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Nestlé has announced the appointment of Jeff Hamilton as chief executive officer of Zone Americas, effective July 1 2025. This decision comes as Steve Presley, current CEO of Zone Americas and executive vice president, prepares for retirement after nearly three decades with the company.
Presley will officially step down on April 30 2025, marking the end of a significant tenure during which he contributed to Nestlé's strategic initiatives in the Americas. Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé, recognised Presley's commitment to the company, expressing gratitude for his years of dedicated service.
Freixe said: "We are very grateful to Steve for his many years of dedicated service to our company and extend our best wishes to him for his future endeavours. We are excited to announce that Jeff will become the new CEO of Zone Americas. Jeff has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and a remarkable ability to inspire and motivate his teams. We look forward to working with Jeff to drive our growth strategy in Zone AMS."
Hamilton, who has been with Nestlé since 1991, brings extensive experience in various leadership roles across the organisation. Prior to this appointment, he served as the CEO of Purina PetCare Zone Europe, where he was instrumental in driving growth and innovation within the pet care sector. His previous roles include president and CEO of Nestlé Canada and vice president of marketing for Nestlé Purina in Asia, Oceania and Africa.
With a robust background in both sales and marketing, Hamilton's leadership is expected to enhance Nestlé's strategic focus on growth in the Americas, particularly within the rapidly evolving plant-based food sector. His appointment comes at a time when consumer demand for plant-based products continues to rise, positioning Nestlé to leverage its resources and expertise in this market.
Hamilton holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.