Nestle Suddenly Fires CEO Over Romantic Relationship With Employee

Benzinga
2025.09.02 12:14
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Nestlé has unexpectedly fired CEO Laurent Freixe due to his failure to disclose a romantic relationship with a subordinate. Philipp Navratil, previously overseeing the Nespresso division, has been appointed as the new CEO. This leadership change comes amid ongoing challenges for Nestlé, including tough market conditions and potential global trade tariffs. The decision followed an internal investigation confirming Freixe's breach of company guidelines. Nestlé's Chairman, Paul Bulcke, emphasized the importance of the company's values and governance in the statement regarding Freixe's termination.

On Monday, Nestlé unexpectedly removed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, after he failed to disclose a romantic involvement with an employee who reported directly to him.

Nestle CEO Removed

The Swiss company, which produces well-known brands like KitKat and Nesquik, announced that seasoned executive Philipp Navratil would take over as chief executive right away, according to CNBC.

Navratil most recently oversaw Nestlé's Nespresso division and has been with the company since 2001.

The leadership shake-up adds to ongoing challenges for Nestlé as it deals with tough market conditions and potential global trade tariffs. Just a few months ago, Nestlé shared that its Chairman, Paul Bulcke, would step down next year.

According to Nestlé, Freixe's termination came after an internal probe—led by Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla—confirmed he broke company guidelines by failing to report his relationship with a subordinate.

"This was a necessary decision," said Bulcke in a statement, per CNBC.

"Nestle's values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service," adding that Nestlé remains firmly focused on its strategy and growth plans.

Freixe’s abrupt exit also reflects broader leadership turbulence this year across the consumer goods sector, with similar recent events at companies like Unilever, Diageo, and Hershey.

Kohl’s CEO Scandal

Kohl's Corp. KSS terminated CEO Ashley Buchanan in May 2025, citing undisclosed conflicts of interest following an external investigation.

The company found that Buchanan had violated policies by steering Kohl's into vendor deals that involved conflicts of interest, which he had not disclosed.

Due to this conduct, Buchanan was fired "for cause" after just four months in the role. Michael Bender has stepped in as interim CEO while Kohl's searches for a permanent replacement.

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