🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 53 (from laksa093)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa053.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/","crawl_time":1774384682,"first_indexed_time":1757001103,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,hrdive!www,\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/ s443","src_root_hash":"15166630194138815253","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Nestlé scandal sticks corporate affairs in the spotlight — again | HR Dive","meta_descriptions":["“Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"An article from\n“Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives.\nPublished Sept. 4, 2025\nSenior Editor\nContainers of Nestlé Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, Calif. Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1, 2025.\nJustin Sullivan via Getty Images\nThis audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have\nfeedback\n.\nNestlé\nimmediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate,\nthe company announced Sept. 1\n. This news comes barely a month after\ntech company Astronomer\n’s CEO was caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert with his arms around the company’s chief people officer.\n“Boards won’t put up with this,” Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in an emailed statement. “Once an unethical romantic relationship is uncovered, CEOs tend to lose their jobs.”\nWorkers may not be surprised; 75% of those surveyed by Zety said\nextramarital affairs between executives\nare “very common” or “somewhat common.” Additionally, 1 in 6 said they were aware of or suspected an extramarital affair between executives at their own companies.\nWhile workplace relationships are common and typically allowed, Challenger continued, companies should require disclosure for any relationships between managers and subordinates to watch for risk of conflict, such as favoritism. \nCEOs — typically one of the faces of an organization, Challenger noted — often face stricter prohibitions on such relationships due to the power they hold: “[T]hat dynamic makes romantic relationships, even among peers, untenable for many organizations.”\nThose surveyed by Zety described the pairing of CEO and head of HR as “the worst possible pairing,” particularly for issues of impropriety at the corporate level. \nThe exact position of the subordinate in a relationship with\nNestlé’s\nFreixe was not disclosed.\nExperts previously told HR Dive that such relationships, when revealed,\ncan erode trust and invite doubt into numerous decisions\n. Questions about ethics at the top could also indicate similar issues in middle management, experts said.\nHowever, boards are much more likely to remove CEOs for sexual misconduct rather than consensual relationships, according to Challenger’s data. Since 2016, 40 CEOs have been ousted due to misconduct, though those departures have fallen steadily since 2017, the analyst firm said. Comparatively, only 14 CEOs were removed due to an “inappropriate relationship” during the same time period.\n“Sophisticated companies lean heavily on maintaining professional ethics in their operations,” Challenger said. “The standard set for company behavior comes at the top, and creating safe environments that foster innovation, creativity, and progress require that standard to be met.”","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/#skip-link-target)\n\n![HR Dive](https:\/\/d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net\/logo\/publications\/hr_black.svg)\n\nCONTINUE TO SITE ➞\n\n[![Informa Tech Target Logo](https:\/\/d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net\/logo\/ITechTarget-Orbit-W_rgb.png) Informa TechTarget \\|](https:\/\/www.informatechtarget.com\/)\n\n- [CFO Dive](https:\/\/www.cfodive.com\/)\n- [Marketing Dive](https:\/\/www.marketingdive.com\/)\n- [SearchERP](https:\/\/techtarget.com\/searcherp\/\/)\n- [SearchHRSoftware](https:\/\/techtarget.com\/searchhrsoftware\/\/)\n\n[Explore our brands ![Informa Tech Target Brands](https:\/\/d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net\/logo\/link-external-wht.svg)](https:\/\/www.informatechtarget.com\/our-brands\/)  [An Informa TechTarget Publication](https:\/\/www.informatechtarget.com\/)\n\n[![HR Dive](https:\/\/d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net\/logo\/publications\/hr_black.svg)](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/)\n\n- [Deep Dive](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/deep-dive\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/opinion\/)\n- [Library](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/library\/)\n- [Events](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/events\/)\n- [Press Releases](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/press-release\/)\n- [Survey 2026](https:\/\/selfserve.decipherinc.com\/survey\/selfserve\/4cb5\/260104)\n- Topics\n\n[Sign up](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/signup\/?signup_location=header)\n\n![menu](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/menu_icons\/menu.svg?313321260226)\n\n- ![search](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/menu_icons\/search.svg?313321260226) Search\n- [![](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/email_icons\/mail.svg?313321260226) Sign up](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/signup\/?signup_location=header)\n\n- [Compliance](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/legal\/)\n- [Talent](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/talent\/)\n- [Learning](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/learning\/)\n- [Comp & Benefits](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/compensation-benefits\/)\n- [Diversity & Inclusion](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/diversity-inclusion\/)\n- [HR Mgmt](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/hr-management\/)\n- [Tech & Analytics](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/hr-technology-analytics\/)\n- [State & Local Laws](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/state-local-laws\/)\n\nAn article from ![site logo](https:\/\/d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net\/logo\/printer_friendly\/hrdive.jpg)\n\n# Nestlé scandal sticks corporate affairs in the spotlight — again\n“Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives.\n\nPublished Sept. 4, 2025\n\n[![Kathryn Moody's headshot](https:\/\/d1b6lhn2ymmy1x.cloudfront.net\/journalist-headshots\/hr\/moody-kathryn-circle-150x150.png)](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/editors\/kmoody\/)\n\n[Kathryn Moody](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/editors\/kmoody\/) Senior Editor\n\n- [![Share this article](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share-icon.svg?313321260226) Share]()\n  - [![Copy link](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/share-link-box.svg?313321260226) Copy link]()\n  - [![Email this page](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/email.svg?313321260226) Email](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#241b7751464e414750196a4157504801671701651d0116145747454a40454801161457504d474f57011614474b56544b56455041011614454242454d56570116144d4a011614504c4101161457544b50484d434c50011614016116011c14011d100116144543454d4a024549541f664b405d194c505054570117650b0b5353530a4c56404d52410a474b490b4a4153570b4a41575048410947414b095747454a40454809474b56544b5645504109454242454d565709455750564b4a4b4941560b13111d1617140b)\n  - [![Post to LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/linkedin.svg?313321260226) LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/&title=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again)\n  - [![Post on X](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/x.svg?313321260226) X\/Twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again%20https%3A\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/%20via%20@hrdive)\n  - [![Share on Facebook](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/facebook.svg?313321260226) Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/)\n  - [![Print this page](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/print.svg?313321260226) Print]()\n- [![License this article](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/article_page\/license-icon.svg?313321260226) License](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/selfservice\/article-licensing\/submit\/?newspostUrl=https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/)\n- [![Set preferred source](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/article_page\/bookmark-add.svg?313321260226) Add us on Google](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.hrdive.com)\n\n![Containers of Nestle Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, California.](https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/cF6hfHZTzabHBQc_5gCrzUNKBX4xVOFK3tNJFnszoTc\/g:ce\/rs:fill:1200:675:1\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy03OTg5Nzg5OS5qcGc=.webp)\n\nContainers of Nestlé Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, Calif. Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1, 2025.   Justin Sullivan via Getty Images\n\n![](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?313321260226) Listen to the article 3 min\n\nThis audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have [feedback](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/contact\/).\n\nNestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, [the company announced Sept. 1](https:\/\/www.fooddive.com\/news\/nestle-fires-ceo-after-romantic-relationship-with-subordinate\/758945\/). This news comes barely a month after [tech company Astronomer](https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/07\/21\/astronomer-interim-ceo-says-spotlight-has-been-unusual-and-surreal.html)’s CEO was caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert with his arms around the company’s chief people officer.\n\n“Boards won’t put up with this,” Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in an emailed statement. “Once an unethical romantic relationship is uncovered, CEOs tend to lose their jobs.”\n\nWorkers may not be surprised; 75% of those surveyed by Zety said [extramarital affairs between executives](https:\/\/zety.com\/blog\/executive-romance-report) are “very common” or “somewhat common.” Additionally, 1 in 6 said they were aware of or suspected an extramarital affair between executives at their own companies.\n\nWhile workplace relationships are common and typically allowed, Challenger continued, companies should require disclosure for any relationships between managers and subordinates to watch for risk of conflict, such as favoritism.\n\nCEOs — typically one of the faces of an organization, Challenger noted — often face stricter prohibitions on such relationships due to the power they hold: “\\[T\\]hat dynamic makes romantic relationships, even among peers, untenable for many organizations.”