vice president

assistant vice president

analyst

summer analyst

executive assistant

BNP Paribas

Management think of employees not as value added, but as costs that must be lowered and cut as much as possible.

This feedback is for the Corporate FP&A (San Ramon) department's budget & forecasting team especially. Very minimum ownership on projects in this team. When working with financial models, it is often to spend hours and days to discuss color of a cell or the width of a column, or how to name a work file. This is very inefficient use of time and waste of resources. Management does not listen to advices, it is either their way or the highway, but their way is actually very time consuming and inefficient. Managers in this team have 15, 20+ years of experience and think like the 1990s. People with this much experience could spent their time better moving projects along instead of spending days checking on cell colors and column widths everyday. Every minor work details require approvals from management. There is no learning gained from working in this group as everything resolves around documentations and format fixing. You are expected to work as told with no ideas and originality because " We Paid for You to Work". period. Do not expect to work for this team and learn, you learn NOTHING.  you are a workhorse (work 9am to 8pm is normal and expected) who does not need to be appreciated for hard work and for being analytical. You will be given meaningless work and be expected to complete everything 2 hours ago. Even if you finish the project in one hour, you will spend the next 2 days reviewing, fixing up formatting color, column widths, & other useless details for a file who does not get seen by anyone else. And there is no room for advancement as there are 8 levels of managements above you and no one ever gets promoted, this team is notoriously bad in its reputation as people leave for better opportunities. 

1. For new employees, there is 3 month probation period, where they evaluate your work performance 30, 60, 90 days in, it is insulting to qualified working experienced professionals. But of course, they won't tell you this at interviews. You do not qualify for any sick day leave in the first 3 months. Any sick day from the first 3 months comes from your paycheck.

2. Very stingy when it comes to reward employee hard work and for job well done. Very rare recognition for job well done. You get paid, therefore you must do an excellent job, because we paid you, that is the mentality. If you don't perform to "OUR" expectation, then we will mess up your performance review and put you on Performance Incentive Plan (PIP) to get rid of you and hire another. Keep in mind, "OUR" expectation is subjective and there is no reward or recognition for a job well done, but there is definitely punishment the other way.

3. High turnover rate within the company. Limited career advancement, there are just too many management levels involved. At least 8 levels of management from analyst to senior exec. A lot of office politics, many levels of management levels, hard to get promoted with so many levels.
There are qualified employees who work 15+ years and still work as an associate manager of finance. In bay area pace, this level can be achieved in 3-4 years of experience, not 15+ years. That shows the pace of advancement. 

4. Management and staff are slow, unproductive, un-decisive, most decisions take multiple meetings to decide. Make things much more complicated than needed. A lot of office politics within the budgeting & forecasting team and within corporate FP&A department. No set structures on processes and their IT support is not good, usually takes 20-30 mins to get any IT support at all and the management don't care, as long as they can save money.

5. Managers (within Budgeting & Forecasting team) friendly outside and slam doors and cursing and yelling to fellow employees. Micromanagement to the extreme, disrespects employees on expected delivery timelines, always wants things done in unrealistic timelines. And when you politely communicate that it will take longer (based on years of working experience) then the management gets really upset and accuse you of being unproductive and making excuses and that you are unqualified for the work given. 

6. Annual salary raise is pre-determined max at 2%, for most employees. The 2% annual raise target is given from the senior management and that is the MAX you can get, meaning if you get 100% positive performance reviews. This is not on par with bay area company standards. Their performance review grades from 1 to 5, with decimal point grading 

7. Their benefits are not competitive. 401K matching has a 4 year vesting schedule. For each year you work, you only get 25% of the match. If you leave on the first year, you get nothing. 
They do not offer gym membership. No on-site gym. 

Their health insurance covers very minimum coverage on doctor visits with high deductible and low coverage.  Management is currently in talk to decrease coverage even lower in the coming year, because employees salary and health insurance to them are ultimately costs. No value to employees at all. Their monthly paycheck deduction for the health insurance is VERY high, at least double compared with other IT firms. Be expected to pay double and get lower coverage.
Health insurance does not start immediately after working. You need to wait for one whole month, then the insurance starts to kick off in the next month. 

8. On-site cafeteria is a joke, very small, crowded, not good quality food. Kitchen is basic minimum

As an intern at BNP Paribas Fortis in the role of a Commercial Advisor, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the dynamic world of commercial banking. Throughout my internship, I gained valuable insights and practical experience that have greatly enriched my understanding of the financial sector.

One of the most notable aspects of this internship was the comprehensive training provided by BNP Paribas Fortis. From day one, I was given access to a wealth of resources and guidance to understand the intricacies of commercial banking, including customer relationship management, financial products, and sales techniques. The structured training program equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively engage with clients and offer tailored financial solutions.

Working alongside experienced professionals was another highlight of my internship experience. I had the opportunity to shadow seasoned Commercial Advisors, observing their client interactions and learning from their wealth of expertise. This hands-on approach allowed me to gain practical insights into the day-to-day responsibilities of a Commercial Advisor and provided me with invaluable mentorship.

