Nestle CEO fired for having an affair at work
Laurent Frakes (Photo: Nestlé)

The world's largest food producer Nestle has unexpectedly fired its CEO, 63-year-old Laurent Fraix, over an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate that violates the company's corporate code of conduct. The company announced the news on September 1 in a press release .

"It was necessary. Values and corporate governance are the strong foundations of our company," commented Nestle Chairman and CEO Paul Bulke.

The dismissed manager will not receive any compensation for early termination of the contract.

The dismissal came exactly one year after Frakes took over the Swiss corporation, known for its KitKat, Nescafe and Nesquik brands.

The Reuters agency writes that the first suspicions of a possible relationship emerged in the spring through Nestle's internal hotline. The board of directors immediately launched an investigation, but the first attempt was unsuccessful. As the suspicions persisted, a second investigation was initiated with the assistance of an external law firm. This investigation confirmed the existence of the relationship.

According to a company spokesperson, Frakes initially denied the existence of a romantic relationship to the board of directors.

Nestle has appointed 48-year-old Philippe Navratil, a company veteran who most recently headed the Nespresso division, as its new CEO. Navratil has been with Nestlé since 2001, rising from internal auditor to head of various divisions in Central America and Mexico.

Nestle CEO fired for having an affair at work
Philippe Navratil (Photo: Nestlé)
  • This is the second sudden dismissal of a Nestle executive in two years. Frakes's predecessor, Mark Schneider, was fired in August 2024.
  • Over the past year, Nestle shares fell by 17%, which was worse than its competitors and the market as a whole.
  • Nestle in Ukraine owns the Lviv confectionery factory Svitoch, the Volyn Holding sauce manufacturer (Svitoch TM), and the Kharkiv plant Technocom (Mivina TM). In 2025, due to Technocom's proximity to the front line, the company built a new factory near Lutsk, which produces Maggi and Mivina vermicelli.
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