable leader for the company.
Nestle investors were pitched back into choppy waters. The Swiss food giant ousted its CEO Laurent Freixe over an affair he had with a subordinate. Freixe will be replaced by Philipp Navratil https://t.co/E7IiZJokFJ pic.twitter.com/xUN5ZF40CH
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 2, 2025Nestlé did not share Freixe’s salary for 2025, but experts think it was similar to his predecessor’s pay of 9.6 million Swiss francs (about $11.9 million). He also owned over 41,000 Nestlé shares, worth about $3.6 million. His total net worth was about $4 million. Losing his job without severance shows how serious the violation was.
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Nestlé named Philipp Navratil as the new CEO, starting immediately. Navratil is an experienced leader who used to lead Nestlé’s Nespresso division. He joined the company in 2001. He will keep Nestlé’s plans moving and help build trust with investors and staff.
This event raises worries about how companies manage leaders and workplace behaviour. It comes at a tough time for Nestlé, as the company faces falling share prices and market problems. The company acted quickly to demonstrate its commitment to strong ethics.
