hiring / flight times are different in Europe vs the US
many pilots there get hired with a major (AF, BA,...) right after flight school and an "ab initio" program. I have met quite a few pilots there getting hired with a European carrier at 3/400 hrs..
the FAA vs JAA ATPL is a different ball game too but that's another debate
So if he got hired at 350 hrs and flew 65 hrs a month on average that s 15 years with 2 years on the A330