The board of directors of Nestlé has appointed Laurent Freixe, currently executive vice president and CEO Zone Latin America (LATAM), as chief executive officer Nestlé S.A., effective September 1. The board has also nominated Laurent Freixe as a candidate for the board of directors at the 2025 Annual General Meeting. 

Mark Schneider, chief executive officer, has decided to relinquish his roles as CEO and member of the board of directors. Over his 8 years with the company, he has actively shaped the company’s portfolio, in line with Nestlé’s strategy and with a focus on high-growth categories like coffee, pet care, and nutritional health products. 

Laurent Freixe joined Nestlé in France in 1986. Since then, he has continuously progressed within the company, assuming various positions of increasing responsibility across different businesses, markets and Zones. He successfully managed Zone Europe during the financial and economic crisis, from 2008 until 2014. He then took over as CEO of Zone Americas, where he accelerated growth. Following the creation of Nestlé’s new Zone structure in 2022, Freixe was named CEO Zone Latin America, where he has been successfully leading through challenging conditions. 

Freixe has been a member of the executive board for 16 years and, as such, has played an important role in strengthening the strategic direction of the company and its portfolio. With his profound understanding of Nestlé’s culture and values, he has led several global corporate initiatives to improve productivity, increase operational efficiency, simplify processes and drive innovation. Additionally, Laurent Freixe is committed to developing future leaders and talents, as evidenced by his active role in the Nestlé Leadership and Training Programs as well as the Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative, which promotes youth employment. 

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." 

Bulcke continues: "I would also like to express our gratitude to Mark for his significant contributions to Nestlé and for his outstanding, steady leadership in turbulent times. Mark has been instrumental in the great progress we have made on our sustainability agenda. We extend our best wishes to him in all his professional and personal endeavors." 

Freixe says: "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." 

Mark Schneider says: "Leading Nestlé for the past 8 years has been an honor 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." 

Nestlé SA is on the current Candy Industry “Global Top 100 Candy Companies” list. Click here to view the current “Global Top 100” rankings.