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Q&A: Dan Azzi, regional head of global markets and co-head of wholesale banking, MENAP, Standard Chartered Bank
To look at Dan Azzi’s CV you’d assume he’s an all-American guy. He has an MBA from Columbia University and served as a major in the US Marine Corps before entering the financial sector. Prior to joining Standard Chartered Bank, he worked at Bear Stearns, which is eponymous with Wall Street, and also spent seven [...]
Arguably the safest banks to work for in Middle Eastern M&A and DCM
The volume of debt capital markets (DCM) deals in the Middle East has been steadily increasing for some time now, but investment banks have still largely been reluctant to increase their headcount in this area. This could change if the current surge in activity continues. In the first quarter of 2012 debt issuance in the [...]
Candidate blog: Friends and colleagues fled from Dubai after the financial crisis, but I decided to stick around. I have no regrets
If you’re an expat financial professional working in Dubai, you’re no doubt accustomed to having to justify your choice of career location to colleagues and friends lured to the opportunities in London, New York or Asia. But I truly believe the Middle East is the best place to be. In 2008, people were flocking to [...]
Expats beware: Consolidation is coming to Qatar’s banks
On the face of it, Qatar is one of the places to be for bankers in the GCC – pay is rising exponentially for local candidates, and even expats are able to secure up 20-30% more working there than the Dubai. In the long term, hopes are pinned on a raft of project finance work [...]
International banks are starting new Dubai operations…and hiring wealth managers
The fact that US securities firm, Jefferies, has opened a new office in the DIFC could be viewed as a tentative vote of confidence for investment banking prospects in the Gulf. However, much like many other international firms, its main motivation is to tap into the vast pool of wealth in the region. Jefferies has [...]
Everything you need to know about JPMorgan’s chief investment office and becoming Bruno Iksil
On the off-chance that you spent the whole of Easter holed-up in Dartmoor without internet access and have no knowledge of Bruno Iksil, let us fill you briefly in. Bruno Iksil is purportedly a 30-something French trader. He lives in Paris and commutes in and out of London each week, but spends Fridays working at [...]
Q&A: Amir Sadr, head of UAE market and private office in the Middle East, Coutts
Amir Sadr joined private bank Coutts in November last year to head up its UAE market and private office business in Dubai after more than 12 years working for Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The move is part of an ambitious expansion plan by the bank in the Middle East. We talk to Amir about [...]
Two investment firms talking up MENA expansion
Private equity is an obvious exit option for any investment bankers considering their career choices currently and, as we’ve touched upon before, it’s offering decidedly more job opportunities in the MENA region. The latest example of this is PineBridge Investments, which is likely to expand its MENA footprint. It’s just hired Talal Al Zain, who [...]
Q&A: JPMorgan’s head of global alumni relations explains why JPMorgan would like to hire its alums, or people recommended by them
Having visited JPMorgan’s website and observed the prominence being given to its alumni portal, we asked Catherine Coluzzi, executive director and head of global alumni relations at the bank whether it’s got a renewed push to hire alums. This is what she told us: Q: We noticed JPMorgan is giving a lot of prominence to its [...]
Would you stick around in the Middle East if income tax was imposed?
In Qatar and the UAE it’s the locals in the banking sector able to earn the more attractive salaries. In Saudi expat pay outstrips that of the indigenous population in the private sector. Nonetheless, a controversial plan to introduce income tax for expats to level the playing field has been rejected by the government. All [...]
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