Mark Schneider leaves the world's largest food group
A new chief executive will be appointed at Nestlé at short notice. As the world's largest food company announced on Thursday, the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mark Schneider, will be leaving the company.
As a result, the Board of Directors of Nestlé has appointed Laurent Freixe as the new Chief Executive Officer as of September 1.
According to the press release, Schneider will also make his position as a member of the Board of Directors available. In addition to his current appointment as CEO of Nestlé S.A., Laurent Freixe will also be proposed for election to the Board of Directors at the 2025 Annual General Meeting.
Eight years of the Schneider era
In its press release, the company writes that Mark Schneider has aligned the portfolio with the corporate strategy in his eight years at Nestlé. According to the company, the focus was on high-growth categories such as coffee, products for pets and health-supporting products.
Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Nestlé Board of Directors, said of Schneider's performance, among other things: "Mark has been instrumental in making great strides in our sustainability efforts. We wish him all the best for his professional and personal future."
New CEO with many years of Nestlé experience
Unlike Mark Schneider, Laurent Freixe started his career at Nestlé. He began working for the Swiss food group in France in 1986. He then held various positions at Nestlé in different business units, markets and regions. In 2022, Freixe became CEO of the Latin America region. He has also been a member of the Executive Board for 16 years.
Paul Bulcke had the following to say about Freixe: "The Board of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of Laurent as our new CEO. I have known Laurent for many years and hold him in high regard as a talented leader with strategic acumen, extensive experience and expertise in our markets and a deep understanding of markets and consumers." With Freixe, Nestlé will further strengthen its position as a reliable company with consistent and sustainable value creation.