Édouard Muller (February 16, 1885 – September 28, 1948)[1] was a Swiss-French businessman who expanded Nestlé's international operations, and succeeded Louis Dapples as CEO from 1937 until his sudden death in 1948.
His father moved from his home village to seek gardening work in the shores area of Lac Leman.
Edouard Johann earned acclaim in the Vaud Horticultural Society while employed by the Roussy's and he married Philippine Denereaz from nearby Chardonne and Corsier.
Muller was given an introduction to start employment at Nestle Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company when Emil-Louis Roussy used his influence to help the 18-year-old.
Edouard became the corresponding secretary for Mr. Alfred Liotard, who together with Mr. Louis Aguet headed Nestle's overseas business starting October 1, 1903.
Edouard became friends with Ariste Lehmann, another Swiss in England and they saved and ventured to Paris to enjoy its cultures that differed from those in London.
He was later made manager of the Near East Agencies covering the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, and Mesopotamia.
Arriving in Istanbul in 1911 at the age of twenty-six he conceived the idea of promoting chocolate sales among women by including movie-coupons in the wrappers.
[4] Unfortunately, the war between the Turks and the Bulgarians soon forced a move for Edouard and his family to Athens, where they lived at the Hotel de Grand Bretagne and then at a rented home in Kephica.
Moving goods was a constant problem with some items being scarce and travel was difficult because individuals needed special military permits.
Once while in Athens when the city was a target for bombing from battleships Edouard used his body to cover his son and protect him in the staircase of the hotel in which they were staying.
Nestlé at this time was in trouble due to the huge stocks of products, including large quantities of sweetened condensed milk with coffee flavor.
Louis Dapples, a Swiss who had been living in Italy, with a long banking career and international ties was appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Nestlé.
At that time, Nestlé had several head offices including one in London with Mr. L. Auget as president, one in Paris with Mr. A Liotard and another in Cham with Mr.
Edouard had to take many driving journeys to France, Germany, Spain, and other countries to keep full control over the reorganization and marketing activities.
In the spring of 1936, Muller was in Madrid, Spain staying at the Ritz Hotel, experiencing the sentiments of the Spanish Civil War that broke out that year.
Edouard's good friend Jaime de Semir was a declared a loyalist and he was charged for crimes and condemned to death.
Edouard was elected chairman and chief executive officer of the Nestle-Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company in August 1937, the month of Dapples's death.
In February 1939 on a ski trip to Arosa with his friend and business associate H. Riggenbach from the Berlin office, they reviewed the political situation in Germany.
They returned to Brazil on August 27 after enduring a trip when all portholes were darkened due to German submarines in the surrounding waters.
Some of the important Nestlé managers, and their families, that moved were Guy Parker, Gustave Huguenin, Pepin, Dommens, Menziz, F. Gysler, and Dr. Warner Oppikofer, the legal advisor.
Passengers were forced to jump into lifeboats and dangle over the ocean until the Germans understood their mistake since the United States was not yet at war with them.
The principal sponsor of the declaration was Count Richard N. Coudenhove-Kalergi, a visiting professor of history at New York University.
He gave a speech at an event he organized at the Casino du Rivage in Vevey called “L’Amerique, un people sur roués”.
Edouard weighed the idea of going to Australia to see operations there but recognized that he was too important an employee for the corporation to allow the three months of absence from the offices to do so.
In Colorado Springs, where they stayed at The Broadmoor resort, Edouard met with local officials to discuss the possibility of building Nestle US headquarters in their city.
Edouard felt unrest remained in both the Pacific and the Atlantic so he was seeking a place remote from the coasts as long-term planning for Nestle.
At Credit Leman, Muller witnessed a peasant wanting to borrow 5 francs to buy a scythe because he had nothing and needed to earn money.
Edouard enjoyed good food and wines and liked to search out restaurants with specialties like crayfish soup, country ham, and wild berries, and cream with meringues.
Bell carillon donation to the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, Connecticut for the kindness given to Nestlé employees through use of the parking lot when war years forced a need for a quick corporate solution in the United States for Nestle.