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Nestlé has announced significant organisational changes that will take effect on 1 January 2025, as part of a strategic effort to streamline operations and enhance decision-making processes.

The restructuring will also lead to adjustments within the company’s executive board.

The company will merge its Latin America and North America divisions into a new entity called Zone Americas (AMS), to be led by Steve Presley. Presley is set to relocate to Nestlé’s headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland, underscoring the company’s move to centralise its leadership.

Additionally, the Greater China Region (GCR) will be integrated into the broader Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa (AOA), now under the direction of Remy Ejel. David Zhang, who previously led GCR, will step down from the executive board but will continue in his role as chairman and CEO of the region.

Guillaume Le Cunff will maintain his leadership of Zone Europe, which remains unchanged in this reorganisation. This consolidation reflects Nestlé's aim to simplify its operational structure.

CEO Laurent Freixe said: “A leaner Executive Board structure and close collaboration will increase simplicity, speed up decision-making, and strengthen global initiatives”.

Other notable changes include the planned departure of Bernard Meunier from the executive board on March 31, 2025. He will transition to lead strategic projects for the group.

David Rennie, currently overseeing Nestlé Coffee Brands, will succeed Meunier as head of strategic business units (SBUs) and marketing and sales, with most coffee brands, excluding Nespresso, being integrated into the SBU framework.

Philipp Navratil, who has been at the helm of Nespresso, will join the executive board and report directly to Freixe. His promotion is seen as a recognition of his leadership skills and extensive experience within the company.

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Nestlé Health Science will continue to be managed by Anna Mohl, while other functional areas will see leadership changes. Béatrice Guillaume-Grabisch, who has been responsible for human resources and business services, will step down to pursue new opportunities. Anna Lenz, the current country manager for Nestlé Portugal, will take over human resources and join the executive board.

Chris Wright, chief information officer, will now report directly to the CEO, although he will not hold a position on the board. Hans-Ulrich Mayer will continue to oversee business services, reporting to CFO Anna Manz, while Antonia Wanner, leading the sustainability unit, will also report directly to Freixe.

Freixe added: “We are placing a greater emphasis on Nestlé’s digital transformation into a real-time, end-to-end connected, data- and AI-powered organisation”.

The company will also maintain its practice of quarterly sales performance reporting for key regions, including North America and Latin America within Zone AMS and Greater China within Zone AOA.

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