Leadership Change at Danone DACH: Krummenacher Takes Over
Jean-Yves Krummenacher will become Danone's new General Manager for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH) starting in November 2026, taking over leadership responsibilities in those countries from Richard Trechman.
Leadership Change at Danone: Krummenacher Succeeds Trechman
A leadership change is on the horizon at Danone: Jean-Yves Krummenacher will take over as General Manager DACH in November 2026, leading Danone’s operations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He succeeds Richard Trechman, who will be leaving the company to pursue a new professional opportunity outside of Danone. The local organization in Switzerland will remain unchanged: Isabel Petit will continue in her role as Country Manager for Danone Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia.
More than 25 years of international experience at Danone
According to his own statements, Krummenacher has more than 25 years of international experience with the company and is said to have played a decisive role in shaping Danone’s development in various leadership positions. Most recently, the Swiss and French citizen served as Global Chief Procurement Officer, responsible for Danone’s global procurement strategy, while also leading the company’s global trading and procurement operations as Managing Director. Prior to that, he held various leadership positions in Europe, Asia, and Latin America in the areas of sales, procurement, and sustainability.
In his new role, Krummenacher will be responsible for the further development of the DACH business and for driving Danone’s growth strategy in the region. His focus will be on strengthening the market position, further developing the brand portfolio, and promoting innovations that meet consumers’ needs. In addition, he aims to foster a corporate culture in which people can grow and develop, and to advance the company’s mission—to promote the health of as many people as possible through nutrition—by building collaborative customer relationships.
«With our health-focused categories and strong brands, we are ideally positioned to create value for our customers and consumers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. »I firmly believe in the power of close partnerships across the entire value chain to jointly create added value and accelerate sustainable growth,” Krummenacher is quoted as saying in the press release.
Integration into the EMEA leadership team
Jean-Yves Krummenacher will join the regional leadership team for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and will report to Pablo Perversi, President of EMEA.
According to the company, Danone is one of the leading manufacturers of food and medical nutrition in the DACH region and operates in four business segments: fresh dairy products, plant-based products, natural mineral water and soft drinks, and infant and medical nutrition. With approximately 2,000 employees across five locations and two production facilities, Danone DACH produces more than 1,000 different products. The portfolio includes brands such as Actimel, Activia, Alpro, Aptamil, Milupa, Volvic, evian, Fruchtzwerge, Nutrini, Fortimel, and Neocate. Danone is also B Corp certified, joining an international movement of more than 10,000 companies in over 100 countries that meet high standards for environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
