Criteo's decline - Anonymous Criteo Employee Review

1.0
Jun 18, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If I had to describe Criteo in one word, it would be disappointment. I am disappointed to have to stay in the company despite everything happening, but while it’s not the worst place in the world, it’s definitely not for me.

Cons

I have met some people who genuinely believe they work for the best company in the world, despite the fact that its prime days are behind it. The company has become mature and resistant to change, and, from my perspective, its transformation is more likely to end in its demise or a sale. The reality of Criteo is that it initially succeeded with a single product, then began acquiring other companies while promoting itself as innovative and cutting-edge business. However, beneath this facade lies an outdated technological stack, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and a culture marked by opaque communication and internal French politics. (Yes, despite having around 20 locations, the company remains an old-fashioned French organization, only now with 3,500 employees and a superficial American vibe). There is a notable lack of strategy at Criteo, with numerous attempts by C-level leaders to convince investors of their competence. However, the only consistent action they take for several years in a row is conducting multiple rounds of global layoffs, dictated by each country's legislation. Of course, a significant factor is the crisis within the Adtech industry itself, especially with the impending 'cookie apocalypse.' The business is struggling to address these complex dilemmas and to shape a sustainable future for the company, and the CEO consistently fails to inspire trust and reliability among her employees at Criteo. There were times of extremely high turnover rates within the company; the current stability is not due to the company creating a safe, innovative, and creative environment but rather because, amidst global IT layoffs, employees know their options are limited and it’s safer to wait for the global situation to improve and then find a better place in the market. I agree with the points mentioned in other reviews. In summary, there is poor middle management across different countries, ineffective and complex processes, below-market salary ranges, top-down decision-making, miscommunication challenges, and limited opportunities for growth. If you have multiple offers to consider, avoid choosing Criteo. The industry is unstable, and the company is struggling to find its footing.

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Criteo Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We recognize the importance of addressing both positive and negative experiences you’ve experienced within our company. Firstly, we are grateful for acknowledging Criteo's initial success and our global presence. We take pride in our diverse workforce and the rich cultural dynamics it brings. We understand and regret to hear about your concerns regarding our technological stack, bureaucratic processes, and communication challenges. We acknowledge that these are areas that need continuous improvement while always working to be at the forefront of it. Our industry is indeed rapidly evolving, and we are committed to updating our technology and streamlining our processes to better serve both our employees and clients. Our leadership team is actively working on transparent communication and strategic initiatives to navigate the challenges posed by the 'cookie apocalypse' and other industry changes. We aim to foster a culture of trust and reliability and are dedicated to keeping our engagement and communication with employees at all levels.

Explore other reviews about Criteo

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great environment, great people to work with

Cons

Need to go back to office

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Criteo Response
6d
We're thrilled to receive such positive feedback and to know that you've found a place where you can grow and thrive at Criteo. Thank you for sharing and for your trust all these years. It's great to have you on the team!
1.0
Feb 26, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Earlier in my time at Criteo, the culture was a true strength. Teams were collaborative, capable, and invested in delivering value to clients. There are still incredibly smart, hardworking people across the organization when they are given the resources needed to deliver strong work.

Cons

Morale has declined significantly due to direction from upper leadership. Executive communications often feel scripted and disconnected from the realities teams are navigating. Employees are facing burnout, layoffs, no merit compensation growth, and increasing workloads without clear strategic guidance. Leadership layers have expanded in ways that create bottlenecks and slow decision making, while individual contributors lack clarity on priorities and long term direction. Internal mobility has been restricted, limiting opportunities for promotion or role movement at the same time compensation progression has been removed. Salary transparency was removed from internal and external role descriptions, which has impacted trust. Despite positive performance, cost discipline appears to disproportionately affect employees rather than being shared equitably across leadership levels. Additionally, a return to office policy has been implemented, including for employees originally hired as remote. This has added strain and uncertainty for teams.

9
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Criteo Response
3mo
Thank you for sharing such detailed feedback. Every decision we make is taken with our long-term organizational health in mind. From top leadership to individual contributors, we are all committed to building sustainable success for our company and the people in it. Making Criteo a place where everyone can grow is a shared priority, and that’s why we equally value vertical and horizontal career pathways. When it comes to individual recognition, our merit compensation processes are structured and similar across our entire organization to ensure maximum fairness and equity. Since Criteo's success is built on connections, we strongly encourage our teams to come together to boost innovation and collaboration at once. By blending office presence with flexible options, we keep trust at the core of our work approach since everyone remain empowered to manage their time, energy, and schedule the way they see fit. Open feedback helps us improve and move forward, so thank you for sharing yours!
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