Can anyone provide information on comp, culture, promotion timeline/upward career trajectory for PIF / ADIA / QIA / Mubadala / Emirates etc? If you join as an analyst, how long does it take to become PM? Is there such a thing as partner? How is comp structured/is there a cap on comp since it's a SWF, or can you also get a taste of the ME $ haha.
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Working at a Middle East Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) like PIF, ADIA, QIA, Mubadala, or Emirates can be quite an experience. Here's what I can share based on the most helpful WSO content:
Compensation: - The pay is good, but not necessarily better than any decent MM shop in the US. For an associate, it's around $250k all in, with Mubadala being slightly lower. - If you're a US citizen, you still need to pay US taxes on your income, though your effective rate might drop a bit. If you're not a US citizen, then that is $250k tax-free, which is fantastic.
Culture: - These organizations are extremely hierarchical, with decision-making driven by senior-level management. - There's a lot of red tape and internal processes, which might not be similar to corporate PE.
Career Trajectory: - These SWFs tend to hire through more structured processes, often using global recruiters and hiring from US/UK investment banking programs. - They have a good number of foreigners at an Associate/VP level. - However, moving back to a high-quality PE fund or your home country might be challenging after a few years at a SWF.
Unfortunately, I don't have specific information on the timeline to become a PM or if there's such a thing as a partner. But I hope this gives you a good starting point!
Sources: What is it like to work at a sovereign wealth fund?, Non US/Europe IB/PE Overview
Bump. Looking for insight about working in active equity research for SWFs, such as QIA. eg, work life balance, access to third party research, research trips, WFH options.
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