Tired company - Senior Manager MSCI Employee Review

3.0
20 July 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong Index business. Good client list. Dedicated people. Good office location and environs (London) Good benefits package (London) Here and there, some talented people.

Cons

A company that is smaller than the sum of its parts. Despite a strong Index business, the company always feels stretched beyond its means. CEO is fixated on keeping costs down so there are periodically intense periods of budget cuts, travel restrictions and headcount losses. It always feels as though the next crisis is just around the corner. CEO also drives a culture of fear so everyone constantly on edge. Top management survives by looking out for themselves and having a sacrificial lamb ready to blame for failure. Top leadership is basically weak and does what CEO says. London suffers from complete absence of any visible leadership - New York seems to be where all decisions are taken. Support functions like Finance and HR have lost all their good people. If you're lucky to join a team with a humane manager then you can certainly learn a lot here, but unlikely that you'll want to stay very long.

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MSCI Response
9y
Thank you for sharing your views. MSCI is committed to fostering a working culture which builds and supports an engaged workforce so we are keen to understand and address concerns which our employees have. While cost cutting in various forms can at times be painful, often it is a crucial element within a growth strategy that cannot be avoided. Attrition is another inevitable aspect of organisational life and it’s difficult when we lose good people. We are sorry to hear that your experience with management has not been positive and that this has shaped your view of the leadership of the Firm. We have within the last year introduced a Manager Success Card which gives employees a formal space in which they can give feedback on their managers with the aim of helping managers to improve their skills and approach, and moreover, ensures that managers are accountable for the way they engage with employees. We are confident that this will go a long way in bringing transparency and accountability to people managers in the Firm.

Explore other reviews about MSCI

5.0
6 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great company, phenomenal culture, diverse, solid pay, very collaborative environment that promotes success.

Cons

None, I would recommend MSCI to anyone in the job market

4.0
16 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1) Very supportive environment 2) Smart people 3) Challenging problems

Cons

1) Slow promotions 2) Some legacy systems which can be painful to work with

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