Anybody feel they know the rep. of Citigroup's Equity Derivatives business?Particularly interested in their coverage of hedge fund clients.Thanks.

New York or London?I know a few of the traders, researchers but no one in sales.

London. Considering a position within "hedge fund sales". Team is relatively small.Another question. Why is it that the French banks (SG and BNP Par) is so strong in equity derivatives in Europe?

CashCow,My spontaneous answer to your question is that, lets face it, the French are very good at calculus.Besides, to my knowledge, the French banks concentrated on the more complex structures instead of the flow products. Those more complex products are more attention seeking and gets more media covering.However, during the last couple of years I think that the other banks have caught up.Still, the product ranges and the the approach to the markets are different. If you work at a sales desk moving from or to a French banks can be painful.Please correct me if I am wrong.Btw, I am looking for jobs at a sales desk (I am not really a quant) so any suggestions would be more than welcome.RegardsOla

CashCow,My spontaneous answer to your question is that, lets face it, the French are very good at calculus.Besides, to my knowledge, the French banks concentrated on the more complex structures instead of the flow products. Those more complex products are more attention seeking and gets more media covering.However, during the last couple of years I think that the other banks have caught up.Still, the product ranges and the the approach to the markets are different. If you work at a sales desk moving from or to a French banks can be painful.Please correct me if I am wrong.Btw, I am looking for jobs at a sales desk (I am not really a quant) so any suggestions would be more than welcome.RegardsOla

Oups! Sorry for the double postOla

Ola Olson,Your name sounds Swedish? You might be a fellow Scandi (I'm norwegian myself).Anyway, Thanks for your view on the French banks.

Jag är från Sverige.Ola

QuoteAnother question. Why is it that the French banks (SG and BNP Par) is so strong in equity derivatives in Europe? In fact SG in France is famous for attracting all the graduates from X and Centrale. They stay generally a few years and leave to a European or an American Bank to get a better pay.... which leaves room for the few politics-loving who stay and climb in the hierarchy.I interviewed a few times with some Sales there or even Traders and they know a bit too well the value they have, they are formatted and very arrogant. Which is quite the opposite of Scandies who are more down to earth, on from Norway in this forum kick their ass to all of the smugish Frenchies and he don't need to look important, although he is.

Don't know London. I would expect Citigroup to have a presence there nevertheless.

Greg,I totally agree with you.To me it is not very surprising that the merger between Agricole and Lyonnais has been going on forever. If you are good at office politics it is a very safe place.By the way, I am a Scandi who used to work in a French bank. I know frustration. ;-)Regards,

yeah it's funny how people can be so different and moreover the wrong beliefs. For example every southern european (I, F, Sp) would agree that Swedes or Finns for example are unfriendly..... apparently. but once you pass that barrier, where a Finnish guy reveals no emotion (like Takeshi Kitano) you see that they are more trustworthy than us. I stayed in Finland 4 months to see that.What bank have you been?

I don't want to mention the bank since we mutually dislike each other.However, I am actually seeing Morgan Stanley pretty soon and need to find out more of the products they are pushing. I assume they are more in the flow direction and I have not seen them in any Risk- or equivalent rankings.Any advice?Regards