Overview

• Nestlé said an inquiry verified that Freixe failed to disclose a romance with a direct subordinate in breach of its Code of Business Conduct, and he was removed immediately.
• Fortune reported that Freixe departed without any pay package, as the board moved to install longtime executive Philipp Navratil, previously head of Nespresso, as CEO.
• Media accounts say a complaint to Nestlé’s anonymous hotline came from a senior executive who allegedly discovered Freixe with another colleague in a Zurich hotel.
• A spokesperson said an initial review did not substantiate the suspicion, then further evidence led to an in‑depth investigation that confirmed the affair, and the company declined further comment.
• Reports describe chair Paul Bulcke and vice chair Pablo Isla confronting Freixe and say severance arrangements were made for the two women referenced in the allegations.