Pros
Overall, BNP is a great company to work for. The people are nice and amicable. The environment in CIB is laid back. Working in the US, its a change from stereotypical American Companies and is a nice alternative due to its European culture and values. In my experience, talent is recognized and you are allowed to move up the ladder if opportunity allows. I was able to get promoted in under 2 years to running my own department.
Cons
The most common criticism you hear about BNP is that it is heavily Franco-centric. This is true and the bank's major decision making is centralized from Europe. Meaning that if you are working elsewhere other than France or London, that you will find some bottlenecks in thinking. BNP is great for a young ambitious person or mid career person. However, once you pass this threshold and are more seasoned promotions become more difficult due to the highly centralized power hold with the French and Brits.
