Pros
- Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters (Refinitiv) dominate the market data sector. Both have steady cashflows, while BBG is somewhat better managed. - Perks like free snacks and drinks, nice offices around the world - Well-established training programs for fresh grads
Cons
- Very old-school culture and mentality. Constant badge-in / badge-out, even if you are just walking to a different floor in the same building. At my office, they have 3+ full time security guards just watching and making sure everybody taps the badge!! - Forget about personal freedom and privacy - everyone can read your calendar, meeting notes, sales numbers, pipeline, etc. Your every move is monitored online and offline. - Bamboo ceiling is alive and kicking - if you are Asian - not Singaporean or Indian - your chances of getting promoted to senior management are slim to none. In Asia offices, hierarchy looks like a throwback to colonial days, with Americans / Europeans at the top and local Asians at the bottom. - If you are a mid-career professional - not a fresh grad nor a fixed income veteran - you will probably struggle to adapt and leave within 1-2 years. - The core products like Terminals are becoming really, really outdated. - Target markets are all shrinking: investment banking, sales/trading, buyside (active investors) - No flexi hours - Often, the biggest challenge is to understand all the internal jargons / politics and present something coherent to clients