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© History Oasis
1921-1937
Louis Dapples joined Nestlé as a crisis manager and its first modern CEO when the company was facing one of its biggest financial losses in its storied history. Dapples got to work fast. He centralized operations, moved research to Vevey, and acquired Switzerland’s largest chocolate company, Peter-Cailler-Kohler. Dapples made the strategic decision to make chocolate one of Nestlé’s core business lines. He also put in place modern management practices that saved the conglomerate from bankruptcy.
1937-1948
As World War II came into full swing, Édouard Muller led Nestlé through the chaos. And through this chaos, he had to make some controversial decisions. Under Muller’s leadership, the company supplied both sides of the war. Yep, the company played both sides. Nescafé became a staple for American troops while Nestlé maintained contracts to feed German forces. Muller also greenlit new factories in developing countries. He also saw the introduction of Nescafé, which became one of the company’s most successful products. Despite his best efforts, Nestlé saw profit drops from $20 million to $6 million.
1968-1975
Nestlé has Pierre Liotard-Vogt to thank for transforming the food company into a diversified conglomerate during his tenure as CEO and later chairman until 1982. Liotard-Vogt orchestrated strategic investments in L’Oreal in 1974 and acquired Alcon Laboratories for $280 million in 1977. These moves, particularly the Alcon purchase, became among Nestlé’s most profitable investments. Many years later, the company sold its stake to Novartis for $41 billion total.
1997-2008
Peter Brabeck-Letmathe was a health freak. He focused Nestlé on nutrition, health, and wellness during his eleven-year tenure. To do so, Brabeck-Letmathe led major acquisitions, including Ralston Purina in 2001-02, and expanded the company’s bottled water business. But a scandal was brewing, his leadership generated controversy when he stated that considering water a human right was “an extreme solution.” His statement generated global criticism and boycotts. The scandal overshadowed his otherwise successful business record.
2008-2016
Paul Bulcke had the bad luck of becoming Nestlé’s CEO when the 2008 financial crisis hit. But he was successful in maintaining steady growth and investing in R&D during this difficult period. Bulcke also advanced the company’s nutrition, health, and wellness strategy. He was the right guy for the right time. Most analysts described his leadership approach as “calm strength.” His tenure prepared Nestlé for future challenges and helped its brand continue growing in global markets.
2017-2024
As the first outsider to lead Nestlè since 1922, Ulf Mark Schneider brought healthcare industry experience to the food giant. Schneider went on a buying spree. He oversaw 85 acquisitions while selling numerous businesses. His goal was to focus on higher-growth categories like coffee, pet food, and consumer health. But Schneider’s tenure faced criticism over the company’s slow response to the Ukraine war. When the war broke out, Schneider refused to suspend Russian operations. And after weak growth in sales, the board had had enough and fired the outsider.
September 2024-September 2025
Laurent Freixe served the shortest tenure of any modern Nestlé CEO. He lasted less than one year before his removal. Freixe was dismissed following an internal investigation into an inappropriate romantic relationship with a subordinate that violated company conduct policies. At the same time, he failed to reverse declining share prices, which dropped an additional 17% during his time as CEO.
September 2025-present
Most recently, Philipp Navratil assumed leadership as Nestlé’s third CEO in two years, taking over from his previous role as Nespresso CEO. Navratil faces significant challenges in restoring investor confidence after the tumultuous leadership changes. At the time of this writing, share prices have fallen 3.2% upon announcement of his appointment. His tenure begins with pressure to deliver both sales growth and operational stability.
