Nestle
Custom Programs
IESE & NESTLÉ:
PREPARING TOMORROW’S
LEADERS
“Our managers need to quickly assume leadership roles in a
‘business unusual’ environment. IESE, through its Custom
Program, helps them understand our multifaceted corporate culture.” Bernard Meunier
Country Head of Spain and Portugal
Nestlé
IESE has designed a custom leadership program for Nestlé aimed at preparing the company’s future leaders for the challenges of an ever-changing world. Bernard
Meunier, the country head for Nestlé Spain and Portugal, describes how his company is adapting to meet changing consumer needs during this period of uncertainty.
Meunier, who talks of the rise of a “new consumer,” highlights the need to develop new offers in the consumer goods industry as well as carry out exhaustive studies of each market in order to anticipate and address its future needs.
As Nestlé’s Country Head for Spain and Portugal, you are leading the company’s efforts in one of the three European markets most affected by the economic downturn (Spain, the United Kingdom and
Ireland). Prior to this, you lived through the 1998 ruble crisis in your leadership role at Nestlé’s Russia and Eurasia division. What did you learn from your first experience of managing in a crisis that you can apply to this downturn?
In a crisis, the most important thing is to act, quickly and in the right direction. Doing nothing is the surest way to suffer the full impact of the deterioration of the environment. Not all decisions will be correct and therefore it is essential to constantly monitor the impact of these decisions on our performance and correct those that do not give the expected results or go in the wrong direction.
For this we need to get closer to our clients and consumers, understand how much they are changing as a result of the crisis, and share this information within the company in real time, through more frequent, direct and concise communications. In essence, we
IESE & NESTLÉ:
PREPARING TOMORROW’S
LEADERS
“Our managers need to quickly assume leadership roles in a
‘business unusual’ environment. IESE, through its Custom
Program, helps them understand our multifaceted corporate culture.” Bernard Meunier
Country Head of Spain and Portugal
Nestlé
IESE has designed a custom leadership program for Nestlé aimed at preparing the company’s future leaders for the challenges of an ever-changing world. Bernard
Meunier, the country head for Nestlé Spain and Portugal, describes how his company is adapting to meet changing consumer needs during this period of uncertainty.
Meunier, who talks of the rise of a “new consumer,” highlights the need to develop new offers in the consumer goods industry as well as carry out exhaustive studies of each market in order to anticipate and address its future needs.
As Nestlé’s Country Head for Spain and Portugal, you are leading the company’s efforts in one of the three European markets most affected by the economic downturn (Spain, the United Kingdom and
Ireland). Prior to this, you lived through the 1998 ruble crisis in your leadership role at Nestlé’s Russia and Eurasia division. What did you learn from your first experience of managing in a crisis that you can apply to this downturn?
In a crisis, the most important thing is to act, quickly and in the right direction. Doing nothing is the surest way to suffer the full impact of the deterioration of the environment. Not all decisions will be correct and therefore it is essential to constantly monitor the impact of these decisions on our performance and correct those that do not give the expected results or go in the wrong direction.
For this we need to get closer to our clients and consumers, understand how much they are changing as a result of the crisis, and share this information within the company in real time, through more frequent, direct and concise communications. In essence, we