Corrects date of Nestle announcement to September 1, 2025, from August 23
Dec 10 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola KO.N named insider Henrique Braun as its new CEO on Wednesday, as packaged food companies try to adjust their strategies to consumers looking for healthier and more affordable drinks and snacks.
Braun, currently chief operating officer, will succeed James Quincey, who is stepping down after nine years at the helm.
The move is the latest in a string of leadership changes sweeping through the retail sector as companies tackle tariff pressures, an uncertain economy and a choppy consumer spending backdrop.
Here are some of the major CEO changes among global consumer goods companies in the past year.
Company | Date of Announcement | Details |
Coca-Cola KO.N | December 10, 2025 | Coca-Cola named insider Henrique Braun as its new CEO, replacing James Quincey, effective March 31. |
Kohl's Corp KSS.N | November 24, 2025 | Kohl's Corp named retail veteran Michael Bender as its permanent CEO, after he served as the interim chief since May. Bender replaced Ashley Buchanan, who was fired for a personal relationship with a vendor. |
Walmart WMT.N | November 14, 2025 | The company said Doug McMillon, who has been heading the retail bellwether since 2014, will retire in January 2026. John Furner, McMillon's successor, currently serves as CEO of Walmart U.S. and has held leadership roles at the company. |
Nestle NESN.S | September 1, 2025 | Nestle dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, a year after appointing him, following an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate that breached the company's code of conduct. Freixe was replaced by Philipp Navratil, CEO of Nestle Nespresso, on September 1. |
Target TGT.N | August 20, 2025 | The retailer named longtime company veteran Michael Fiddelke as its CEO, replacing retail industry bigwig Brian Cornell, effective February 1, 2026. |
Procter & Gamble PG.N | July 28, 2025 | Procter & Gamble said CEO Jon Moeller is stepping away from the role, to be succeeded by Chief Operating Officer Shailesh Jejurikar. |
Diageo DGE.L | July 16, 2025 | The Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness beer maker's CEO, Debra Crew, stepped down after two years in the job, with finance chief Nik Jhangiani taking over in the interim. |
Kenvue KVUE.N | July 14, 2025 | The Band-Aid and Tylenol maker fired its CEO Thibaut Mongon, laying what some investors expect will be the groundwork for an eventual sale of the entire company or pieces of it, and named director Kirk Perry as interim CEO. |
Hindustan Unilever HLL.NS | July 10, 2025 | Hindustan Unilever named Priya Nair as managing director and CEO, replacing Rohit Jawa well before the completion of his five-year term as the company's chief. |
Hershey HSY.N | July 8, 2025 | Hershey named burger chain Wendy's WEN.O chief Kirk Tanner as its CEO, effective August 18, replacing Michele Buck, who is set to retire. |
Stanley Black & Decker SWK.N | June 30, 2025 | The power tools maker appointed operations chief Christopher Nelson as its next CEO and president, effective October 1, succeeding Donald Allan Jr., who is set to retire. |
Unilever ULVR.L | February 25, 2025 | The company ousted chief executive Hein Schumacher, replacing him with finance chief Fernando Fernandez. |
(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt and Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrea Ricci, Anil D'Silva and Alan Barona)
((Neil.JKanatt@thomsonreuters.com))
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