Lateral from US LO AM to Asian equivalent

Hello! Been with a reputable LO AM in a sector specific research role. I really like everything about the firm and the role but family matters came up and we're looking to move somewhere close to east Asia while still being in the equity research space. Some questions I had are: - Hong Kong: Does not being able to speak Cantonese or Mandarin put me at a substantial disadvantage? - Singapore / HK / Korea: Has anyone made the move? If so, what is the process like with regards to work visa and sponsorships? - Singapore / HK / Korea: Would anyone know the top tier LO AMs in these countries? - Lateral in general: How many YOE do LO AMs typically want in their candidates? Thank you all in advance!

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Singapore is your only real bet. 

They're sponsoring visas again although it's not nearly as free and easy as it was back in the day, plus the local market is ridiculously competitive (what college you went to can surprisingly count for a lot even as an experienced professional). AM there also feels pretty conservative; there seems to be a skew towards local (Asia/China) equities coverage and international real estate investment, so if you have those skills it might be easier. You don't seem to have the diversity of strategies that you see in Western financial hubs. 

I'd forget local firms (low pay, bad culture, and probably wouldn't hire a non-Chinese anyway) with the exception of GIC and Temasek, but again, super competitive. Best bet would be an internal transfer within an international company, i.e. same sector different geography. 

More experienced the better, they need to be able to point out why they're hiring you over one of their (highly qualified) own. 

 

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