Nestlé, the world’s largest food company, is undergoing another change in its executive ranks. Jeff Hamilton, currently the business head of Purina PetCare Zone Europe, has been appointed as the CEO of Nestlé’s Zone Americas region, starting in July. He will be taking over from Steve Presley, who is set to retire on April 30 after nearly three decades with the company.
As the head of Zone Americas, Hamilton will be responsible for overseeing Nestlé’s operations in regions including the U.S., which has faced challenges in categories such as frozen food. Last October, the company merged its Latin America and North America units as part of a restructuring effort announced shortly after Laurent Freixe took over as Nestlé’s CEO.
Freixe expressed confidence in Hamilton’s abilities, stating, “Jeff has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and a remarkable ability to inspire and motivate his teams. We look forward to working with Jeff to drive our growth strategy in Zone AMS.” Hamilton’s career at Purina began in 1991 as a sales representative in the U.S., and he has since held various leadership positions around the world.
Nestlé recently reported sales of $27.3 billion during the first quarter, marking a 2.3% increase. The company attributed this growth to price increases in chocolate and coffee. However, in North America, sales remained flat due to a challenging macroeconomic environment and fragile consumer confidence. Despite this, Nestlé managed to gain market share in several categories and reduce share losses in frozen foods and coffee creamers.
To combat challenges, Nestlé has been focusing on increasing marketing for its key brands while tailoring innovation to make strategic bets on products with the greatest potential for success. However, the company’s efforts have been hindered by higher commodity costs and a consumer pullback in spending due to inflation and uncertainty over tariffs. With Hamilton taking the helm of Zone Americas, Nestlé is aiming to navigate these challenges and drive growth in the region.
