Pros
- Some interesting projects to work on, also in new sectors - Opportunities to lead projects largely independently - Historically strong market position within the sector - Plenty of friendly colleagues (but these rarely rise beyond Director level)
Cons
- Strong office politics driven by the senior leadership team, creating a toxic atmosphere, in turn leading to high staff turnover in front office functions relative to competitors (not great for a relationship-driven business and nearly everyone who started at the company with me or before me in my team has left by now) - AUM has barely grown for years in an otherwise booming sector - Long-term neglect of key functions (e.g. investor relations), making fundraising difficult in an increasingly competitive market - Very poor work life balance for some individuals and no respect for personal time / work-life boundaries - Lack of alignment of interest: Lots of generals, who benefited from the sector boom and sold their stake in the business, with limited upside potential being offered for newer joiners doing the actual hard work