Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider has stepped down after eight years at the helm. Laurent Freixe, currently the head of Nestlé’s Latin America operations, will succeed him.
The company stated that Schneider has chosen to “relinquish his roles as CEO and member of the Board of Directors.” In a statement, Schneider remarked, “Leading Nestlé over the past eight years has been an honour. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished in transforming Nestlé into a future-proof, innovative, and sustainable company.”
Who is Laurent Freixe?
Laurent Freixe joined Nestlé in France in 1986 and has since held several key roles, including overseeing the company’s European zone during the 2008 financial crisis until 2014. He then became CEO of the Americas region and, in 2022, took charge of the newly established Latin America zone, where he successfully navigated complex market conditions.
Freixe has been nominated for the board of directors at the 2025 annual general meeting. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Freixe expressed confidence in Nestlé’s ability to “lead and win in every market where we operate.”
Under Schneider’s leadership, Nestlé actively reshaped its portfolio, focusing on high-growth areas like coffee, pet care, and nutritional health products. Nestlé chairman Paul Bulcke commended Freixe as “a talented leader with strategic acumen, deep market knowledge, and a strong understanding of consumers—making him the ideal choice for Nestlé at this time.”