Lindt & Sprüngli changes CEO amid weak European demand

Adalbert Lechner is leaving Lindt & Sprüngli, with Dieter Weisskopf taking interim charge of the Swiss chocolate maker. The company expects to appoint a permanent chief executive in the second quarter of 2027.

Weisskopf is vice-chairman of the board and a former group CEO, having led the company from 2016 to 2022. He takes over with immediate effect. The board has begun the search for a successor to Lechner, who spent 33 years with the company.

Executive chairman Ernst Tanner said the leadership change was intended to restore consistent growth. Weisskopf's priorities include reviving the European business, building on performance in North America and Asia-Pacific, investing in brands and improving profitability.

In September, Lindt cut its 2026 sales forecast for the second time, citing high cocoa costs and lower European chocolate consumption, Reuters reported. The company also promised to reduce product prices amid weak demand. Its shares have lost about a quarter of their value since the start of the year.

The group is also changing its leadership in Germany and Austria. German CEO Michal Spiller will leave, with Austrian business head Ali Kulein proposed as his successor, subject to approval by the local supervisory board.

Global sales head Fabian Reinhardt will take over the Austrian business. Both regional changes are scheduled for October 26.