Throughout the internship, I was entrusted with meaningful responsibilities that challenged me to apply my theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios. Whether it was conducting market research, assisting with client meetings, or analyzing financial data, I was constantly engaged in tasks that contributed to the success of the team and enhanced my problem-solving abilities.

Moreover, the collaborative culture at BNP Paribas Fortis fostered a supportive environment where teamwork and innovation were encouraged. I had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique perspectives to the table. This collaborative spirit not only enriched my learning experience but also reinforced the importance of teamwork in achieving common goals.

Overall, my internship as a Commercial Advisor at BNP Paribas Fortis has been an enriching and rewarding experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, contribute to meaningful projects, and develop skills that will serve me well in my future career endeavors. I highly recommend this internship to anyone seeking hands-on experience in commercial banking and a supportive learning environment.

Responsibilities: 
•	Successfully and effectively contributed in design and development of a high volume trading platform which allows traders at BNP to trade mutual funds and hedge funds.
•	Lead many technology initiatives across multiple business groups at BNP to resolve various technical and business issues.
•	Have provided various technical, architectural and procedural suggestions and solutions that resulted into improvising productivity of developers, reusability and reliability of the system and profitability of the organization.
•	Diligently involved in the analysis, design and development of SWIFT, Fee, FRIC, Simulation and FundLink system. 
•	Extensively worked on rational rose to design the class, activity, sequence, deployment and component diagrams.
•	Effectively developed various business components for trade booking, Fees, SWIFT, FX-Rate, Strike Calculations, Primary and Collateral Trades, Prices and Returns, Risk Monitoring etc.
•	Diligently worked on SWIFT messages generation, consumption and their transformation using JAXB and SAX parser.
•	Effectively worked on MDBs and JMS technology to exchange financial information with brokers using SWIFT protocol.
•	Consistently worked on Java Web Services using Apache Axis, WSDL and XSD schema.
•	Effectively used Spring, Struts and Hibernate frameworks to develop the application on Weblogic 9.2 application server. Extensively used AOP and ORM modules of Spring through-out the application. Used AOP for transaction management, authorization and logging by implementing various aspects, advices and interceptors.
•	Consistently contributed in designing the DB schema and to develop the Spring and Hibernate based DAO framework.
•	Effectively contributed in developing GUI using JSP, Servlets, Struts, JSF, Myfaces and Richfaces technologies. 
•	Effectively contributed in developing customized JAAS principal and subject for authorization and authentication.
•	Effectively used Maven, Continuum and Bamboo for continuous integration of the project and for automated builds.
•	Responsible for exposing XLA (Excel Add-in) functions using VBA for HFTrader Simulation.
•	Improved performance of the system by implementing various reusable J2EE/GOF design patterns.
•	Providing production support to the application.


A good workplace fosters an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to contribute to organizational goals. Here are some key characteristics of a good workplace:

1. Positive Work Culture

	•	Encourages respect, inclusivity, and collaboration.
	•	Promotes a sense of belonging and purpose.
	•	Celebrates achievements and recognizes contributions.

2. Open Communication

	•	Provides transparent communication channels between management and employees.
	•	Encourages feedback and actively listens to concerns.
	•	Supports constructive dialogue to solve problems.

3. Opportunities for Growth

	•	Offers training, skill development, and career advancement programs.
	•	Challenges employees with meaningful work that encourages personal and professional growth.
	•	Provides mentorship and coaching.

4. Work-Life Balance

	•	Encourages flexible work schedules or remote work options when possible.
	•	Respects boundaries, ensuring employees can disconnect after work hours.
	•	Provides adequate time off for rest and personal needs.

5. Fair Compensation and Benefits

	•	Pays employees competitively and fairly based on their roles and performance.
	•	Offers comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness programs.
	•	Recognizes and rewards exceptional performance.

6. Safe and Comfortable Environment

	•	Ensures a physically and psychologically safe workspace.
	•	Provides necessary tools and resources for employees to perform their tasks efficiently.
	•	Promotes mental health awareness and support.

7. Strong Leadership

	•	Leaders set clear expectations and lead by example.
	•	Inspire trust and foster a sense of direction and purpose.
	•	Support and mentor employees, empowering them to succeed.

8. Diversity and Inclusion

	•	Welcomes diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas.
	•	Actively combats discrimination and biases.
	•	Ensures equal opportunities for all employees.



Generally felt displaced from management at the more junior level, extreme lack of thought into organizational structure and strategy so that many hurdles have to be jumped in order to get a simple job completed. There is also a lack of communication strategy which it feels like the juniors are disconnected from higher management. Also many (not all) of the directors are unable to perform rudimentary processes with existing technology, like spell check, approving internal requests, scheduling calendar invites, navigate Microsoft word and power point. There also doesn't seem to be an onus on the manager to "manage" but instead to command and demand which makes the position very tiring.

