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Global consumer goods leader the Swiss conglomerate stated it will remove 16,000 positions during the upcoming biennium, as the recently appointed chief executive Philipp Navratil advances a plan to focus on products offering the “greatest profit margins”.

The Swiss company must “adapt more quickly” to remain competitive in a evolving marketplace and implement a “results-oriented culture” that rejects losing market share, according to the CEO.

He replaced former CEO Laurent Freixe, who was terminated in September.

The job cuts were revealed on Thursday as Nestlé reported better revenue numbers for the first three-quarters of 2025, with higher product movement across its major categories, such as beverages and confectionery.

Globally dominant consumer packaged goods company, this industry leader owns numerous product lines, like its coffee, chocolate, and food brands.

Nestlé intends to eliminate 12,000 white collar positions alongside 4,000 other roles company-wide over the coming 24 months, it announced publicly.

These job cuts will result in savings of the food giant around CHF 1 billion each year as within an ongoing cost-savings effort, it stated.

Its equity price rose seven and a half percent soon after its quarterly update and job cuts were made public.

The CEO stated: “We are cultivating a organizational ethos that embraces a results-driven attitude, that will not abide losing market share, and where success is recognized... The world is changing, and we must adapt more rapidly.”

Such change would involve “tough but required decisions to trim the workforce,” he noted.

Financial expert Diana Radu said the announcement signalled that the new CEO wants to “enhance clarity to sectors that were previously more opaque in its expense reduction initiatives.”

These layoffs, she explained, are likely an attempt to “reset expectations and regain market faith through concrete measures.”

Mr Navratil's predecessor was terminated by the company in the start of last fall after an investigation into whistleblower allegations that he omitted to reveal a personal involvement with a junior employee.

Its departing chairman Paul Bulcke accelerated his leaving schedule and resigned in the corresponding timeframe.

Media stated at the moment that stakeholders attributed responsibility to Mr Bulcke for the firm's continuing challenges.

Last year, an inquiry discovered Nestlé baby food products sold in low- and middle-income countries contained unhealthily high levels of added sugars.

The analysis, by a Swiss NGO and the International Baby Food Action Network, established that in numerous instances, the identical items sold in developed nations had no extra sugars.

• Nestlé manages numerous product lines worldwide.
• Job cuts will affect sixteen thousand employees over the coming 24 months.
• Cost reductions are projected to total 1bn SFr per year.
• Share price increased seven and a half percent after the update.