\n\nThose surveyed by Zety described the pairing of CEO and head of HR as “the worst possible pairing,” particularly for issues of impropriety at the corporate level.\n\nThe exact position of the subordinate in a relationship with Nestlé’s Freixe was not disclosed.\n\nExperts previously told HR Dive that such relationships, when revealed, [can erode trust and invite doubt into numerous decisions](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/coldplay-kiss-cam-scandal\/754131\/). Questions about ethics at the top could also indicate similar issues in middle management, experts said.\n\nHowever, boards are much more likely to remove CEOs for sexual misconduct rather than consensual relationships, according to Challenger’s data. Since 2016, 40 CEOs have been ousted due to misconduct, though those departures have fallen steadily since 2017, the analyst firm said. Comparatively, only 14 CEOs were removed due to an “inappropriate relationship” during the same time period.\n\n“Sophisticated companies lean heavily on maintaining professional ethics in their operations,” Challenger said. “The standard set for company behavior comes at the top, and creating safe environments that foster innovation, creativity, and progress require that standard to be met.”\n\n- [![Set preferred source](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/article_page\/bookmark-add.svg?313321260226) Add us on Google](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.hrdive.com)\n- [![Share this article](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share-icon.svg?313321260226) Share]()\n  - [![Copy link](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/share-link-box.svg?313321260226) Copy link]()\n  - [![Email this page](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/email.svg?313321260226) Email](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#29167a5c4b434c4a5d14674c5a5d450c6a1a0c68100c1b195a4a48474d48450c1b195a5d404a425a0c1b194a465b59465b485d4c0c1b19484f4f48405b5a0c1b1940470c1b195d414c0c1b195a59465d45404e415d0c1b190c6c1b0c11190c101d0c1b19484e4840470f484459126b464d5014415d5d595a0c1a6806065e5e5e07415b4d405f4c074a464406474c5e5a06474c5a5d454c044a4c46045a4a48474d4845044a465b59465b485d4c04484f4f48405b5a04485a5d5b464746444c5b061e1c101b1a1906)\n  - [![Post to LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/linkedin.svg?313321260226) LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/&title=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again)\n  - [![Post on X](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/x.svg?313321260226) X\/Twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again%20https%3A\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/%20via%20@hrdive)\n  - [![Share on Facebook](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/facebook.svg?313321260226) Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/)\n  - [![Print this page](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/share_dropdown\/print.svg?313321260226) Print]()\n- [![License this article](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/social_icons\/article_page\/cart.svg?313321260226) purchase licensing rights](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/selfservice\/article-licensing\/submit\/?newspostUrl=https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/ \"License\")\n\nFiled Under: [Talent](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/talent\/)\n\n### HR Dive news delivered to your inbox\nGet the free daily newsletter read by industry experts\n\n![Daily Dive newsletter example](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/article-signup.png?313321260226)\n\n### Editors' picks\n- [![A photo illustration of a row of office chairs, with one illuminated by a spotlight.](https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/9aAdwUu-iSAvlPbPnfx7nPuq3eTqfBOHsd4GSnYGW04\/g:ce\/rs:fill:1200:675:1\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy0yMjEwMDE1MDA4LmpwZw==.webp)](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/chro-role-evolution\/810705\/)\n  \n  ![Image attribution tooltip](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/images\/info-icon.png?234917240220)\n  \n  ismagilov via Getty Images\n  \n  ![Image attribution tooltip](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/images\/info-icon.png?234917240220)\n  Opinion\n  \n  ### [The CHRO paradox: Is HR’s top role as secure as we’d hope in 2026?](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/chro-role-evolution\/810705\/)\n  The CHRO role is evolving fast, but not always in ways that align with its growing strategic importance, warns global industry analyst Josh Bersin.\n  \n  By Josh Bersin • Jan. 28, 2026\n- [![bottles of Coca-Cola are displayed on a store shelf](https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/uRW06RIhJ1u3aNA5Egq2Gsobv91Bc0Xu7r84iCUiUAA\/g:ce\/rs:fill:1200:675:1\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy0yMjYwOTQxNDE3LmpwZw==.webp)](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/coca-cola-men-work-trip-reverse-discrimination\/812616\/)\n  \n  ![Image attribution tooltip](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/images\/info-icon.png?234917240220)\n  \n  Justin Sullivan via Getty Images\n  \n  ![Image attribution tooltip](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/images\/info-icon.png?234917240220)\n  ### [Coca-Cola bottler excluded men from work trip, violating Title VII, EEOC alleges](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/coca-cola-men-work-trip-reverse-discrimination\/812616\/)\n  The lawsuit filing comes on the heels of employment attorneys predicting that “reverse discrimination” would be an EEOC priority for 2026.