Overseas Big4 vs SG Relationship Manager

[EggsBenedict]

Hi all,

I would like to seek for some advice from the senior professionals. I'm in a dilemma between staying overseas or returning back to SG. I'm a Singaporean, completed my postgrad in a target Uni (Imperial/LSE) and received an offer from one of the Big4.

I am wondering if I should return to Singapore since most of the growth is in Asia and Singapore is THE financial hub (private banking) of Asia. However, I struggle to get job offer from Singapore IBs. If I were to join one of the local banks as RM, would I have a chance to move on to Asset/Wealth Management?

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by EggsBenedict

Hi all,

I would like to seek for some advice from the senior professionals. I'm in a dilemma between staying overseas or returning back to SG. I'm a Singaporean, completed my postgrad in a target Uni (Imperial/LSE) and received an offer from one of the Big4.

I am wondering if I should return to Singapore since most of the growth is in Asia and Singapore is THE financial hub (private banking) of Asia. However, I struggle to get job offer from Singapore IBs. If I were to join one of the local banks as RM, would I have a chance to move on to Asset/Wealth Management?

Thanks in advance!

Sure you have a chance, the question is how much of it? Remember almost anyone who joins a local bank as a RM has no intention of staying there for long, they all are hoping to move to lucrative avenues like IB and PB. At the end of the day, maybe ~2% make it?

Of course you can argue that being a LSE grad your chances are higher, but personally I won't risk coming back to Singapore to take up a low level RM role unless there is at least a 50% certainty of moving to IB.

Originally Posted by EggsBenedict

If I were to join one of the local banks as RM, would I have a chance to move on to Asset/Wealth Management?

Not worth the risk.

Get the experience at big4 first. If you don't like it, still can come back and apply for RM at local bank. Shouldn't be difficult.

On the other hand, it doesn't work the other way. If you start with being RM in local bank, very hard to go back to overseas Big4.