Executive vice president of Nestlé Laurent Freixe has been appointed new CEO as Mark Schneider steps down from the role.
Mark Schneider has decided to step down after eight years with the company. Freixe, who is currently executive vice president and CEO Zone Latin America (LATAM), will take over as chief executive from 1st September.
Freixe joined Nestlé in 1986, and has reportedly “continuously progressed” within the company since then. He managed Zone Europe during the financial and economic crisis, from 2008 until 2014, and then took over as CEO of Zone Americas. In 2022, he was named CEO of Zone Latin America, and has sat on the executive board for 16 years.
Mark Schneider said: “Leading Nestlé for the past eight 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.”
Paul Bulcke, chairman of the board of directors, said: “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. Under his leadership, Nestlé will further strengthen its position as a dependable, reliable company through consistent and sustainable value creation.”
Laurent Freixe 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.”