\n  \n  By Caroline Colvin •  Updated Feb. 20, 2026\n\nKeep up with the story. 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All rights reserved. An Informa PLC company.   \n [Privacy policy](https:\/\/www.informatechtarget.com\/privacy-policy\/) \\| [Terms of use](https:\/\/www.informatechtarget.com\/terms-of-use\/) \\| [Take down policy](https:\/\/www.industrydive.com\/takedown-policy\/) \\| [Cookie Preferences \/ Do Not Sell](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer\/759230\/)\n\n![close menu](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/menu_icons\/close.svg?313321260226)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/)\n- Topics  ![down arrow](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/static\/img\/menu_icons\/chevron_down.svg?313321260226)\n  - [Compliance](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/legal\/)\n  - [Talent](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/talent\/)\n  - [Learning](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/learning\/)\n  - [Comp & Benefits](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/compensation-benefits\/)\n  - [Diversity & Inclusion](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/diversity-inclusion\/)\n  - [HR Mgmt](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/hr-management\/)\n  - [Tech & Analytics](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/hr-technology-analytics\/)\n  - [State & Local Laws](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/topic\/state-local-laws\/)\n- [Deep Dive](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/deep-dive\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/opinion\/)\n- [Library](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/library\/)\n- [Events](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/events\/)\n- [Press Releases](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/press-release\/)\n- [Survey 2026](https:\/\/selfserve.decipherinc.com\/survey\/selfserve\/4cb5\/260104)\n\n### Get HR Dive in your inbox\nThe free newsletter covering the top industry headlines\n\n![](https:\/\/analytics.twitter.com\/i\/adsct?txn_id=l6gur&p_id=Twitter&tw_sale_amount=0&tw_order_quantity=0) ![](https:\/\/t.co\/i\/adsct?txn_id=l6gur&p_id=Twitter&tw_sale_amount=0&tw_order_quantity=0)","attrs_readable_markdown":"An article from ![site logo](https:\/\/d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net\/logo\/printer_friendly\/hrdive.jpg)\n\n“Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives.\n\nPublished Sept. 4, 2025\n\n[![Kathryn Moody's headshot](https:\/\/d1b6lhn2ymmy1x.cloudfront.net\/journalist-headshots\/hr\/moody-kathryn-circle-150x150.png)](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/editors\/kmoody\/)\n\nSenior Editor\n\n![Containers of Nestle Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, California.](https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/cF6hfHZTzabHBQc_5gCrzUNKBX4xVOFK3tNJFnszoTc\/g:ce\/rs:fill:1200:675:1\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy03OTg5Nzg5OS5qcGc=.webp)\n\nContainers of Nestlé Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, Calif. Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1, 2025.   Justin Sullivan via Getty Images\n\nThis audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have [feedback](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/contact\/).\n\nNestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, [the company announced Sept. 1](https:\/\/www.fooddive.com\/news\/nestle-fires-ceo-after-romantic-relationship-with-subordinate\/758945\/). This news comes barely a month after [tech company Astronomer](https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/07\/21\/astronomer-interim-ceo-says-spotlight-has-been-unusual-and-surreal.html)’s CEO was caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert with his arms around the company’s chief people officer.\n\n“Boards won’t put up with this,” Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in an emailed statement. “Once an unethical romantic relationship is uncovered, CEOs tend to lose their jobs.”\n\nWorkers may not be surprised; 75% of those surveyed by Zety said [extramarital affairs between executives](https:\/\/zety.com\/blog\/executive-romance-report) are “very common” or “somewhat common.” Additionally, 1 in 6 said they were aware of or suspected an extramarital affair between executives at their own companies.\n\nWhile workplace relationships are common and typically allowed, Challenger continued, companies should require disclosure for any relationships between managers and subordinates to watch for risk of conflict, such as favoritism.\n\nCEOs — typically one of the faces of an organization, Challenger noted — often face stricter prohibitions on such relationships due to the power they hold: “\\[T\\]hat dynamic makes romantic relationships, even among peers, untenable for many organizations.”\n\nThose surveyed by Zety described the pairing of CEO and head of HR as “the worst possible pairing,” particularly for issues of impropriety at the corporate level.\n\nThe exact position of the subordinate in a relationship with Nestlé’s Freixe was not disclosed.\n\nExperts previously told HR Dive that such relationships, when revealed, [can erode trust and invite doubt into numerous decisions](https:\/\/www.hrdive.com\/news\/coldplay-kiss-cam-scandal\/754131\/). Questions about ethics at the top could also indicate similar issues in middle management, experts said.