Run Away and don't look back - Principal Software Engineer Wood Mackenzie Employee Review

1.0
Jan 5, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- pay is on time - free fruit in the office, but you can't use it for 2 years since we are still in lockdown - learning opportunities - dealing with negative people will make you stronger - you are on your own, so you will quickly learn the ropes - work/life balance is ok, rare overtimes, weekend/evening working only around deadlines

Cons

I would not recommend joining Woodmac to my friends or family. - the negative reviews from 3 years ago are still true - often changes in the vision of company direction - often changes in CEOs - management will throw you under the train to save themselves - evergrowing number of management and decreasing number of doers - bad decisions made by management are pushed onto you so they can blame somebody else (we couldn't deliver x because of person y) - inability to hire talent and lately too many talented people leaving (they currently hide it by saying that they are hiring diverse people rather than quality people) - technical debt that is not prioritized - too many leaders with their own vision and duplicated work streams (there is a high chance that work you do for 2 years will go to the bin just because other leaders won politics) - you don't set your personal OKRs, management push their OKRs onto you (so basically they will get their bonuses) - too much politics - pay rise in average is in the region of 0.5%, not mentioning the below the market rates - bonus in average is in the region of £500-£1000 per year for a good achiever - promotions are based on the political side you join (if your party is in power) - you will realize there is no culture or values after a few All Hands meetings - too much micromanagement from all the product owners, management, and scrum masters.

Explore other reviews about Wood Mackenzie

5.0
May 31, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good work life balance and interesting work

Cons

Nothing much to say on this.

3.0
Feb 2, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good people with good intentions. Work-life balance is above average.

Cons

The reality of being owned by a PE backed firm: Large scale cost reductions including mass layoffs. Woefully lean teams requiring higher workloads including much time spent on tasks outside of primary role. New leadership- since the hiring of Jason Liu, it’s hard to discern if we can trust the GLT. Observations causing concern include blame shifting, lack of accountability, and statements inferring that radical candor is actually not welcome (despite devoting an entire training module on the topic). Directors and managers do not have any power, and yet they are our conduit to executive leadership. The work has no joy anymore. We spend our days putting out fires on internal data issues, chasing lofty goals with next to nothing budgets, and trying to keep up with the ever-changing policies and procedures that impact our day to day. I rarely get a chance these days to do the job I was hired for.

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Wood Mackenzie Response
4mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective. Wood Mackenzie is undergoing a bold transformation as we sharpen our focus on delivering the most connected, trusted intelligence for the energy and natural resources industries. This has brought change across many parts of the organisation as we evolve how we work, how we operate, and how we support our customers. We recognise that periods of transformation can feel challenging and, at times, uncomfortable. At the same time, this work is central to our long-term ambition to transform the way we power our planet and to build a Wood Mackenzie for the future. We remain committed to creating an environment where people can do meaningful work, contribute to a bold mission, and feel proud of the role they play in what we are building together. If you haven't already done so, I'd recommend speaking about the issues you've raised through our internal feedback channels such as our your line manager or speak to your HRBP. All feedback on Glassdoor is summarised and shared with leadership monthly so I can guarantee the themes in your review will be aired. We appreciate your honesty and your dedication to Wood Mackenzie over the past decade. Even when the feedback is challenging, it helps us build a stronger company and a better experience for our people. Thank you again for sharing your perspective. Eilish Henson, EVP, HR
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