Nestlé Names Pablo Isla as Next Chairman

Nestlé announced that longtime chairman Paul Bulcke will step down at the company's annual general meeting in April 2026 after nearly 50 years with the firm in roles including CEO and chairman. The board has proposed vice chairman Pablo Isla, former CEO and chairman of Inditex, as Bulcke's successor, marking a departure from Nestlé's tradition of appointing former CEOs as chairman. Isla joined Nestlé’s board in 2018 and is expected to work closely with CEO Laurent Freixe to maintain the company’s focus on nutrition, health, and wellness. Freixe, who was appointed CEO in 2024, was brought in to help the company recover from earlier performance setbacks. The transition aims to be smooth and orderly, with Bulcke expressing confidence in the company’s future growth and value creation. This leadership change completes a significant management reshuffle at the Swiss food giant.