All change: Nestlé announces executive board shuffle and reorganisation of infant nutrition business
Nestlé’s infant nutrition business will move from being globally managed within the Nestlé Nutrition framework to become a regionally managed business as of January 1st 2018, the company said today in a press release.
As a result, a new dedicated strategic business unit will be created for infant nutrition – which will manage core global functions like manufacturing capacity, science-based innovation, quality management and compliance.
Under the new organisation, Nestlé will appoint a Nutrition Business Head in each of its three zones, who will then look to implement the global strategy at a local level and report directly to the CEO of each respective regional zone.
The Swiss-based global manufacturer said the new organisation will allow its infant nutrition business to deliver “accelerated organic growth and realize further efficiency gains.”
The new structure will also bring agility and allow Nestlé to respond faster to rapidly changing local consumer preferences, evolving regulation, and customer and channel demand for tailor-made solutions, it said.
Executive Board shuffle
In addition to announcing the reorganisation of its infant nutrition business, Nestlé also announced changes to its Executive Board effective January 1, 2018.
The shuffle will see Stefan Palzer appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Nestlé as current position holder Stefan Catsicas, leaves the business to pursue entrepreneurial and venture capital activities outside of Nestlé.
Palzer is currently Head of the Nestlé Research Center, and is recognized as one of the leading global experts in food engineering and materials science. Nestlé said his ‘ability to lead rapid and meaningful product innovation’ will help it to accelerate organic growth by capitalising on recent key consumer trends.
In a further change, Heiko Schipper, Deputy Executive Vice President in charge of Nestlé Nutrition, has also decided to pursue other interests outside of Nestlé.
Schipper will leave the company effective December 31, 2017 but will not be replaced on the executive board following the change in the organisation of the infant nutrition business.
