Laurent Freixe Replaces Mark Schneider as Nestle's CEO

Swiss conglomerate Nestle S.A. has announced the appointment of veteran executive Laurent Freixe as its new CEO, effective September 1, replacing outgoing CEO Mark Schneider. The announcement was made on Thursday in New Delhi, and it was also noted that Freixe is a nominee for the Board of Directors at the 2025 annual general meeting. 
 
The leadership transition comes at a time when competitors such as Unilever and Danone have been ramping up their sales volumes over the past few years. Despite posting robust post-pandemic performance figures, Nestle has found itself struggling recently, with last month seeing a reduction in its full-year sales outlook. 
 
Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Nestle, praised Freixe’s ability to deliver results under challenging market conditions, saying, "His curiosity fuels his passion for innovation and positive change. Laurent is the perfect fit for Nestle at this time." 
 
Mark Schneider will be stepping down from his roles as both CEO and member of the Board of Directors after an eight-year tenure during which he played an instrumental role in shaping up Nestlé's portfolio according to company strategy, with a focus on high-growth sectors like coffee, pet care, and nutritional health products. 
 
Reflecting on his journey with Nestlé, Schneider said, “I am grateful for what we have achieved, having transformed Nestlé into a future-proofed innovative and sustainable business.” 
 
Freixe began his career with Nestle back in France in 1986, where he steadily ascended through various positions within different business markets and zones due to increasing responsibility levels coupled with impressive performances. He has spent sixteen years serving on the Executive Board, contributing significantly towards enhancing strategic direction along its product portfolio. 
 
Emphasizing readiness to face challenges ahead whilst leveraging strengths unique to the company, including iconic brands and products, a global presence, leading innovation and execution capabilities, and exceptional people and teams, Freixe stated, "There will always be challenges, but we have unparalleled strengths such as our iconic brands and products, an unmatched global presence, leading innovation and execution capabilities, and above all, exceptional people and teams." 
 
The appointment of Laurent Freixe as the new CEO marks a new chapter in Nestle’s corporate journey. His long-standing association with the company, coupled with his proven track record of delivering results under challenging market conditions, makes him well-suited to steer the Swiss conglomerate forward amidst industry competition. 
 
As he takes over from Mark Schneider, who has been instrumental in shaping up Nestlé's portfolio focusing on high-growth sectors like coffee, pet care, and nutritional health products, it will be interesting to witness how Freixe carries forward this focus while navigating through challenges thrown by dynamic market conditions. 
 
Despite recent struggles reported last month, which necessitated slashing its full-year sales outlook, the company remains optimistic about leveraging its unique strengths, including iconic brands and products, global presence, leading innovation execution capabilities, and exceptional people teams, to fuel future growth and prosperity.