Join the Debate

Search

Post Your Resume

Back

Print

Do careers die in Shanghai?

May 7 2008

Forget ‘Shanghai, Dubai, or goodbye’. Is a move to an emerging market really a one-way bet for your career?

Banks are busy transferring as many staff as possible away from the stagnant centres of London and New York and into the high growth markets of the Middle East and Asia.

But with these markets lacking the depth of their Western counterparts and fund managers such as GMO's Jeremy Grantham arguing that emerging markets are the next big bubble, is now really the time to be going East?

Kaven Leung, chief executive officer for Citi Global Wealth Management Asia Pacific, told the Financial Times this week that smaller banks which have been growing their wealth management platforms in Singapore are in for a struggle: “They will find it much more difficult this year to sustain the kind of business that makes sense, particularly for those who have come late,” she says.

Layoffs may ensue. And if – and when – the bubble does burst, it’s fair to assume that the Western bankers parachuted into the region without local contacts will be the first to go.

Should you resist the pull of the East? Or are Dubai and Shanghai where it’s at? Participate in the global debate below.

Comments (10)

If you're going there purely to sit out while markets come back, be prepared to fail.

View all comments

Bookmark

  • Blinklist.com
  • Reddit.com
  • Digg.com
  • Furl.com
  • Google.com
  • Del.icio.us
  • Yahoo.com
  • Netscape.com
  • Stumbleupon.com

Comments (10)

  • Ocean, thought of a native speaker....How many languages do you speak?

    lol 21 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • On Bloomberg Middle East Focus last week, there was an article about the rising cost of living in Dubai. Despite earning a tax-free wage, the government have imposed stringent price increases for electricity and gas exclusively for foreigners. There's even an increase in the amount of enquiries from those wanting to leave. One young lawyer is relocating his family to Tazania!

    Ocean, education isn't wot is yoosed to be!

    John 13 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • 6 comments, 3 with spelling/grammatical errors.  I am amazed that some people have jobs in banking at all!

    Ocean 12 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • @ John Lizazo: and...?

    fx 11 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • Big question in Shanghai is what happens to inflation. You're definitely seeing a bubble in foreign capital inflows. Can it last? Who knows. Who cares.

    Rambo 09 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • Middle East = tax free salary, sun, sea, job security. London and NY= dead markets for the next two years at least.

    Travellista 09 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • What about India, Saudi Arab, Austrilia, Qatar, Barhain .. They are gr8 place to move

    Market Risk GCC 08 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • It's more that you're career will die if you don't go to Shanghai - soon. Western markets are going to be moribund for several years, but almost every bank you care to mention (Merrill, Deutsche, JP Morgan) is relying on Asia to pull it through. If you get in there soon it won't be too late. If you delay, it will.

    FILTH 08 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • The truth is that Hong Kong and Singapore aren't interested in the average unemployed Western banker without local connections. They now have more than enough talent of their own. If you're going there purely to sit out while markets come back, be prepared to fail.

    Kenneth Williams 07 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

  • I am interested in Asia career and willing to move
    with company relocation package.

    john lizaso 07 May 2008

    RECOMMEND Recommended 0 times | Alert Moderator

Add your comment

* Mandatory

You have 1200 characters left

Enter the code shown here or sign in / register to skip this step. (What is this?)

Post comment

Jobs

Col3
Col4
Col5
Col6
bottom

Site Information

eFinancialCareers is a Dice Holdings, Inc. company. Dice Holdings, Inc. is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (Ticker: DHX)