The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Nestle has abruptly dismissed its chief executive officer, Laurent Freixe, for failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a subordinate, Nestle said on Monday, a dramatic removal a year after he took the reins. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that Nestle said that it had appointed veteran insider Phillip Navratil, who had headed the Nespresso coffee unit, as Mr. Freixe's successor with immediate effect. Nestle faces increased volatility following the departure of chairman Paul Bulcke next year amid a challenging consumer environment and trade tariff risks. Mr. Freixe's exit follows an investigation into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate, violating the company's business conduct code. Mr. Bulcke said in a statement: "This was a necessary decision. Nestle's values and governance are strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service. ... We are not changing course on strategy and we will not lose pace on performance." Company veteran Mr. Freixe took over the CEO role one year ago after Nestle ousted his predecessor Mark Schneider. Rivals such as Unilever, Diageo and Hershey have also reshuffled management.