Episode Details

Story of the Week (DR):

Nestlé chief executive sacked over affair with junior colleague MM

Laurent Freixe dismissed after boardroom inquiry revealed ‘undisclosed romantic relationship’

Nestlé chief ‘promoted junior colleague he had affair with’

Nestle CEO axed after probe into complaints of favouritism, CFO says

CFO  Anna Manz said the relationship between Freixe and the employee, who has not been named, was first examined in an internal investigation following concerns raised via Nestle's internal reporting system, called Speak Up.

The matter was investigated by the board, but no evidence was found, she said.

"And it was at that point that Laurent also made a personal statement stating that there had been no such thing," Manz said, referring to the concerns about Freixe raised by whistleblowers.

But complaints continued to be made, Manz said, leading to a second, broader inquiry being launched with help from Swiss lawyers Baer & Karrer.

Nestlé fired its scandal-clad CEO without a payout—a ‘really unusual’ move, corporate governance expert says

Nell Minow: “That is really unusual. I think that’s actually a badge of success for corporate governance, because that’s something investors have been concerned about for a long time: CEOs being dismissed and somehow getting to stay on.”

Who is the board? It’s basically Paul Bulcke

Chair since 2017

CEO from 2008-2016

Longest-tenured director (2008) by 7 years

At the company since 1979

Kroger’s ex-CEO won’t have to detail ’embarrassing’ thing he did to get fired, for now

Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner (32% dropout/11% F)