Switzerland: Nestle has planned to cut 16,000 jobs over the next two years as part of a sweeping restructuring, underlining new CEO Philipp Navratil’s focus on high-potential products.
Navratil said the Swiss company must change faster to keep pace with a rapidly evolving market and adopt a performance mindset that does not tolerate losing ground to competitors. The job reductions include 12,000 white-collar positions and 4,000 other roles, with the move expected to save the company around $1.26 billion (1 billion Swiss francs) annually.
The announcement comes as Nestle reported stronger sales in the first nine months of 2025, driven by higher demand across key categories such as coffee and confectionery. Navratil, who replaced former CEO Laurent Freixe in September, after Freixe was dismissed over a romantic relationship with an employee, stressed the importance of rewarding performance and maintaining market leadership.
Nestle, the world’s largest packaged food and beverage company, owns a portfolio of well-known brands including Nescafé, KitKat, and Maggi. The company said the restructuring is part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations and maximise returns from its most promising product lines.
The job cuts mark one of the largest restructurings in Nestlé’s recent history, signalling a strategic shift under Navratil’s leadership as the company aims to sharpen its focus on high-return products and strengthen its position in a competitive global market.
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