CEOs lose jobs over workplace romances: 10 high-profile cases

CEOs are increasingly losing their jobs over romantic and sexual relationships, particularly when involving power abuse, industrial secrets, or conflicts of interest. Ten recent high-profile cases illustrate this trend, including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, who resigned on November 12 following revelations of two extramarital affairs. Nestlé fired CEO Laurent Freixe in September 2025 for an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate, violating company conduct rules. Other cases include Kohl's Ashley Buchanan, dismissed for hiding a liaison with a consultant whose firm held lucrative contracts, and BP's Bernard Looney, who resigned in 2023 for failing to declare past relationships with employees. The pattern extends across industries, from McDonald's Steve Easterbrook in 2019 to Intel's Brian Krzanich in 2018, all ousted for similar violations. Even Christopher Kubasik lost his Lockheed Martin CEO position before starting in 2012. These scandals often end careers faster than poor financial results, with many executives receiving no severance.