IB in Asia without speaking the local language?

Is it possible?
Probably no chance in HK and Mainland, however what about countries which have more than just one official language and English is the de facto language? Countries like India or Singapore? Let's assume I would be a oxford grad how are my chanced getting a internship or even shop offer at a BB?

Reply 1

dawgnut

Possible for s&t or mo, bo roles, in hk or Singapore. near no chance for ibd roles.

Reply 2

monkey0110

Even when Singapore covers south east Asia, which had quite a bit of different languages?

Reply 3

dawgnut

Original post by monkey0110

Even when Singapore covers south east Asia, which had quite a bit of different languages?

Not every bank has SE Asia coverage in Singapore. Some have smaller regional hubs in Australia, Korea, Malaysia etc..

What are roles you referring to? S&T?

Most communication with team and clients conducts in English, only regional coverage require local languages, having said that, there is a bias towards Mandarin/Korean speakers. It is possible, and I've seen many western Interns/Grads.

Reply 4

monkey0110

M&A (probably the most difficult to break in)
I just thought that it might be a great experience, benefitting not only my career but also my personal development. The westerners who got lucky getting an internship, are they from schools like NUS/ESSEC(Singapore campus) or Oxbridge/Ivy? And how fluent are they? Also how hard would India be for a foreign born Indian citizen?
And is there any other place where only or at least mostly English is being used?

Reply 5

dawgnut

Original post by monkey0110

I am unfamiliar with the M&A coverage in other Asian countries outside HK, I'd imagine there will be some vacancies for some of the developed markets (Australia, New Zealand and Singapore etc). It is very difficult to get into those without any reason to be there, bare in mind that HK/SIG recruit internationally, a (top 3 US BB) HR once told me there were 40k applications each year for about 40 FO intern roles (22 IBD/ECM/DCM, 18 S&T), as the bank do not take direct graduate hire.

With regards to westerners that do end up with an internship. I know one half-british-half-chinese (white British looking) guy with basic conversational fluency in mandarin ended up in DCM and converted.

It is much more common to find westerners in S&T, out of 20 S&T interns expect 2 or 3. I've seen top Ivy, top french schools, some random canadians, australians, 1 london school, an american educated Indian dude, another Indian dude that did MBA at London business school, an Singapore educated Indian girl. These people mostly use english, and Indians are more represented compared to white westerners to be honest.

Bare in mind that the average application for an internship in HK had already done 2 other internships, some interns had already been working for several years.

For India, I believe there are most quant / tech / operation business operations, I am not sure about India M&A coverage; but the credit and equity India hub coverage is in Hong Kong, and they love Indian business professionals.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 6

dawgnut

With regards to the other 80-90% of the interns, they are mostly China born, but UK/US/Singapore educated Chinese. Most are from top Ivy school, then evenly split between Oxbridge, London schools etc..

Within the business environment, banks tends to communicate in English. Local language is only required to transulate documents and working with clients etc..

(edited 8 years ago)

IB in Asia without speaking the local language?

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