Danone India: Where marketers are mere peon! - Senior Manager Danone Employee Review

2.0
2 Mar 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Well Danone is a decent name to have on CV, no argument there. Lot of employees refer Danone India as a retirement company, and I agree with them totally, If one wants a low pressure job with hindu rate of growth then Danone India might be an ideal place for you. A big pro is you can get a jump of life-time while switching to Danone in India, there are multiple hires who got 2-3 level of designation jump along with up to 100% of increment. So be aware, open your mouth as wide as you can while negotiation. HR is struggling to get people on board, and I am not exaggerating a bit here.

Cons

Now cons, as you feel by now I am a little dissatisfied employee here and I make no other claim here. I joined Danone thinking of it as a high career growth company for a talented marketer (My previous career record did hint that I am :D), but it is not. Marketing role's significance is almost close to zero here. Finance decides even tiniest of the marketing initiatives, Medical, Legal, Regulatory decide what communication you can roll out, Operations decide what new product you can launch...So the nutshell you are a peon running from door to door to seek everyone's approval. At last place is full of mediocre people and also run by them, so no scope for top performers, top institute guys (Don't think you will make a cut among mediocres, we few did and have failed). Absolute no for FMCG guys, its a doctor business. Danone dairy , which is an fmcg setup, is too small to join in for a core FMCG person unless you are paid twice of your current pay.

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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