Is it easier to get into LO in UK vs US/Asia

Saw a few posts discussing how low the comps are for AM in UK with many shops having AM grad schemes and tons of mid tier asset managers (Baillie Gifford, LGIM, SLA, etc.) out there hiring a few each year. Some pursued LO because the grad scheme for BB ER or IBD are too competitive.

Skimming through the profiles of some LOs such as RBC AM, Aviva, Pictet, etc. and many of them don't have the crazy background like their counterparts in US (H/W or Columbia value investing MBA with pre-MBA high finance experience).

Is it true that getting a junior role is easier in London? Would it help by starting in London and leverage these experiences to move NY post-MBA?

Also, as a side question - is it also easier to get a role in SWF or pension (PIF, CPPIB, OTPP, APG) public equities team than insurer or traditional AM and sellside ER?

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There actually aren't very many LO ER grad schemes. I don't think any of the firms you just mentioned except Baillie has one. And Baillie only hires like 2 people a year almost exclusively from LSE, Oxbridge, Edinburgh.

​The rest of them may have grad schemes, just not in ER. So no, it's not that easy and I doubt it's overall less competitive than BB ER since there are probably all around less seats.

And you're comparing LO juniors in the UK at random mid-tiers to post-MBA experienced professionals in the US at probably top shops. Makes no sense. In the UK you absolutely can find the post-MBA people from LBS, HEC, INSEAD, and even HSW working at capital, TRowe, PIMCO etc. 

 

But then if one's goal is just get into LO investing, would UK have more structured grad opportunities vs US?

I saw that in UK there are grad schemes in M&G, SLA, LGIM rotating across divisions and quite a number of them ended up in investing team (i guess maybe credit instead equity LO). Meanwhile, for post-MBA or post-ug in US, is there a structured pathway to get into investment team like metlife, massmutual, nuveen, barings, etc.?

 

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