Food brand Nestlé has fired CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation revealed an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate employee.

Paul Bulcke, chairman of Nestlé, said: “This was a necessary decision. Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service at Nestlé.”

The FMCG giant has appointed Philipp Navratil, former CEO of Nespresso South America, as his successor, effective immediately. Navratil joined Nestlé’s executive board in January 2025 and has been working as chief executive of Nespresso South America since July 2024.

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Bulcke continued: “I am pleased to announce Philipp Navratil as CEO. Philipp is recognised for his impressive track record of achieving results in challenging environments. Renowned for his dynamic presence, he inspires teams and leads with a collaborative, inclusive management style. The Board is confident that he will drive our growth plans forward and accelerate efficiency efforts. We are not changing course on strategy, and we will not lose pace on performance.”

Navratil has years of experience at the Nestlé having joined as an internal auditor in 2001. He held the role of country manager for Nestlé Honduras in 2009 and was promoted to Nestlé’s Coffee Strategic Business Unit in 2020.

“I am honoured by the trust the Board has placed in me, and it is a privilege to take on the responsibility of leading Nestlé into the future,” he said.

“I fully embrace the company’s strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestlé’s performance. I look forward to working closely with the entire leadership of the company, in alignment with the Board, chairman Paul Bulcke, and chairman-designate Pablo Isla, to accelerate execution and to drive the value creation plan with intensity.”