As far as working in the U.S. office goes, don't expect to advance unless you: have European and/or dual citizenship; excel at ugly politics/bureaucracy; or you're a pro at metaphorically cutting throats. Leadership in the U.S. office is heavily non-American and follows the empirical style of management. It's a very "shut up and smile while you do as I say" operation. Executives are mostly European or French Canadian. Feels like one out of eight employees is a group head of some kind, but it's really not saying much. Self-absorption and connivance are key themes: Lots of condescension; too many hands in the soup with very little group cohesiveness; overflow of throwing people under buses (figuratively) in order to please higher ranks who sit on imaginary thrones and speak in the language of pomp, judgment, and self-entitlement.
Parent office is in Paris, and step-parent office is in London... both are very confusing and mind-numbing when involved in discussions and authorization requests (you have to go through both before anything gets close to starting to get done). But oddly enough, neither office is half the migraine as the U.S. office. You'll only know the French global CEO from pictures, video clips, and the words of the select few U.S. senior management allowed to meet him. The North America CEO is a robotic French national with the personality of a dull doorknob who, like any other sociopath, thrives on feeling bigger than everyone and demands sycophant yes- men and women in his circle. Laugh when he laughs, part like the Red Sea and/or bow down when he walks into a room, and tell him how wonderful he is.
Work/Life balance is a joke of epic proportion. I'm not saying it's a badge of honor, but you get bad looks when you don't tend to your blackberry before 6am, when you're not in the office before 8am and out after 6:30pm, and especially when you're not available at your manager's every beck and call throughout a 24hr day. Whether you're married or single, make sure to factor out 1-3hr driving/subway commute and 5-7hr sleep for yourself, because you are expected to breathe and live for this company and nothing/no-one else all other times. This company deserves less than zero stars for leadership and staff morale.
