Nestlé to Slash 16,000 Jobs as New CEO Speeds Up Turnaround

Core Insights - Nestlé's new CEO, Philipp Navratil, announced plans to cut 16,000 jobs, approximately 6% of the workforce, shortly after taking over, aiming to capitalize on a stronger-than-expected quarterly sales increase [1][4] - The target for cost savings has been raised to 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.7 billion) by the end of 2027, up from 2.5 billion francs, indicating a continuation of the previous strategy [2] - The company's stock surged by as much as 8.2%, marking the largest gain since 2008, following the announcement of job cuts and a 4.3% rise in third-quarter sales [3][4] Company Strategy - Navratil emphasized the need for Nestlé to adapt more rapidly to changing market conditions, which includes making difficult decisions regarding workforce reduction [3] - The job cuts will be implemented over the next two years, with 12,000 positions affected among white-collar staff and the remainder from manufacturing and supply chain roles [4][8] - Navratil plans to maintain the previous CEO's strategy of increasing advertising spending, focusing on fewer but larger product initiatives, and divesting underperforming units [7] Leadership Changes - Navratil was appointed CEO after the ousting of Laurent Freixe due to a scandal, which also led to the early resignation of Chairman Paul Bulcke [6] - The leadership transition has created challenges for the new team, who must address governance issues and restore investor confidence [6][5]