Lindt & Sprüngli announced Monday that Group CEO Adalbert Lechner will leave the company effective immediately. Former CEO Dieter Weisskopf is returning to lead as interim chief, following the chocolate maker’s recent outlook cuts and weak European performance. Lechner has served as CEO since October 2022.
Lindt said the company aims to appoint a new permanent CEO in the second quarter of 2027.
In a statement from Lindt’s Board of Directors, “Lindt & Sprüngli requires new operational leadership to return to consistent, strong growth and to capture opportunities in all its markets globally.”
Ernst Tanner, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, told investors: “The Board is convinced that this leadership change will drive future growth. Our brands and market positions are strong, and our focus continues to be on delivering exceptional products and experiences for our consumers and on profitable growth for our shareholders.”
Dieter Weisskopf, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and interim CEO, commented: “I know Lindt & Sprüngli, the market, and our people well, and all of it is close to my heart. My focus in the coming months will be to return our European business to growth and to build on the strong performance in North America as well as in Asia-Pacific markets such as Australia, China and Japan, where we continue to gain market share. We will invest significantly in our brands while improving our profitability. My task is to hand over to the next CEO a company with renewed momentum.”
Ernst Tanner, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: “The current search process will assess the best-qualified people to identify the CEO for the next growth phase, and we expect to appoint a new CEO in the second quarter of 2027. We are very pleased that Dieter Weisskopf, who successfully led Lindt & Sprüngli as CEO until 2022 and has served on the Board since then, has agreed to lead the company as interim CEO in addition to his responsibility as Vice-Chairman, until a new CEO is appointed. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we thank Adalbert Lechner for his important contribution to Lindt & Sprüngli over his 33-year career with the company. He has helped shape the Group’s growth trajectory over many years. We are grateful to him for his leadership and achievements, and we wish him all the best for the future.”
Last month, Lindt cut its 2026 sales forecast for the second time this year amid surging cocoa costs and weaker chocolate consumption in Europe. The company confirmed that today’s leadership change does not impact full-year guidance.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
