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Who is Paul Bulcke? Everything to know about Nestlé's chairman who oversaw the investigation into former CEO Laurent Freixe, leading to his firing

Paul Bulcke - the Chairman of Nestlé - was leading the investigation against CEO Laurent Freixe, who was fired yesterday over his "undisclosed romantic relationship". Here's everything to know about the 70-year-old businessman.
posted by Akanksha Mishra
Tuesday 9/2/2025 at 5:08AM EDT
  • ARLINGTON, VA - FEBRUARY 23: The US headquarters of the International food and drink company Nestle is seen at dusk on February 23, 2024, in Arlington, VA. (Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images)
    ARLINGTON, VA - FEBRUARY 23: The US headquarters of the International food and drink company Nestle is seen at dusk on February 23, 2024, in Arlington, VA. (Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images)

    On Monday, September 1, Nestlé fired its CEO, Laurent Freixe, over his "undisclosed romantic relationship with" a subordinate in the company. 

    The company learned about the relationship in an investigation conducted on Freixe, which found the CEO to have breached the Nestlé's code of business conduct. 

    Laurent Freixe's investigation was led by Nestlé's Chairman, Paul Bulcke.

    According to the World Economic Forum, Paul Bulcke has been the Chairman of Nestlé's Board of Directors in S.A. since April 2017. Before being appointed to the Chair, Bulcke served as the company's CEO for eight years (2008-2016).

    In a statement about Freixe's firing, Paul Bulcke said:

    "This was a necessary decision. Nestle's values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service."

    Bulcke also announced that Philipp Navratil will be replacing Freixe as the company's CEO, adding:

    "The board is confident that he will drive our growth plans forward and accelerate efficiency efforts. We are not changing course on strategy and we will not lose pace on performance."

    Paul Bulcke will be stepping down from Nestlé's Board functions in 2026

    Born in 1954, Paul Bulcke is a Belgian businessman with a commercial engineering degreed from the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School. Bulcke started working wih Nestlé in 1979, when he was just 25 years old. He was on the Executive Board for 14 years, and spent nine years its CEO and Chairman each. 

    After giving the company nearly fifty years, Bulcke's decision to step down from his Chairman duty next year was announced by Nestlé in June 2025. The press release shared by Nestlé also said that its Board of Directors has proposed Pablo Isla - who is currently the company's Vice Chairman - to be elected as its Chairman in April 2026.

    Bulcke's statement in the press release reads:

    "It has been a true privilege and a pleasure to be part of Nestlé's journey over so many years, providing me with enriching experiences and responsibilities, ultimately as Chair of the Board of Directors... It is the right moment for me to dedicate more time to my family and to embrace my many other interests."

    Besides his role at Nestlé, Bulcke is also connected with other global giants. He serves as the Vice Chairman of L'Oréal, and a member of Board of Trustees at J.P. Morgan International Council and Avenir Suisse. He is a member of the World Economic Forum's Community of Chairpersons.

    Bulcke is also a Co-Chairman of the 2030 Water Resources Group. Water conservation seems to be a cause close to the Chairman, who was quoted as saying in 2012:

    "If something isn't given a value, people tend to waste it. Water is our most useful resource, but those using it often don’t even cover the costs of its infrastructure." 

    According to The Hindu, Laurent Freixe joined Nestlé's French division in 1986 and has since devoted 40 years to the company. 

    TOPICS: Paul Bulcke, Laurent Freixe, Nestlé