\n\nHowever, boards are much more likely to remove CEOs for sexual misconduct rather than consensual relationships, according to Challenger’s data. Since 2016, 40 CEOs have been ousted due to misconduct, though those departures have fallen steadily since 2017, the analyst firm said. Comparatively, only 14 CEOs were removed due to an “inappropriate relationship” during the same time period.\n\n“Sophisticated companies lean heavily on maintaining professional ethics in their operations,” Challenger said. “The standard set for company behavior comes at the top, and creating safe environments that foster innovation, creativity, and progress require that standard to be met.”","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Description	“Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives.
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Boilerpipe Text	An article from “Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives. Published Sept. 4, 2025 Senior Editor Containers of Nestlé Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, Calif. Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1, 2025. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback . Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1 . This news comes barely a month after tech company Astronomer ’s CEO was caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert with his arms around the company’s chief people officer. “Boards won’t put up with this,” Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in an emailed statement. “Once an unethical romantic relationship is uncovered, CEOs tend to lose their jobs.” Workers may not be surprised; 75% of those surveyed by Zety said extramarital affairs between executives are “very common” or “somewhat common.” Additionally, 1 in 6 said they were aware of or suspected an extramarital affair between executives at their own companies. While workplace relationships are common and typically allowed, Challenger continued, companies should require disclosure for any relationships between managers and subordinates to watch for risk of conflict, such as favoritism. CEOs — typically one of the faces of an organization, Challenger noted — often face stricter prohibitions on such relationships due to the power they hold: “[T]hat dynamic makes romantic relationships, even among peers, untenable for many organizations.” Those surveyed by Zety described the pairing of CEO and head of HR as “the worst possible pairing,” particularly for issues of impropriety at the corporate level. The exact position of the subordinate in a relationship with Nestlé’s Freixe was not disclosed. Experts previously told HR Dive that such relationships, when revealed, can erode trust and invite doubt into numerous decisions . Questions about ethics at the top could also indicate similar issues in middle management, experts said. However, boards are much more likely to remove CEOs for sexual misconduct rather than consensual relationships, according to Challenger’s data. Since 2016, 40 CEOs have been ousted due to misconduct, though those departures have fallen steadily since 2017, the analyst firm said. Comparatively, only 14 CEOs were removed due to an “inappropriate relationship” during the same time period. “Sophisticated companies lean heavily on maintaining professional ethics in their operations,” Challenger said. “The standard set for company behavior comes at the top, and creating safe environments that foster innovation, creativity, and progress require that standard to be met.”
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Published Sept. 4, 2025 [![Kathryn Moody's headshot](https://d1b6lhn2ymmy1x.cloudfront.net/journalist-headshots/hr/moody-kathryn-circle-150x150.png)](https://www.hrdive.com/editors/kmoody/) [Kathryn Moody](https://www.hrdive.com/editors/kmoody/) Senior Editor - [![Share this article](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share-icon.svg?313321260226) Share]() - [![Copy link](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/share-link-box.svg?313321260226) Copy link]() - [![Email this page](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/email.svg?313321260226) Email](https://www.hrdive.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#241b7751464e414750196a4157504801671701651d0116145747454a40454801161457504d474f57011614474b56544b56455041011614454242454d56570116144d4a011614504c4101161457544b50484d434c50011614016116011c14011d100116144543454d4a024549541f664b405d194c505054570117650b0b5353530a4c56404d52410a474b490b4a4153570b4a41575048410947414b095747454a40454809474b56544b5645504109454242454d565709455750564b4a4b4941560b13111d1617140b) - [![Post to LinkedIn](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/linkedin.svg?313321260226) LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A//www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/&title=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again) - [![Post on X](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/x.svg?313321260226) X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again%20https%3A//www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/%20via%20@hrdive) - [![Share on Facebook](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/facebook.svg?313321260226) Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/) - [![Print this page](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/print.svg?313321260226) Print]() - [![License