Nestle S.A. Does the Executive Shuffle

Luis Cantarell, executive vice-president and head of Nestle S.A.’s Europe, Middle East and North Africa zone (Zone EMENA), plans to retire on Dec. 31 after 40 years with the company.

Since joining the Nestle Executive Board in 2003, Cantarell led Zone Europe from 2005 and Zone Americas from 2008. He was instrumental in the creation of the Nestlé Nutrition globally managed business, launched Nestlé Health Science and over the past two years successfully shaped the new Zone EMENA organization.

As a result of Cantarell’s retirement, the Nestlé board of directors made several changes to the Executive Board. For one, Marco Settembri, currently EVP and head of Nestlé Waters, will succeed Luis Cantarell as EVP and Head of Zone EMENA, effective January 1, 2017.

An Italian citizen with a business degree from the Bocconi University in Milan, Settembri joined Nestlé Italy in 1987. In 2004 he was appointed managing director of Sanpellegrino, and in 2006, his responsibilities were extended when he became market head in Italy. In 2007, he was appointed CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe. Under his leadership, petcare became one of Nestl’s largest and most profitable businesses in Europe. Settembri joined the executive board as head of Nestlé Waters in 2013.

As for another change, Maurizio Patarnello, currently market head of Nestlé Russia and Eurasia Region, will be appointed deputy executive VP and head of Nestlé Waters, effective January 1, 2017 to succeed Marco Settembri.

Patarnello, also an Italian citizen, has an MBA from Naples University. He joined the Group in 1993 and held several positions in finance before moving to Sanpellegrino in 1999. Since 2002, he held positions of increasing responsibility within the Nestlé Waters business and was appointed COO and regional business head for Nestlé Waters Middle East and Africa in 2004, with the responsibility of Nestlé Waters Asia added in 2007. In October 2010, Patarnello was promoted to market head for Ukraine and Moldova. He moved to his current role in October 2012.

Martial Rolland, currently head of Nestlé Professional, will take over responsibility as market head of Nestlé Russia and Eurasia Region, also effective January 1, 2017.  

Additionally, the Nestlé Board of Directors has decided to change the business structure for Nestlé Professional from a globally managed business to a regionally managed business, supported by a Nestlé Professional Strategic Business Unit, due to increasing demand for more customized products and services on a local and regional basis often linked with developments in the in-home business.

In this new set-up, the regional managers will report directly into their respective geographical zones. The company says this will allow a better leverage of the group strengths, facilitate greater focus on customers, and enhance alignment and execution in each region and market, while ensuring full coherence with the Nestlé Professional Beverages and Food categories strategy.