Who are the women who have shaken up the entrepreneurial, cultural or political landscape, and how have they forged a path for others who want to dare?

For this fourth edition, we met with Véronique Penchienati-Bosetta, Deputy CEO of the Danone Group since 2023. Interview.

What changes have you seen take place in the 15 years since EVE began?

I attended the very first EVE. I was there as a guest, not a speaker. The memory of that experience has stayed with me. It was a bubble of calm, an opportunity for self-reflection. I went home utterly transformed.

I was lucky enough to be asked back two years ago, this time as a speaker, and I felt the same thing. Of course, the program has grown hugely since then. In the meantime, there has been Africa, Asia, Latin America, which begins in February. But even though it has expanded in terms of size and impact, I really felt like I was getting back to the heart of EVE.

The closeness, the collective energy and the individual bubble, the kindness, the inspiration: none of that had changed. Even back then, when little space was given to topics on diversity and inclusion, there was a freedom of speech and action, which draws people in. And that freedom endures today!

At what point did you become aware of your ability to inspire?

When you are appointed to a position of responsibility in a company, people start observing you. And you try to do whatever you can.

For me, there were two main turning points. The first was when I became CEO and took on a very complicated business. Rather than limiting my scope of action, I wanted to project myself into the future, to create, to work with the teams so that we could transform together. I involved all my employees in my deliberations, from salespeople to staff representatives. Five years later, when I left, I felt the impact of this collective experience on the teams. It was really emotional.

The second turning point was when I was appointed overnight as interim CEO of the Group, right in the middle of a restructuring plan and media storm. That day, the teams really impressed me: they showed such kindness and real solidarity. I became aware of the important role I had to play at an extremely trying time, and I wanted to live up to it.

How can a role model inspire others to dare to think outside the box?

I’m going to repeat some great advice: as parents, the two things we should give our children are roots and wings. And I think it also applies to inspiring leaders.

Having roots means never forgetting the company culture and the people who built it. At Danone, for example, it goes beyond economic performance; there is a very strong social and societal impact that must be preserved. Having wings means being able to lead other people towards new experiences, to adapt and to innovate. That’s how I try to push my teams: respecting the Group’s DNA while innovating.

It’s also important to encourage other people to identify what they want and give them the courage to ask for it. When you dare, you reveal your true self, you take a risk. And I think there are still obstacles, particularly among women, to saying exactly what they want. I stayed at Danone for so long and was able to thrive because I took the time to sit down, to think about what suited me, to make a choice with no frustration and to assume responsibility for it. I try to encourage my colleagues to have the freedom to be who they are, to say what they want, and to challenge things.

How do you go on reinventing yourself when you become a role model?

I think when you take opportunities to have experiences and be in new situations, when you manage personalities that you are not used to, that’s when you go on learning and reinventing yourself! But be warned, your values never change. Your inner self remains the same. You just grow by enriching the range of experiences you have.

I also believe it’s crucial to engage with younger generations. Young people in the workforce today are different from how we were. We were focused on our careers. The world has changed, mentalities are different. I love spending time with young employees or students who ask questions. We contribute our experience, but they also contribute a lot. I’m now on the Board of Directors, which also gives me a different angle that changes my attitude and perception. All of this is very stimulating, and I feel like I’m managing to reinvent myself well.

Everyone should understand that we can progress, reinvent ourselves, and perform well while remaining true to ourselves, authentic, and in line with our priorities. In any case, it’s certainly an important driving force in my life. I think it only works if you stay true to yourself.