Middle East SWF --> M7 MBA --> HF?

I've been offered a place at a SWF in Abu Dhabi, possibly the largest there, after working with an MBB firm for 2.5 years. This was purely a result of networking and sharing with acquaintances. Consulting was my plan B to begin with tbh, doubly so in the middle east, considering my school wasn't that great in Europe. The fund is going to be heavily into distressed debt for the region given the anticipated currencies fall & foreign capital exodus, so this is a good chance to get macro exposure as well.

I don't know if it's feasible but I'm thinking I take the offer, apply for an M7 MBA after 2-3 years, then land HF from there? Could this possibly work or do I have to do a MF PE first?

For what it's worth I completed the CFA charter.

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Definitely possible. Heck if I were you I'd network tremendously in Abu Dhabi, and might just go straight to starting my own HF there skipping the M7 MBA.

Lots of money in that region & SWF experience at the end of the day is direct investing experience (I'm assuming you have a FO type role)

HFs tend to be very meritocratic, so if you can prove you deserve a spot, you will get one irrespective of whether you did MF PE or not.

I never did MF PE or IB, was able to pitch my way to a HF internship which ultimately ended up converting into a full time gig. I was also able to land a VC internship via networking & no my dad was not an LP at either firm, or knew anyone there for that matter.

It's all possible, at least in my experience there doesn't seem to be a cookie cutter route to the HF world. 

 

Odit voluptatem asperiores dignissimos ab eveniet quia. Dolor ab deleniti aliquam similique non esse minus.

Aut quis ad amet voluptatum. Velit non quasi numquam omnis porro ipsam rerum.

Magnam repellat consequatur amet. Vel quidem et itaque at enim. Voluptas sint quis distinctio labore qui vel eum.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Point72 99.0%
  • D.E. Shaw 98.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 97.1%
  • AQR Capital Management 96.2%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Magnetar Capital 99.0%
  • Millennium Partners 98.1%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.1%
  • Blackstone Group 96.1%
  • Citadel Investment Group 95.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Hedge Fund

  • AQR Capital Management 99.1%
  • Point72 98.1%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.2%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.2%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.3%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Hedge Fund

  • Portfolio Manager (9) $1,648
  • Vice President (27) $464
  • Director/MD (12) $423
  • NA (9) $320
  • Engineer/Quant (86) $288
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (26) $284
  • Manager (4) $282
  • 2nd Year Associate (32) $253
  • 1st Year Associate (76) $192
  • Analysts (240) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (28) $146
  • Junior Trader (5) $102
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (282) $96
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”