Nestlé boss relinquishes role as company mainstay steps up

Freixe has been appointed chief executive of the business with effect from 1 September and has been nominated as a candidate for the board of directors.

Schneider’s departure from the business followed eight years with Nestlé where he has served as CEO, steering the company through everything from the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit and the war in Ukraine.

His replacement, Laurent Freixe, has been with Nestlé since 1986 assuming various positions of increasing responsibility across different businesses, markets and Zones.

New responsilibities

Commenting on his appointment, he said: "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."​

Freixe managed Zone Europe from 2008 until 2014, when he took over as CEO of Zone Americas. Following the creation of Nestlé’s new Zone structure in 2022, Laurent Freixe was named CEO Zone Latin America.

Chairman of the board Paul Bulcke added: “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. ​

Delivering results

“He has demonstrated his ability to deliver results in challenging market conditions. Under his leadership, Nestlé will further strengthen its position as a dependable, reliable company through consistent and sustainable value creation.”​

Bulcke also thanked Schneider for his contributions to Nestlé, steady leadership in turbulent times and his instrumental role in the progress made on the company’s sustainability agenda.

Mark Schneider said: “Leading Nestlé for the past 8 years has been an honour 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.”​

Meanwhile, Tate & Lyle has announced the appointment of Sarah Kuijlaars​​ as its new chief financial officer.