VEVEY, Switzerland, June 22, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- At its meeting of June 21, 2007 the Board of Directors of Nestle S.A. was informed that Mr. Carlo Donati, CEO of Nestle Waters (Paris) wishes to return to Switzerland and to retire later in 2008. The Board decided to entrust the management of Nestle Waters to Mr. John J. Harris, currently Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Purina Europe. Mr. Harris will assume his new assignment on December 1, 2007 and be named Executive Vice President at that time.
Mr. Donati, who will be 62 in December, looks back on a very distinguished and successful career in the Nestle Group, spanning 34 years and many countries and businesses in three continents. Named Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Waters in February 2005, Mr. Donati consolidated the Company's leading market position through strong growth, as well as through geographical expansion in emerging countries by acquisitions and strategic alliances. He also launched it on its way to a more value-added beverage business, in line with the transformation of the Group into a Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company.
In order to ensure the necessary management continuity required to consolidate that new course over the coming years, the Board called on Mr. John J. Harris to assume leadership of Nestle Waters, starting December 2007. John J. Harris is a U.S. citizen and was raised in California. He joined Carnation in 1974 and, after a successful career in different positions on both sides of the Atlantic, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Purina Europe in August 2002. In 2005 he additionally assumed responsibility for Nestle Purina in Asia, Oceania and Africa. His success at the helm of these Nestle Purina operations was marked by strong innovation and renovation and by the creation of a high-performance supply chain.
The Board expresses its very sincere gratitude to Mr. Carlo Donati for his outstanding contribution to the Nestle Group.