"The battle for the corner office may be more competitive than ever before-with promotions today seeming few and far between; in fact, some 75% of workers leave jobs before ever being promoted, according to ADP. However, playing the long game also has its benefits-and Philipp Navratil is the latest example of that. The 49-year-old was just named the CEO of Nestlé, the multinational food and drink conglomerate consisting of brands like Nespresso, KitKat, and Cheerios, after spending his entire career climbing the same ladder. Navratil first joined Nestlé as an internal auditor in 2001, fresh out of obtaining his MBA from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland."
"He slowly climbed the ranks in a career that included leadership positions in Panama, Honduras, and Mexico before becoming the head of Nespresso in 2024. The CEO job opened up after Laurent Freixe was ousted over Labor Day weekend following investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate. In a press release, Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke said Navratil stood out as the successor because of "his impressive track record of achieving results in challenging environments" over his 24-year stint at Nestlé."
"For aspirational Gen Zers looking to emulate his success straight out of college, Navratil's mantra centers around being in a constant pursuit of learning new knowledge and skills. "In today's fast-paced world, staying curious and embracing new ideas is essential to staying ahead," he wrote on LinkedIn earlier this year. Nestlé has been around for over 150 years, and like Navratil, its leaders have a track record of spending decades of their careers at the company. For example, now-former CEO Freixe, spent 38 years at the company before being named chief executive last year. Alfonso Gonzalez Loeschen, the current CEO of Nespresso North America, has also spent 33 years at Nestlé."
Philipp Navratil, 49, was named CEO of Nestlé after a 24-year internal career. He joined in 2001 as an internal auditor following an MBA from the University of St. Gallen, and held leadership roles in Panama, Honduras, and Mexico before leading Nespresso in 2024. The CEO opening followed Laurent Freixe's ouster amid an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate. Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke cited Navratil's "impressive track record of achieving results in challenging environments." Navratil emphasizes continual learning and curiosity; many Nestlé leaders have similarly lengthy tenures.
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