Mon, 01 Sep 2025

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 Nestle fires boss after romantic relationship with employee

The food giant says Laurent Freixe had an "undisclosed" relationship with "a direct subordinate".
Nestle has immediately fired its CEO, Laurent Freixe, after an investigation into his personal relationship with a subordinate. The Swiss food company said Freixe failed to disclose the romantic connection, which was deemed a conflict of interest. A probe led by Nestle's chair and independent director found that Freixe had engaged in the relationship, prompting his dismissal. The inquiry was launched after a whistleblower reported the issue through Nestle's internal reporting system. The investigation was conducted with external counsel assistance, and the findings were upheld after a previous internal review raised unsubstantiated concerns earlier this year. Freixe had been CEO for just over a year, replacing Mark Schneider in September last year. He will not receive an exit package. Nestle has appointed Philipp Navratil as Freixe's replacement.
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