Nestlé's Board of Directors announced that the immediate dismissal of Laurent Freixe following an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate. The relationship breached Nestlé's Code of Business Conduct, according to the announcement. Nestlé explained that, in line with best practice corporate governance, the Board ordered an investigation overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director, Pablo Isla, with the support of independent outside counsel.
Following Freixe's dismissal, Philipp Navratil has been appointed as CEO of Nestlé, S.A.

Of the move, Paul Bulcke, Chairman, stated, "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...I am pleased to announce Philipp Navratil as CEO. Philipp is recognized 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 been with the company since 2001, starting as an  internal auditor. After holding various commercial roles in Central America, he was appointed Country Manager for Nestlé Honduras in 2009. In 2013, he assumed leadership of the coffee and beverage business in Mexico. In 2020, he moved to Nestlé's Coffee Strategic Business Unit, where he was responsible for shaping the global strategy and driving innovation for Nescafé and Starbucks coffee brands. He assumed his position at Nespresso in July 2024, and joined the Nestlé Executive Board on January 1, 2025.

"I am honored 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," said Navratil. "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."

Nestle is the parent company to several natural products and nutritional supplement brands, including Solgar, Garden of Life, Nature's Bounty, and Vital Proteins.