Who is Laurent Freixe? Nestlé CEO Fired Over Alleged Workplace Romance With Employee

Following an inquiry that found that he had an “undisclosed romantic relationship” with a subordinate, Nestlé fired CEO Laurent Freixe. His actions were against company policy. Philipp Navratil, the CEO of Nespresso, was named as his successor by the Swiss multinational.

After 40 years with the company, Mr Freixe left after an examination led by lead independent director Pablo Isla and Nestlé chair Paul Bulcke, with assistance from outside counsel.

This was a necessary decision, Bulcke stated. Nestle’s governance and values serve as solid pillars for the business. “I thank Laurent for his years of service.” Nestlé is well-known for its brands, which include KitKat chocolate bars and Nespresso coffee capsules.

Laurent Freixe’s Career Journey

It was in Paris, France, that Laurent Freixe was born in 1962. He is French and speaks German, Spanish, English, and French. He finished the Program for Executive Development at IMD, Switzerland, and studied business administration at the Ecole de Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord (EDHEC) in Lille, France.

Prior to joining the Executive Board for Zone Europe, Mr Freixe led Nestlé Hungary and the Iberian Region after joining the company in 1986 after working in sales and marketing in France. According to his LinkedIn profile, he also started Nestle’s youth programme, Nestle Needs YOUth. With responsibility for the US, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean, Mr Freixe was appointed Executive Vice President and CEO of Zone Americas in 2014.

In 2022, he was appointed Executive Vice President and CEO of Zone Latin America, where he also assisted the CEO with zone coordination. In 2018, he was designated International Youth Ambassador. Mr Freixe succeeded Ulf Mark Schneider as CEO of Neste on September 1, 2024. Exactly one year later, he was let go.

Boards and Contributions

Mr Freixe has held positions on a number of boards, such as Froneri SA, the Consumer Goods Forum in Latin America, and Cereal Partners Worldwide. He chaired the Global Apprenticeship Network since 2019 and joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Executive Committee in 2023. Additionally, he is a member of the IMD Foundation Board, the European Roundtable, and the EDHEC Business School Advisory Board.