Amrop is a leading global executive search and leadership advisory firm, with over 40 years of experience and operations across the Americas, Europe, Asia and beyond.
But I’ve noticed some concerning complaints and negative reviews about Amrop that made me wonder – is Amrop a scam, or are they a legit firm?
As someone who cares deeply about workplace culture and ethics, I had to get to the bottom of this.
So I dug into the details, analyzed reviews across various sites, and uncovered some revealing truths about Amrop.
Here’s what I found…
Overview of Amrop
First, let’s establish the basics.
Amrop is a global partnership of independently-owned executive search firms, with over 65 offices across America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
They focus primarily on executive search, leadership consulting, and board advisory services.
On their website and promotional materials, they boast of things like:
- 40+ years in business
- A strong global footprint
- Deep expertise and insider knowledge of local markets
- A commitment to ethics and quality
However, when we look past the glossy marketing sheen and positive PR fluff, some ethical issues come to light.
Let’s analyze the negative reviews and complaints in more detail…
Amrop Scam Accusations and Complaints
Across employee review sites like Glassdoor and AmbitionBox, we find some very concerning allegations about Amrop’s workplace culture and business practices.
For example:
“Absolute nightmare – with all the stereotypical problems of a narcissist promoter. Former Employee, more than 3 years”
And another:
“Narcissistic Management. No substance. Salary on time. Free lunch on Saturday. That’s it.”
Those don’t exactly scream “ethical leadership experts”.
One of the most common themes seems to revolve around overbearing management, lack of work-life balance, and unreasonable demands:
“To much unnecessary pressure with no work life balance and only expect that work is the only focus.”
“No balance of life , the so called management is rude and arrogant.”
High pressure and long hours are common in consulting firms. But reviewers allege that Amrop takes it too far:
“Severe micro-management…Currently experimenting with nepotism.”
“Deeply insecure and decisively indecisive in all aspects of company administration an organization”
One reviewer even compared Amrop to a “nightmare” and advised others not to work there.
Yikes.
For a firm that sells leadership wisdom, they seem to struggle with practicing what they preach when it comes to managing their own people.
Not exactly a good advertisement for their services.
And it gets worse…
Is Amrop a Pyramid Scheme?
Some employees allege Amrop operates almost like a pyramid scheme:
“Concentration of decision at the top 2 people”
“Attempts to ironically drive “thought leadership” in areas they know nothing about.”
The structure described seems heavily top-down, with a couple senior partners making every important choice.
And “thought leadership” is often used as a smokescreen in shady pyramid-type business models.
Does that mean Amrop is straight-up illegal? Not exactly.
It could just be a very old-school hierarchical partnership model. But clearly it’s not winning them any favor from younger talent.
Either way, this level of concentration of power contradicts Amrop’s message of “empowering leaders”.
And even worse, some employees accuse the top executives of blatant fakery and fraud:
“Senior Personnel (Partners) with low level of actual competence masquerading as domain experts”
Maybe Amrop’s services seem legit on the surface.
But based on insider accounts, the partners apparently don’t practice what they preach. The culture described hardly seems empowering or wise.
The Verdict: Alarm Bells But Not Necessarily Illegal
- Amrop portrays lofty ideals about empowering leaders and building ethical workplaces
- But employee reviews reveal overbearing management, lack of integrity, fakery and more
So are they an outright scam or pyramid scheme? There’s no solid evidence either way.
However, the number of bad reviews coupled with serious allegations merits caution for anyone considering working there or buying their services.
Their marketed message and actual reality seem misaligned.
For an executive search firm, this hypocrisy doesn’t reflect well on their judgement or credibility.
Maybe Amrop isn’t doing anything outright illegal. But based on insider accounts, they seem to struggle embodying the very leadership values they sell.
Key Takeaways: Assess Carefully Before Engaging
- Consider all sides – marketing messages versus independent reviews
- Vet any potential employers thoroughly, even “big name” firms
- Dig deeper before paying for consulting services
No organization is perfect. But smart leaders lead by example.
Rather than risking your career or company on questionable consultants, keep searching for advisors who walk the talk.
As the saying goes, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
In Amrop’s case, the signs point towards believing the unhappy employees over the PR polish.
Proceed carefully if considering Amrop. And remember – you always have options. The cream rises to the top.
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