Wan Ling Martello, CEO of Zone Asia, Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa, plans to leave Nestlé at the end of the year and Chris Johnson will be taking her place.
Martello joined Nestle as Chief Financial Officer in 2011 and became CEO of Zone A.O.A. in 2015. The zone, which encompasses 95 countries, then became the most profitable and fastest growing business within Nestle.
The Board of Directors has appointed Chris Johnson, currently Head of Group Human Resources & Business Services and member of the Group Executive Board to succeed Martello as CEO of Zone AOA, effective January 1, 2019.
During his highly successful 35-year career with the company, Johnson has held key leadership roles in markets, businesses and global functions, with extensive experience in Asia. In 1998, he was appointed as Market Head of Nestlé Taiwan. From 2000, Johnson pioneered and led the worldwide development of the Globe program and the implementation of IT business solutions. He then became Market Head in Japan in 2007, and was appointed as Head of Zone Americas in January 2011. Johnson led Nestlé Business Excellence from 2014 onwards and has been Head of Group Human Resources & Business Services since August 2018.
