Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe | Biography & Career

Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe became the chief executive of the company in September 2024 and was removed in September 2025 after almost 40 years of service at Nestlé.

Life and Education

Laurent Freixe was born in Paris in 1962. He studied at EDHEC Business School in Lille, France, where he earned an MBA in Marketing. He also attended IMD in Switzerland for executive training programs that prepared him for leadership roles.

Start at Nestlé

He joined Nestlé in 1986 in France. His first jobs were in sales and marketing, where he worked on food and nutrition brands. He quickly built a name for himself as a manager who understood consumer needs and could grow product sales.

Work in Hungary and Iberia

In 2003, Freixe became CEO of Nestlé Hungary. He helped the company grow in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2007, he was promoted to CEO of Nestlé Iberia, managing operations in Spain and Portugal. Even during difficult economic times, he kept Nestlé competitive in the region.

Head of Zone Europe

In 2008, he became Executive Vice President and Head of Zone Europe. He led Nestlé during the global financial crisis, focusing on efficiency and innovation. He pushed for the “60/40 rule,” which required that at least 60 percent of consumers prefer Nestlé products in blind taste tests. This helped Nestlé maintain its strength in the European market.

Leading Zone Americas

In 2014, Freixe moved to Zone Americas, covering the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. This was one of Nestlé’s largest markets. He worked on expanding coffee, pet food, and bottled water. He also invested in advertising, digital marketing, and sustainability projects like eco-friendly packaging and water management.

Role in Latin America

In 2022, he became CEO of Zone Latin America. He focused on making products more affordable while keeping premium brands strong. He made sure Nestlé products reached a wider range of consumers in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and other countries.

Becoming Nestlé CEO

On September 1, 2024, Laurent Freixe became the CEO of Nestlé S.A., replacing Ulf Mark Schneider. As CEO, he focused on:

• Strengthening Nestlé’s core food and beverage brands.
• Restoring the 60/40 rule for product testing.
• Improving efficiency and cutting costs while increasing advertising.

He wanted to rebuild consumer trust and make Nestlé’s products more competitive.

Challenges as CEO

As Nestlé CEO, Laurent Freixe faced:

• Product safety issues: Problems with Buitoni pizzas and Perrier water damaged trust in Nestlé.
• Slow sales growth: Nestlé struggled to achieve higher organic growth.
• Investor pressure: Shareholders wanted stronger performance from key business areas.

Freixe worked on regaining consumer trust and improving product quality.

Removal as CEO

In September 2025, Nestlé announced that Laurent Freixe was removed after an internal investigation. The company found he had an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate, which broke Nestlé’s code of conduct.

The decision was made by the board of directors, and Freixe did not receive an exit package.

Successor

After his removal, Nestlé appointed Philipp Navratil as the new CEO. Navratil had previously led Nespresso and was already a member of the executive board. His appointment was aimed at keeping stability in the company.

Career Timeline

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