Nestlé taps Schneider as next CEO

Nestlé has appointed Ulf Mark Schneider as its new CEO as the Swiss food giant looks to become a leader in the nutrition, health and wellness category.

With effect from 1 January 2017, Schneider will succeed Paul Bulcke, who has been at the helm for over eight years and is set to become the company’s chairman. In his new role, Bulcke will replace Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, who is retiring and will relinquish all his board functions.

Schneider joins Nestlé from healthcare company Fresenius Group where he has served as CEO since 2003. In order to ensure a smooth handover, he will start at Nestlé on 1 September for an introductory period.

“With the proposed appointment of Paul Bulcke as chairman of the board and Ulf Mark Schneider as CEO, the board has increased the company’s capabilities to accelerate Nestlé’s journey to become the world’s preeminent player in the nutrition, health and wellness sector,” says Brabeck-Letmathe. “Together with our excellent executive team, Nestlé is well prepared to face the increasingly difficult external environment and deliver on both its long-term and short-term performance goals.”

Bulcke adds, “I thank the board for their confidence in proposing me as chairman and I’m looking forward to working with Ulf Mark Schneider for Nestlé’s continued success. Ulf Mark Schneider brings to Nestlé a wealth of proven and seasoned professional and personal skills which will blend very well with Nestlé’s experienced management and company culture.”

During its nomination committee and board of directors meetings, Nestlé reconfirmed its long term plan for the company as a nutrition, health and wellness company, expressing its intention to fully integrate both Nestlé Health Science and Nestlé Skin Health into the Nestlé organisation.