This content was published on
June 5, 2026 - 13:54
2 minutes
(Bloomberg) — Nestle SA Chief Executive Officer Philipp Navratil warned Swiss citizens not to take its business-friendly environment for granted ahead of a national vote on a proposal to cap the population at 10 million.“Switzerland has established and created the conditions that enable a global company like us to thrive,” Navratil said at the Swiss Economic Forum in Interlaken on Friday. “It is important that these conditions and advantages in Switzerland remain in place. When we vote in the coming weeks, we need to keep that in mind.”Navratil’s comments come just over a week before the plebescite, and are the second in as many days from a major Swiss corporate figure. On Thursday, UBS Group AG CEO Sergio Ermotti said he worries about “extreme initiatives” and that the population cap is not a solution to perceived problems in the country.Most polls have shown the initiative with strong support, though the final surveys this week put opposition above 50% for the first time. Switzerland will vote on the proposal on June 14. With the population already above 9.1 million, estimates suggest that annual migration would have to drop by at least half to avoid reaching the ceiling by 2050, as proposed in the initiative.Navratil said Nestle’s success depends on reliable access to talent and skills. “I am interested in a Switzerland that can continue to provide these conditions in the future. And we must not take them for granted,” he said.Although operating internationally, the Vevey-based foodmaker is still “deeply rooted” in Switzerland, Navratil said.©2026 Bloomberg L.P.
