Once a Great firm, Now Struggling with Sad Toxic Politics Under New CTO
Pros
Strong brand and market reputation that adds weight to your résumé. Exposure to large-scale, high-impact projects that influence the industry. Competitive compensation, bonuses, and benefits package. Opportunities to work with exceptionally talented colleagues and subject matter experts (though many have left recently). Access to sophisticated tools, platforms, and resources.
Cons
Under the new CTO, the culture has shifted toward heavy bureaucracy and blatant favoritism. Leadership decisions are dominated by a small, handpicked inner circle—informally referred to by employees as “the harem”—often prioritizing loyalty and flattery over skill and results. Little effort made to understand existing teams, workflows, or institutional knowledge before making disruptive changes. Rapid erosion of what was once a collaborative, merit-based culture; morale is now at an all-time low. A growing political environment where “managing up” is more important than delivering value. High turnover among experienced, high-performing employees, leading to loss of knowledge and operational instability. Lack of transparency in decision-making, with most employees kept in the dark about strategic direction.
