Brands under the Nestlé Waters Business banner such as Perrier, San Pellegrino, Acqua Panna and Maison Perrier will be operated separately from the wider group from 1 January 2025 under the leadership of Muriel Lienau.
Currently head of Nestlé Waters Europe, Lienau has worked for the global F&B firm for more than 17 years and will take part in a wider process to evaluate the strategy for this new business.
The move is part of an action plan to drive operational performance and unlock potential, and will include exploring partnership opportunities to enable Nestlé's brands and growth platforms to better meet their potential.
Nestlé is also aiming to deliver incremental cost savings of at least £2.2bn by the end of 2027, with work underway on initiatives across procurement, commercial investments and structural costs.
Unlocking potential
The announcement was made during Nestlé's Capital Markets Day, which was held on 19 November.
"Nestlé is a strong company with global reach, exceptional demand generation and in-market capabilities,” said CEO Laurent Freixe, who took up the role in September of this year.
“We have a diverse and strategically well-positioned product portfolio. Our iconic brands and innovative products connect with people every day, at every stage of their lives. These strengths give us a unique advantage and position us to win in the marketplace. We will now invest further in our brands and growth platforms to unlock the full potential of our products for our consumers and our customers.”
Freixe added that the action plan will improve the way in which the business operates, making it more efficient and responsive.
He continued: “This will allow us to deliver value for all our stakeholders. I am confident that we can deliver superior, sustainable and profitable growth and gain market share, while transforming Nestlé for long-term success."
The news comes not long after Freixe conducted a reshuffle of his senior team, which included moving to a leaner board to enable quicker decision making.
