Ulf Mark Schneider became c.e.o. Jan. 1, 2017, succeeding Paul Bulcke, tenure, 2008-16
Nestle S.A.
VEVEY, SWITZERLAND —It was more than 10 years ago that executives of Nestle S.A., a company best known for its eponymous indulgent treats, first articulated an ambition to become “the world’s leader in health, nutrition and wellness.” In the years since, the company has spent billions of dollars building its portfolio of businesses focused on health and wellness. The recruitment of Ulf Mark Schneider as the company’s new chief executive officer takes this commitment to a new level.
On Jan. 1, Mr. Schneider succeeded Paul Bulcke as c.e.o. Unlike his predecessor, who spent nearly his entire career at Nestle, Mr. Schneider comes to his new position from the health care industry. Most recently, Mr. Schneider was c.e.o. of Fresenius Group, a diversified health care group based in Germany with business segments specializing in diabetes care; hospital operations; drugs, clinical nutrition and medical devices; and services for critically chronically ill patients. Fresenius has annual sales of €25 billion. In the first nine months of 2016, Nestle sales over the same period totaled about €90 billion.
“With the proposed appointment of Paul Bulcke as chairman of the board and Ulf Mark Schneider as c.e.o., the board has increased the company’s capabilities to accelerate Nestle’s journey to become the world’s preeminent player in the nutrition, health and wellness sector,” said Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Nestle chairman. “Together with our excellent executive team, Nestle is well prepared to face the increasingly difficult external environment and deliver on both its long-term and short-term performance goals.”
