Freishe Loran (Laurent Freixe)

Freishe Loran (Laurent Freixe)

Biography

2025: Dismissal due to love relationship at work

Swiss food corporation Nestle has suspended CEO Laurent Freiche for concealing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, in violation of the company's internal code of business conduct. Philip Navratil, who previously headed the coffee division of Nespresso, was appointed to the post of leader, who immediately took up duties without a transition period. This became known in September 2025.

According to Reuters, the dismissal followed an internal investigation by the chairman of the board of directors Paul Bulke and leading independent director Pablo Isla. The subject of the investigation was an undisclosed personal relationship between a senior executive and an employee under his command.

The company has disqualified the fired executive from receiving severance pay, underscoring the seriousness of the breach of corporate standards. This decision testifies to the principled position of the board of directors in relation to ethical violations in senior management.

A spokesman for Nestle said that the first suspicions about a possible relationship between Freiche and a subordinate arose in the spring period of 2025. The initial investigation did not confirm the existence of violations, but a second check revealed facts contrary to corporate ethics.

Laurent Freiche has vehemently denied having a romantic relationship with an employee of the company throughout the investigation. Despite the denial of the allegations by the top manager, the evidence collected was sufficient to make a decision on dismissal.

Chairman Paul Bulke described the dismissal as a necessary decision to preserve corporate values. He stressed that the management principles of Nestle form a solid basis for the company's activities and cannot be violated.^[1]

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