Nestle has appointed Chris Johnson as executive vice president for the firm’s Americas division.

Johnson, who has been in charge of Nestle Japan since 2007, will take over from Luis Cantarell, who will take up the role of president and CEO of the firm’s health sciences division from 1 January 2011.

Johnson started his career with Nestle in 1983 as a marketing trainee in the US before a move to Japan in 1991. He was made senior area manager for the Asian region of Nestlé Waters in Paris from 1995, and then transferred to Taiwan in 1998 as market head.

The Nestle board has also appointed Nandu Nandkishore as deputy executive vice president for Nestlé Nutrition, with immediate effect. He has been with the firm since 1989.