Nestlé CEO dismissed after code of conduct breach
By 
Aly McDevitt2025-09-05T21:03:00
Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, dismissed CEO Laurent Freixe following an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, the company announced on Monday. Philipp Navratil, who most recently served as chief executive of Nestlé Nespresso and joined the Nestlé executive board in January, replaced Freixe as global CEO.
Reports of Freixe’s relationship with a junior colleague first surfaced in late spring through the company’s internal complaints system, “Speak Up,” where employees raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and favoritism, according to the Financial Times. Freixe reportedly denied the relationship with the direct subordinate.
Freixe first joined Nestlé in 1986 and rose through the ranks of the Swiss food giant over 39 years, according to his LinkedIn. His tenure as CEO lasted twelve months. He received no severance pay, the Financial Times reported.
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