Nestlé’s Board of Directors has appointed Manuela Bernasconi, currently General Counsel for Zone Americas, as Group General Counsel and a member of the Group Executive Board, effective 1 January 2027. After seven years as Nestlé’s Group General Counsel, Leanne Geale will retire.
Bernasconi brings two decades of Nestlé experience
Manuela Bernasconi joined Nestlé in 2007 as Legal Counsel in Corporate & Group Compliance and has since held a series of increasingly senior legal leadership roles across the company. After serving in roles within Zone Europe and Nestlé Switzerland, she joined Nespresso in 2017 and was appointed General Counsel for Nespresso in 2020.
She subsequently served as General Counsel for Zone Latin America before being appointed General Counsel for Zone Americas in January 2025.
Philipp Navratil, Nestlé 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.”
Geale to retire after seven years
Leanne Geale will retire after seven years as Nestlé’s Group General Counsel, bringing to a close a tenure that saw further development of the company’s Legal & Compliance function.
“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,” Navratil added.
