The Board of Directors of Nestlé has appointed Laurent Freixe, currently Executive Vice President and CEO for the Latin America region, as Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé effective September 01. He will also be proposed for election to the Board of Directors at the 2025 Annual General Meeting. The current CEO Mark Schneider has decided to step down as CEO and member of the Board of Directors. In his eight years at Nestlé, he has consistently aligned the portfolio with the corporate strategy.
Laurent Freixe began his career at Nestlé in France in 1986. Since then, he has held positions of increasing responsibility within the Group in various business areas, markets and zones. From 2008 to 2014, he successfully led the Europe region through the financial and economic crisis. He then took on the role of CEO of Zone Americas, where he drove growth. With the introduction of the new zone structure in 2022, he was appointed CEO of the Latin America region.
Laurent Freixe has been a member of the Group Executive Board for 16 years, during which time he has made a significant contribution to strengthening the strategic direction of the company and its portfolio. He is also committed to the development of future leaders and talent, including through his active promotion of training programs and the Needs Youth initiative, which promotes youth employment.
Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Board of Directors, explains: "The Board of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of Laurent as the new CEO. I have known Laurent for a long time and highly regard him as a talented leader with strategic acumen, extensive in-market experience and expertise as well as a deep understanding of markets and consumers. He has demonstrated his ability to deliver results in challenging market conditions. Laurent's curiosity fuels his passion for innovation and positive change. Laurent is the perfect fit for Nestlé at this time." Bulcke continues: "I would also like to express our gratitude to Mark for his significant contributions to Nestlé and for his outstanding, steady leadership in turbulent times. Mark has been instrumental in the great progress we have made on our sustainability agenda. We extend our best wishes to him in all his professional and personal endeavors."
"I am privileged to have been given the opportunity to continue building and strengthening Nestlé, and I am excited to take on this responsibility. There will always be challenges, but we have unparalleled strengths, such as iconic brands and products, an unmatched global presence, leading innovation and execution capabilities, and above all, exceptional people and teams. We can strategically position Nestlé to lead and win everywhere we operate."
"Leading Nestlé for the past eight years has been an honor for me. I am grateful for what we have achieved, having transformed Nestlé into a future-proofed, innovative and sustainable business. I would like to thank the entire Nestlé community for what we have accomplished together and wish Laurent all the best in his new role."
