Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe Fired After Affair Scandal Rocks Swiss Headquarters

High-profile executive ousted after mistress allegedly exposed his relationship with another subordinate, triggering internal investigation

Nestlé has been thrown into turmoil following the abrupt dismissal of its CEO, Laurent Freixe, after explosive allegations of multiple workplace affairs surfaced. The 63-year-old French executive, who had been appointed less than a year ago, was fired on September 1 after the company ruled he had violated its code of conduct by failing to disclose a relationship with a direct report.

According to Swiss outlet Inside Paradeplatz, the dramatic downfall began when a senior marketing executive — widely referred to as Freixe’s “official mistress” — allegedly caught him in a Zurich hotel with another subordinate. The confrontation reportedly set off a chain reaction that led to the filing of a complaint through Nestlé’s anonymous hotline and a full-scale internal investigation.

Humiliation at the Top

Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke and Vice Chair Pablo Isla reportedly confronted Freixe directly after the revelations came to light. The report claims they demanded his resignation on the spot, calling him a “liar” and ordering him to surrender his phone. The fallout led to Freixe’s immediate dismissal, with no severance package despite his four-decade career at the food giant.

Both women linked to Freixe have since departed the company. According to the report, the “main mistress” received a severance package before moving on to a senior role at another multinational, while the second subordinate allegedly received a payout that had been arranged by Freixe himself.

Protecting Nestlé’s Ethical Standards

In a statement, Nestlé confirmed that Freixe was terminated for failing to disclose a relationship with a direct report, emphasizing that leadership must be held to the same standards as its 270,000 employees worldwide. “Everything that needs to be said on the matter has been said, and I will not engage in further wild conjectures and speculation,” a company spokesperson told Inside Paradeplatz.

The scandal has left a stain on what was one of the fastest rises — and falls — in Nestlé’s executive history. Freixe, a 40-year veteran of the company, had only recently been elevated to CEO. His dismissal underscores Nestlé’s zero-tolerance stance toward breaches of trust and governance.

A Controversial Exit

In the wake of his dismissal, Freixe resurfaced on LinkedIn, quipping, “I got my mobile back, I am reachable anytime,” while extending congratulations to his successor Philipp Navratil — misspelling his name as “Philippe.”

While Freixe has not commented publicly on the affair allegations, Nestlé leadership maintains that the decision was necessary to safeguard the company’s values. For many, the scandal serves as a stark reminder of the growing scrutiny over corporate culture, accountability, and the personal conduct of senior leaders in global firms.