VEVEY, Switzerland – Luis Cantarell, executive vice president and head of Nestle SA’s Europe, Middle East and North Africa zone (Zone EMENA), plans to retire on Dec. 31 after 40 years with the company.
Cantarell joined the Nestle executive board in 2003 and led Zone Europe from 2005 and Zone Americas from 2008. He played a key role in the creation of the Nestle Nutrition globally managed business, Nestle said, launched Nestle Health Science and shaped the new Zone EMENA organization over the past two years.
Marco Settembri, executive vice president and head of Nestle Waters, will succeed Cantarell as executive vice president and head of Zone EMENA, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Settembri joined Nestle Italy in 1987. He was appointed managing director of Sanpellegrino in 2004 and market head in Italy in 2006. In 2007, Settembri was appointed CEO of Nestle Purina PetCare Europe, and he joined the executive board as head of Nestle Waters in 2013.
To succeed Settembri, Maurizio Patarnello, market head of Nestle Russia and Eurasia Region, will be appointed deputy executive vice president and head of Nestle Waters, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
Patarnello joined Nestle in 1993 and held several positions in finance before moving to Sanpellegrino in 1999. Since 2002, he held positions of increasing responsibility within the Nestle Waters business and was appointed chief operating officer and regional business head for Nestle Waters Middle East and Africa in 2004. In 2007, he added the responsibility of Nestle Waters Asia. In 2010, Patarnello was promoted to market head for Ukraine and Moldova, and he moved to his current role in 2012.
Additionally, Nestle plans to change the business structure for its Nestle Professional from a globally managed business to a regionally managed business supported by a Nestle Professional strategic business unit. The shift stems from an increasing demand for more customized products and services on a local and regional basis, Nestle said, which often is linked with developments in the in-home business. In this new structure, regional managers will report directly into their respective geographical zones.
“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, whilst ensuring full coherence with the Nestle Professional Beverages and Food categories strategy,” Nestle said.
Due to this system shift, Martial Rolland, head of Nestle Professional, will take over as market head of Nestle Russia and Eurasia Region effective Jan. 1, 2017.
