Philipp Navratil Named New Nestlé CEO After Laurent Freixe’s Sudden Exit
Nestle has confirmed a major shake-up at the top, appointing Philipp Navratil as its new Chief Executive Officer after the abrupt departure of Laurent Freixe, who was dismissed following a breach of company policy.
The world’s largest food and beverage company revealed that Mr Freixe had failed to disclose a relationship with a subordinate, a clear violation of Nestlé’s business code.
In a formal statement, Nestlé said: “The departure of Laurent Freixe follows an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which breached Nestlé’s code of business conduct.”
Company leadership moved swiftly. Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Board, alongside Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla, added: “This was a necessary decision.
Nestlé’s Board of Directors has appointed Philipp Navratil as CEO of Nestlé, S.A., following the dismissal of Laurent Freixe with immediate effect.#PaulBulcke | @Nestle #Nestle #LeadershipChange #CorporateGovernance #BusinessNews #CEOMoves #pitch #marketing pic.twitter.com/whRjRCcJCC
— Pitch Magazine (@e4mPitch) September 2, 2025
Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service.”
Who is the new Nestlé CEO, Philipp Navratil?
Philipp Navratil, 48, is no stranger to the company. Born in Switzerland in 1976, with dual Swiss-Austrian nationality, Navratil has built his career entirely inside Nestlé’s global operations.
Armed with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance and Capital Markets from the University of St. Gallen, he gained international exposure early, studying at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore.
Later, he honed his leadership skills at the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland.
Navratil joined Nestlé in 2001 as an international auditor before moving into senior roles across Latin America. By 2013, he was leading Nestlé’s highly competitive coffee and beverages division in Mexico. His success there marked him as a rising star within the group.
In 2020, he was entrusted with global strategy for Nescafé and Starbucks-branded products, two of Nestlé’s biggest coffee assets.
By 2024, he had taken charge of Nespresso, steering its premium market positioning, before being elevated to the Executive Board earlier this year.
Away from the corporate spotlight, he is married and has two children.
This leadership change comes at a sensitive moment for the Swiss multinational. Nestlé’s reputation for strict governance and adherence to its corporate values has now been thrust into the spotlight.
The appointment of Navratil signals a return to stability. Insiders view him as a strategist with deep operational knowledge and proven experience in high-growth markets.
For investors and employees, his promotion is being read as both a steady hand and a forward-looking move.
The sudden exit of Laurent Freixe may have shocked many, but the board’s quick decision reflects Nestlé insistence on maintaining ethical standards at every level of leadership.
