Nestlé Proposes New Independent Members of its Board of Directors
Nestlé announced today the nomination of Rainer Blair, President and CEO of Danaher Corporation, a global science and technology company, and Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, former State Secretary and Director of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), for election to its Board of Directors. The elections will take place at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on April 20, 2023.
After 10 years of Board service, Eva Cheng has decided not to stand for re-election for personal reasons. All other members of the Board and the Chairman will be proposed for individual re-election.
“On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Eva Cheng for her strong engagement and her highly relevant contributions, particularly in developing our business in China,” said Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Nestlé Board of Directors. “At the same time, we are pleased to propose two new Board members. Rainer Blair brings 30 years of deep and diverse executive experience across industries and has extensive operational and strategic know-how. He will contribute to our Board’s expertise in science and technology. Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch has broad experience in international relations and will enhance the Board’s geopolitical and global trade knowledge.”
With the proposed nominees, the Nestlé Board will comprise 15 members, of whom 13 are independent directors. Nestlé aims to continuously add diverse experience and expertise, including in the areas of food systems, food and beverage, digitalization, marketing, and sustainability, to its Board.
German-born American citizen, Rainer Blair is a dynamic, global leader who has held executive positions in several companies across multiple geographies. Rainer Blair joined Danaher Corporation, an innovative USD 30 billion growth company, in 2010. He helped build Danaher’s Life Sciences portfolio and increased its annual revenues from over USD 2 billion in 2014 to more than USD 15 billion today. Rainer Blair has been Danaher’s President and CEO since 2020. The company has a stellar track record in designing, manufacturing, and marketing professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services. Before joining Danaher, Rainer Blair was President and CEO of MAPEI Americas, a global chemical products company. He spent 15 years with BASF Group in various leadership roles on three continents.
Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, attorney at law, has extensive experience in global trade matters and international organizations. She served in the Swiss government as State Secretary and Director of SECO from 2011 to 2022. From 2007 to 2011, she was the Swiss Ambassador and Delegate for Trade Agreements and Switzerland’s chief negotiator to the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as Head of the World Trade Division and member of the Executive Management of SECO. Previously, she held various positions at SECO, the Swiss Federal Office of Foreign Economic Affairs, the World Bank in the U.S., and McKinsey & Company in Switzerland.
