Great Company & Career if you are French Only! All top level management is French! - Manager Danone Employee Review

2.0
16 Jun 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

entrepreneurial spirit in less established countries for their small teams, (dairy & yogurt division

Cons

ALL top management is French or at least a couple French Expats! This was the case in many geographies worldwide. Their website claims they are a diverse company but that is absolutely not true. Being French puts you at a huge advantage over your peers. In other multinational companies such as Kraft, Mondelez, Pepsi, Unilever see you a huge diversity when it comes to country of origin but not in Danone. If you're French, your career is limitless but if you're not French that is a huge obstacle. At higher levels, the French people who are typically upper management, start to congregate and speak French. In Asia you had a French person running at least operations & as the general manager at minimum. In China it was the worst I had seen globally as it was full of expats as directors: marketing director, supply chain director, logistics director, market research director, general manager, and the finance director. Globally, there are even positions for regular level managers who become expats even though they are less seasoned employees simply because they are French.

Explore other reviews about Danone

5.0
30 Apr 2026
Anonymous intern
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people, highly structured, unique learning opportunities

Cons

Team was fully remote so sometimes a bit difficult to communicate with everyone

1.0
3 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Work-life balance exists and is generally respected. Bonuses can be good, depending on the year and leadership priorities. Strong, reputable brands that look impressive on a résumé. "Some" genuinely great people who work hard despite the environment.

Cons

No meritocracy whatsoever. Promotions and career growth are driven by favoritism, internal alliances, and visibility politics rather than performance or results. Advancement often feels like a popularity contest. “Core values” are largely performative. They are referenced often but ignored when inconvenient, especially at leadership levels. Questionable long-term strategy. Direction changes frequently, priorities shift without explanation, and long-term planning feels weak or reactive. Extremely bureaucratic. Simple decisions require excessive approvals, slowing execution and stifling innovation. Politics over performance. Success depends more on who you align with than what you deliver. If you're not "one of them" or if they don't want to continue paying you your value, they'll find ways to get rid of you. So choose wisely and research the role and team.

4
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