Pros
The platform is best in class. Good place to learn as wide breadth of asset classes and client types. If you’re happy to coast and play along with the office politics then you can get by fine.
Cons
Compensation is poor and opaque - they have no qualms pulling bonuses regardless of individual performance. Sales are judged on arbitrary metrics that everyone at all levels knows is nonsense yet people go along with. Limited career progression outside of HQ, internal jobs rarely even advertised. Rigid wfh policy not in line with market and very much a weird atmosphere and culture where’s its what you’re seen to be doing rather than what you actually do. Staff turnover in the London office is crazy. It weirdly seems to get swept under the rug by the SMT as if nothing is happening. CEO of the London office uses the company as a personal PR machine rather than delivering an actionable strategy to grow the business. ET turns over every couple of years to be replaced by new members saying they’ll change things with no changes implemented. The company doesn’t know whether they want to be a wealth manager, trading platform or private bank which means they do all three very averagely. Not a great place to be if you’re ambitious and want to be pushed outside of your comfort zones. Probably a good gig for ex Investment Bankers coming in on decent comp that no longer want the stress of working at a proper IB.