Overview

• Nestlé dismissed Laurent Freixe effective Sept. 1 with no exit package after an outside investigation by law firm Bär & Karrer confirmed an undisclosed relationship with a direct report.
• Chief financial officer Anna Manz said a May complaint via the company’s Speak Up hotline led to an internal review that found no evidence before further reports triggered the external probe.
• Swiss outlet Blick reported that Freixe had promoted the woman involved in 2023 to run a regional division that reported directly to him, an allegation not detailed by Nestlé.
• The board named Philipp Navratil, a longtime executive who recently led Nespresso, as CEO, replacing Freixe, a nearly 40‑year company veteran who held the top job for about a year.
• Shareholders are questioning Chair Paul Bulcke and the board’s oversight and succession process; shares fell after the announcement, later recovered those losses, and are down about 14% over the past year.