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(C): Twitter
Philipp Navratil has been made the new Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé, the largest food and beverage entity in the world, following the abrupt removal of Laurent Freixe. After an internal probe uncovered that Freixe had an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate, which was against the code of conduct of the company, the decision was made. The board of Nestle stressed that the action was required to maintain the values and governance standards of the company. With an enriched international experience, particularly in the Nestlé coffee unit, the management change shall contribute to the stability and strategic growth of the Swiss multinational.
Leadership Change Amid Governance Concerns
On Monday, the Swiss food giant said that Laurent Freixe was fired after an internal investigation. The investigation found that one of the long-time executives, Freixe, had a secret affair with a direct subordinate, which was against the strict code of business conduct at Nestlé.
The company emphasized in a statement the need to protect integrity on every level. The statement read: This is due to the exit of Laurent Freixe after an unspecified love affair involving one of his direct subordinates that was a violation of the Nestlé code of business conduct.
Board Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla once again stated that the decision was hard, but it was needed to preserve confidence in the company’s governance structure. They also congratulated Freixe on his years of service and contribution to the growth of Nestlé in the international markets.
This high-profile departure brings to light the growing attention given to multinational corporations in upholding ethical norms, particularly in the conduct of executives. The rapid response of Nestle speaks of its transparency, accountability, and business ethics.
Who is Philipp Navratil?
Philipp Navratil (born 1976) is Swiss and Austrian. In 1996, he received a Master’s degree in Business Administration, majoring in finance and capital markets at the University of St. Gallen. He also attended the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore IIM-B as part of his training. In 2011, advanced his executive qualifications by attending the Senior Management Program at the International Institute of Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland.
Navratil joined Nestlé in 2001 as an International Auditor. His first working experiences were as a leader in planning and organizing audit activities in different territories. He ascended the ranks to become Country Manager of Nestle Honduras by 2009 after serving in various commercial posts in Central America.
This saw his career soar even faster in 2013 as he was appointed to lead the coffee and beverage operations of Nestlé in Mexico, one of the largest and most competitive markets of the company. Led by him, Nestlé started to increase its coffee presence considerably. In 2020, Navratil was elevated to the Global Coffee Strategic Business Division, where he developed the global strategy and innovation of flagship brands, Nescafes, and licensed Starbucks products.
In January 2025, he became a member of the Nestlé Executive Board, and in 2024, he became head of Nespresso, the luxury coffee division of Nestlé. Continuity and innovation will now be coming in both the global operations and processes of the company, and Navratil is likely to be seen as the CEO who will make sure that Nestlé stays a leader in the highly competitive food and beverage industry.
