Born in Austria in 1944, Mr Brabeck-Letmathe graduated from the University of World Trade in Vienna with a degree in economics. He joined Nestlé Group in 1968, where he was appointed Executive Vice President as of 1992 and Member of the Executive Board. He then led Nestlé Group from 1997 to 2008, first as CEO until 2005, then as Chairman & CEO. In April 2008, he stepped down as CEO and remained Chairman of Nestlé S.A, until April 2017. Besides chairing the Board of GESDA Foundation, he also serves as Vice Chairman of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum. In the past, he was Chairman of the 2030 Water Resources Group, a public-private partnership that operates within the World Bank.