Nestlé’s board of directors has appointed Manuela Bernasconi, who is currently the general counsel for Zone Americas, as the group general counsel.
Additionally, she will join as a member of the group’s executive board, effective on 1 January 2027. She succeeds Leanne Geale, who is set to retire after seven years as Nestlé’s’ group general counsel.
Philipp Navratil, Nestlé’s CEO, said: “With nearly 20 years of experience at Nestlé, Manuela combines deep legal expertise with a strong understanding of our company.
“She is a trusted adviser with a proven ability to navigate complex legal, regulatory, and compliance matters. Her leadership and strategic perspective make her ideally placed to lead our Legal & Compliance function into its next chapter.”
Navratil added: “During her tenure, Leanne further strengthened and professionalized Nestlé’s Legal & Compliance function, including our approach to human rights.
“On behalf of her colleagues across Nestlé, I thank her warmly for her leadership and many contributions to the company. We wish her every success and happiness for the future.”
Bernasconi joined the company in 2007 as legal counsel in corporate & group compliance and has worked in several senior legal leadership roles across the business.
Following her tenure in the role within Zone Europe and Nestlé Switzerland, she joined Nespresso in 2017 and was appointed as general counsel for Nespresso in 2020.
Additionally, she held the role of general counsel for Zone Latin America prior to being appointed as general counsel for Zone Americas in January 2025.
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