VEVEY, Switzerland — Wan Ling Martello, CEO of Zone Asia, Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa (AOA) and a member of the Nestlé Group Executive Board, has decided to leave Nestlé after seven successful years at the company on December 31, 2018 to explore new horizons.
Wan Ling Martello joined the Group in 2011 as Chief Financial Officer. Her intellectual rigor, strategic foresight and extensive international experience served her well as she revitalized the finance function and established a clear portfolio management framework for the whole Group.
In 2015, she was appointed as CEO Zone AOA, a business covering 95 countries, which at the time faced serious headwinds. Under her leadership, Zone AOA became the most profitable and fastest growing business within the Nestlé Group.
Wan Ling Martello’s passion for digital transformation and her thorough understanding of the new retail economy gave a positive impetus to the whole company. Her ability to attract talent, to build high-performing teams and to inspire people turned many challenges in Zone AOA into opportunities.
“The Nestlé Board of Directors sincerely thanks Wan Ling Martello for her excellent contribution to the company, her commitment as well as her outstanding leadership. The Board wishes her every success in her future endeavors,” the company said in a statement.
The Board of Directors has appointed Chris Johnson, currently Head of Group Human Resources & Business Services and member of the Group Executive Board to succeed Wan Ling Martello as CEO of Zone AOA, effective January 1, 2019. During his highly successful 35-year career with the company, Chris Johnson has held key leadership roles in markets, businesses and global functions, with extensive experience in Asia. In 1998, he was appointed as Country Manager of Nestlé Taiwan.
From 2000, Chris Johnson pioneered and led the worldwide development of the Globe program and the implementation of IT business solutions. He then became Market Head in Japan in 2007, and was appointed as Head of Zone Americas in January 2011. Chris Johnson led Nestlé Business Excellence from 2014 onwards and has been Head of Group Human Resources & Business Services since August 2018.
The Board of Directors has appointed Béatrice Guillaume-Grabisch, currently CEO of Nestlé Germany AG, to succeed Chris Johnson as Head of Group Human Resources & Business Services effective January 1, 2019. In her new function, she will join the Nestlé Group Executive Board. Before joining Nestlé, she held various leadership roles at Colgate, Beiersdorf, Johnson & Johnson and L’Oréal in France and Germany. She headed the L’Oréal Consumer Division in Switzerland between 2004 and 2006. From 2006 to 2010, she was President of The Coca-Cola Company in Germany. In 2010, she became the CEO of Zurich-based Beverage Partners Worldwide, a former joint venture between Nestlé and Coca-Cola. Béatrice Guillaume-Grabisch joined Nestlé in 2013 as Vice-President, Regional Manager of Zone EMENA based in Vevey, Switzerland. She served as CEO of Nestlé Germany AG since 2015.
Mark Schneider, CEO, said:
“I would like to thank Wan Ling wholeheartedly for all her great achievements. Her drive and her enthusiasm for entrepreneurship are a great motivation for all of us. While I regret to see her leave Nestlé, I respect her decision. At the same time, we are excited to announce Chris as her successor. Chris held various senior leadership roles at Nestlé and we are convinced that his extensive and longstanding business experience in the Asia Pacific region will support our significant growth ambitions there. Chris is a growth-oriented executive and his creativity as well as his engaging style will help us to take our business in Zone Asia, Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa to the next level. We are also proud to welcome Béatrice to the Executive Board. Her proven leadership skills as well as her passion for people, corporate values, diversity and the digital transformation in the food and beverages industry will be a great inspiration for our employees. We wish Wan Ling every success in her future activities and I look forward to working with Chris and Béatrice as we continue to grow and build Nestlé.“
