Nestlé has sacked its global chief executive, Laurent Freixe, after just one year in office over his failure to disclose a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate.
The Swiss food giant, known for brands such as Kit Kat and Nespresso, said the decision took “immediate effect” following an internal and external investigation led by company chair Paul Bulcke and independent director Pablo Isla.
The probe was triggered through Nestlé’s whistleblowing channel after concerns were raised about Freixe’s alleged relationship. The company described the situation as a “conflict of interest,” prompting swift action to protect corporate integrity.
“This was a necessary decision. Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company,” Bulcke said. “I thank Laurent for his years of service.”
Freixe, who joined Nestlé nearly 40 years ago, became global CEO in September 2024, succeeding Mark Schneider.
Despite his denial of the allegations throughout both investigations, Nestlé confirmed that the findings were upheld and that Freixe would not receive any exit benefits.
Governance at Stake
Independent director Pablo Isla, who oversaw the inquiry alongside Bulcke, ensured the process followed “best practice corporate governance”, according to Nestlé’s statement.
Freixe’s removal underscores growing corporate intolerance for undisclosed workplace relationships among senior executives. It comes amid similar scandals that rocked major global firms.
In 2019, McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook was fired for a secret relationship with a staff member — and later fined $400,000 by U.S. regulators for misleading investors.
Likewise, BP’s Bernard Looney resigned in 2023 after admitting he was “not fully transparent” about his relationships with colleagues.
Nestlé has appointed Philipp Navratil, a company veteran since 2001, as the new global CEO. Bulcke assured stakeholders that “the company is not changing course on strategy and will not lose pace on performance.”
Bulcke himself will step down as chair next year, with Isla — the former Inditex (Zara) boss — proposed as his successor.
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