this article](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/article_page/license-icon.svg?313321260226) License](https://www.hrdive.com/selfservice/article-licensing/submit/?newspostUrl=https://www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/) - [![Set preferred source](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/article_page/bookmark-add.svg?313321260226) Add us on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.hrdive.com) ![Containers of Nestle Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, California.](https://imgproxy.divecdn.com/cF6hfHZTzabHBQc_5gCrzUNKBX4xVOFK3tNJFnszoTc/g:ce/rs:fill:1200:675:1/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy03OTg5Nzg5OS5qcGc=.webp) Containers of Nestlé Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, Calif. Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1, 2025. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images ![](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/play.svg?313321260226) Listen to the article 3 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have [feedback](https://www.hrdive.com/contact/). Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, [the company announced Sept. 1](https://www.fooddive.com/news/nestle-fires-ceo-after-romantic-relationship-with-subordinate/758945/). This news comes barely a month after [tech company Astronomer](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/21/astronomer-interim-ceo-says-spotlight-has-been-unusual-and-surreal.html)’s CEO was caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert with his arms around the company’s chief people officer. “Boards won’t put up with this,” Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in an emailed statement. “Once an unethical romantic relationship is uncovered, CEOs tend to lose their jobs.” Workers may not be surprised; 75% of those surveyed by Zety said [extramarital affairs between executives](https://zety.com/blog/executive-romance-report) are “very common” or “somewhat common.” Additionally, 1 in 6 said they were aware of or suspected an extramarital affair between executives at their own companies. While workplace relationships are common and typically allowed, Challenger continued, companies should require disclosure for any relationships between managers and subordinates to watch for risk of conflict, such as favoritism. CEOs — typically one of the faces of an organization, Challenger noted — often face stricter prohibitions on such relationships due to the power they hold: “\[T\]hat dynamic makes romantic relationships, even among peers, untenable for many organizations.” Those surveyed by Zety described the pairing of CEO and head of HR as “the worst possible pairing,” particularly for issues of impropriety at the corporate level. The exact position of the subordinate in a relationship with Nestlé’s Freixe was not disclosed. Experts previously told HR Dive that such relationships, when revealed, [can erode trust and invite doubt into numerous decisions](https://www.hrdive.com/news/coldplay-kiss-cam-scandal/754131/). Questions about ethics at the top could also indicate similar issues in middle management, experts said. However, boards are much more likely to remove CEOs for sexual misconduct rather than consensual relationships, according to Challenger’s data. Since 2016, 40 CEOs have been ousted due to misconduct, though those departures have fallen steadily since 2017, the analyst firm said. Comparatively, only 14 CEOs were removed due to an “inappropriate relationship” during the same time period. “Sophisticated companies lean heavily on maintaining professional ethics in their operations,” Challenger said. “The standard set for company behavior comes at the top, and creating safe environments that foster innovation, creativity, and progress require that standard to be met.” - [![Set preferred source](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/article_page/bookmark-add.svg?313321260226) Add us on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.hrdive.com) - [![Share this article](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share-icon.svg?313321260226) Share]() - [![Copy link](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/share-link-box.svg?313321260226) Copy link]() - [![Email this page](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/email.svg?313321260226) Email](https://www.hrdive.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#29167a5c4b434c4a5d14674c5a5d450c6a1a0c68100c1b195a4a48474d48450c1b195a5d404a425a0c1b194a465b59465b485d4c0c1b19484f4f48405b5a0c1b1940470c1b195d414c0c1b195a59465d45404e415d0c1b190c6c1b0c11190c101d0c1b19484e4840470f484459126b464d5014415d5d595a0c1a6806065e5e5e07415b4d405f4c074a464406474c5e5a06474c5a5d454c044a4c46045a4a48474d4845044a465b59465b485d4c04484f4f48405b5a04485a5d5b464746444c5b061e1c101b1a1906) - [![Post to LinkedIn](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/linkedin.svg?313321260226) LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A//www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/&title=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again) - [![Post on X](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/x.svg?313321260226) X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Nestl%C3%A9%20scandal%20sticks%20corporate%20affairs%20in%20the%20spotlight%20%E2%80%94%20again%20https%3A//www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/%20via%20@hrdive) - [![Share on