The more positive aspects of working here is that at least the company is focused on sustainability banking and diversity and inclusion. Compared to another bank I used to be at, there is also a little more visibility at the junior level to the senior bankers (which is a double edged sword). There has been an attempt to reconnect junior analysts with the more senior bankers, however, nothing has changed, and it doesn't feel like there has been effort to make change besides empty.  If only they could execute the strategy and communication from up top to the more junior analysts, that would help quite a lot.

There is certainly a reason that Bank of the West is known among employees as Bank of the Worst. The sales goals are comparable to other banks; however the products are not. The pay is less than other financial institutions and the benefits are average. The best thing about the company is the ability to use tuition reimbursement. The management is TERRIBLE at all levels including branch, region, and executive. The culture is rather cutthroat given that the goals aren't that challenging. I was a high performing banker without having to put in an excessive amount of effort. This company is all about who you know and not what you know. Nepotism gets you far.
The growth strategy of the company is not sustainable and often leads to further setbacks because the plans are not well planned nor executed. The only thing I enjoyed day-to-day was customer interactions. 5 years ago, when I came on board, I felt that the company was headed in a good direction, at this point, I feel that the company will hire anyone willing to show up. The employees often behave as though they are being inconvenienced by the work itself or customers.
As a whole, knowing what I know now, I would never have started with the company. I stayed because of the location being close to home. A market manager was brought on that was very thoughtful and encouraging and she was great for my development. She has left the company due to many of the reasons listed above and this has been a catalyst in my seeking employment elsewhere.

•Facilitated client service-focused integration of prospective and existing clients onto the Prime Brokerage platform
• Acted as main client point of contact and facilitator with internal teams and departments (Risk, Credit, Product
Development, Client Services, Margin, Stock Loan, Legal, Tax, Compliance, Due Diligence, etc.)
• Obtained and tracked firm’s major stakeholder approvals, legal negotiations and all required client documentation
(including additional anti-money laundering requirements outlined by the 3rd EU directive & US Patriot Act)
• Physically created and tailored client accounts per specific investment objectives and overall firm structure on numerous
internal trading and reporting systems; parameters including Financing structure, Pricing, Reporting & Tax methods,
Settlements, Committed facility limits, Auto-Sweeps, Mailings, etc.)
• Managed operational changes to existing client accounts and trouble shooting various operational issues or newly designed
structured products
• Participated in a four month Process Efficiency Program (LEAN/6 Sigma), which included reviewing overall client
onboarding workflow and implementation of newly designed waste reducing procedures
• Gained valuable exposure to the financial corporate environment and broadened experience working directly with clients
and sales force.

Daily worked flow consist of checking reports, ensuring all systems were up and running properly. Handling of any past due payments that needed further instruction or out of the country assistance. The company provided many online and premises courses, such as: Leading with Success, Coaching your team. These courses provided you with tools to assist your team and peers throughout a course of a day, project or outstanding issue. Management was present and helpful. Email was the first form of contact for recording and feedback purposes. Overall my co-workers were all hardworking and there to complete their responsibilities, the atmosphere was friendly and easy going. The hardest part of this job was completing every aspect of the job within the timeframe, we were short on staff and heavy on workload. This took a lot of prioritizing. Ensuring you have provided the utmost experience for your client. When they call you for direct support, you have done your job successfully and this brings great satisfaction.

As an ex-Software Engineer at BNP Santander, my experience was quite underwhelming. Despite the company's reputation in the banking industry, the technological infrastructure was surprisingly outdated. There was a significant resistance to adopting modern development practices, which stifled innovation and made everyday tasks unnecessarily cumbersome.

The work environment lacked the collaborative spirit I had anticipated. The management's approach was highly bureaucratic, leading to slow decision-making processes and a general lack of agility. Efforts to introduce improvements or new technologies were often met with inertia, which was particularly frustrating for a tech professional eager to make an impact.

Moreover, professional development opportunities were minimal. Training sessions were infrequent and often irrelevant to the practical needs of the team. Career progression felt stagnant, with limited pathways for growth and advancement. Overall, my time at BNP Santander was marked by disappointment due to the outdated technology, bureaucratic management, and lack of professional development, leading me to seek a more dynamic and forward-thinking environment elsewhere.

As the Administrative Assistant to 4 Managing Directors; 2 Directors; Vice Presidents in the Latin American and Mining and Metal Teams; a typical day involved heavy planning of travel including air, hotel, ground transportation. I learned the workings of the Oil and Gas as well as Mining industries. My managers were very helpful and provided a very cohesive working environment. My co-workers were superb hailing from France, Latin America and everyone came together sharing values and customs. At times, planned travel schedules will change abruptly to accommodate rescheduling of meetings, which sometimes resulted in a challenge of securing new flights and hotels. With very good relationship working with travel service, I was able to solve these issues to accommodate needed changes to itineraries.

The most enjoyable part of the job was meeting and working with employees from many countries as we also had summer interns, where I assisted with on-boarding.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Vice president 16 salaries reported	$194,148 per year
Assistant vice president 17 salaries reported	$115,619 per year
Analyst 1 salary reported	$185,000 per year
Summer analyst 9 salaries reported	$85,556 per year
Executive assistant 3 salaries reported	$123,333 per year

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