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The food giant Nestlé wants to focus more strongly on profitable core areas and growth drivers. The strategy was presented by the new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Pablo Isla, at the Annual General Meeting in Lausanne. (archive picture)
Keystone
Nestlé's new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Pablo Isla, confirmed a comprehensive realignment at his first appearance before shareholders. The aim is to build a company that is "more straightforward, faster, more competitive and more innovative", he said.
To achieve this, Nestlé intends to focus more strongly on profitable core areas and growth drivers. The Group will concentrate on "our strongest businesses, brands, innovations and growth pillars" and at the same time expand marketing and research in a targeted manner.
"Our measures are showing initial results. Where we have increased our focus, we have seen growth and gains in market share," said Isla in a speech at the Annual General Meeting in Lausanne on Thursday.
The organization is also to be significantly simplified. Decision-making processes are to be shortened and responsibilities more clearly defined in order to speed up implementation. Isla also wants to streamline its management. The Board of Directors will "intensify" its supervision and adapt structures in order to create more "clarity, transparency and accountability".
At the same time, Isla is focusing on a cultural change. Employees are to be more involved and empowered - "through data. Through digital tools. Through training". Overall, the new President is aiming to accelerate the transformation and put Nestlé back on a stable growth path in the long term.
The 62-year-old Spaniard took over as Chairman of Nestlé in the fall of 2025. He succeeded company veteran Paul Bulcke, who also stepped down prematurely following the dismissal of CEO Laurent Freixe.
Isla has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2018 and is Nestlé's first Chairman in decades without a previous CEO role in the Group. He previously headed the Spanish fashion group Inditex with brands such as Zara and Massimo Dutti from 2005 to 2022 - first as CEO, then as Chairman.
During this time, he expanded the business internationally and digitized it. Under his aegis, turnover rose from 6.7 to 27.7 billion euros and the share price increased eightfold. Isla rarely appears in public and never gave an interview during his time at Inditex.
16.04.2026, 14:36