Facebook](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/facebook.svg?313321260226) Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/) - [![Print this page](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/share_dropdown/print.svg?313321260226) Print]() - [![License this article](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/social_icons/article_page/cart.svg?313321260226) purchase licensing rights](https://www.hrdive.com/selfservice/article-licensing/submit/?newspostUrl=https://www.hrdive.com/news/nestle-ceo-scandal-corporate-affairs-astronomer/759230/ "License") Filed Under: [Talent](https://www.hrdive.com/topic/talent/) ### HR Dive news delivered to your inbox Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts ![Daily Dive newsletter example](https://www.hrdive.com/static/img/article-signup.png?313321260226) ### Editors' picks - [![A photo illustration of a row of office chairs, with one illuminated by a spotlight.](https://imgproxy.divecdn.com/9aAdwUu-iSAvlPbPnfx7nPuq3eTqfBOHsd4GSnYGW04/g:ce/rs:fill:1200:675:1/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy0yMjEwMDE1MDA4LmpwZw==.webp)](https://www.hrdive.com/news/chro-role-evolution/810705/) ![Image attribution tooltip](https://www.hrdive.com/static/images/info-icon.png?234917240220) ismagilov via Getty Images ![Image attribution tooltip](https://www.hrdive.com/static/images/info-icon.png?234917240220) Opinion ### [The CHRO paradox: Is HR’s top role as secure as we’d hope in 2026?](https://www.hrdive.com/news/chro-role-evolution/810705/) The CHRO role is evolving fast, but not always in ways that align with its growing strategic importance, warns global industry analyst Josh Bersin. 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Readable Markdown	An article from ![site logo](https://d12v9rtnomnebu.cloudfront.net/logo/printer_friendly/hrdive.jpg) “Boards won’t put up with this,” one analyst said regarding romantic entanglements for top executives. Published Sept. 4, 2025 [![Kathryn Moody's headshot](https://d1b6lhn2ymmy1x.cloudfront.net/journalist-headshots/hr/moody-kathryn-circle-150x150.png)](https://www.hrdive.com/editors/kmoody/) Senior Editor ![Containers of Nestle Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, California.](https://imgproxy.divecdn.com/cF6hfHZTzabHBQc_5gCrzUNKBX4xVOFK3tNJFnszoTc/g:ce/rs:fill:1200:675:1/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy03OTg5Nzg5OS5qcGc=.webp) Containers of Nestlé Coffee Mate coffee creamer are displayed on the shelf at the Marina Supermarket in San Francisco, Calif. Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, the company announced Sept. 1, 2025. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have [feedback](https://www.hrdive.com/contact/). Nestlé immediately dismissed its CEO, Laurent Freixe, for not disclosing a romantic relationship with a subordinate, [the company announced Sept. 1](https://www.fooddive.com/news/nestle-fires-ceo-after-romantic-relationship-with-subordinate/758945/). This news comes barely a month after [tech company Astronomer](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/21/astronomer-interim-ceo-says-spotlight-has-been-unusual-and-surreal.html)’s CEO was caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert with his arms around the company’s chief people officer. “Boards won’t put up with this,” Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in an emailed statement. “Once an unethical romantic relationship is uncovered, CEOs tend to lose their jobs.” Workers may not be surprised; 75% of those surveyed by Zety said [extramarital affairs between executives](https://zety.com/blog/executive-romance-report) are “very common” or “somewhat common.” Additionally, 1 in 6 said they were aware of or suspected an extramarital affair between executives at their own companies. While workplace relationships are common and typically allowed, Challenger continued, companies should require disclosure for any relationships between managers and subordinates to watch for risk of conflict, such as favoritism. CEOs — typically one of the faces of an organization, Challenger noted — often face stricter prohibitions on such relationships due to the power they hold: “\[T\]hat dynamic makes romantic relationships, even among peers, untenable for many organizations.” Those surveyed by Zety described the pairing of CEO and head of HR as “the worst possible pairing,” particularly for issues of impropriety at the corporate level. The exact position of the subordinate in a relationship with Nestlé’s Freixe was not disclosed. Experts previously told HR Dive that such relationships, when revealed, [can erode trust and invite doubt into numerous decisions](https://www.hrdive.com/news/coldplay-kiss-cam-scandal/754131/). Questions about ethics at the top could also indicate similar issues in middle management, experts said. However, boards are much more likely to remove CEOs for sexual misconduct rather than consensual relationships, according to Challenger’s data. Since 2016, 40 CEOs have been ousted due to misconduct, though those departures have fallen steadily since 2017, the analyst firm said. Comparatively, only 14 CEOs were removed due to an “inappropriate relationship” during the same time period. “Sophisticated companies lean heavily on maintaining professional ethics in their operations,” Challenger said. “The standard set for company behavior comes at the top, and creating safe environments that foster innovation, creativity, and progress require that standard to be met.”
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