High Finance in Switzerland
All,
I am a senior Industrials Investment Banking Analyst at a second tier BB based in London, I am up for promotion to associate this summer. For the past 3 years, I have been dating a Swiss girl, she is a med student in London but she would like to move back to Switzerland in a couple of years.
I really like this girl and I do see a future with her (and she feels the same way). I have been to Switzerland to visit her family several times, and honestly I love the country (the peace, the cleanliness, the safety, quality of services and transportation, the nature). I would not mind at all to live there.
My question is how feasible is to land an associate role in either Investment Banking or in the buy side (Private Equity fund and family offices) without speaking German. (We plan to move to the Zurich area). Obviously I will start learning Swiss German and French but honestly it will take me years to get a professional proficiency. Is it possible to work in banking without the language, the culture and the lack of local market knowledge?
Bump
It would say its not easy but possible. IB is a bit chaotic rn with the merger of CS and UBS and you are likely only relevant for the large cap team, the midcap team probably requires German or French. Smaller PE is also unlikely imho.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, it's definitely possible to work in banking in Switzerland without speaking German or French, especially in cities like Zurich and Geneva where English is widely spoken. However, knowing the local language can be a significant advantage, especially when dealing with local clients or businesses.
As for applying to multiple offices, it's generally okay, but it might be beneficial to focus on the ones where language won't be a barrier. There are several banks and funds that are prominent in Switzerland and may not require German or French speaking ability.
In terms of culture and local market knowledge, these are things you can learn and adapt to over time. The Swiss banking sector is known for its strong work-life balance and high quality of life, which could be a great fit for you.
Remember, it's not just about the language, but also about your skills, experience, and fit with the company culture. So, don't let the language barrier discourage you. Start learning Swiss German and French, and in the meantime, leverage your experience and skills to land a role in the Swiss banking sector.
Good luck, and remember, every journey starts with a single step!
Sources: Recruiting in Zürich/ Geneva vs London, Is target MSc Finance still possible in my situation? (Bocconi, HEC, LSE, HSG....), 20 Most Frequently Asked Questions - London Edition, Should I apply to Germany as well?
Bump
Considering the current optics and no DE and FR language skills landing an IB job in Switzerland is not feasible rn. Try buy-side firms such as Partners Group or Energy Infra Partners - seen some LDN profiles moving towards PG
Partners group is the obvious best answer here
To be quiet frank without German speaking there are not a ton of corporate finance related options in Switzerland.
Finance is really big still in AM/WM ... IB is anyway quiet small. The only BB left with significant (non-satellite) office for M&A is basically UBS. From there they do a ton of mid-cap banking. Other notable players are HL (particularly after the GCA takeover) and to some extent Alantra.
PE is also a mixed bag in my opinion. Yes there is partners group but thats basically about it when it comes to large cap PEs with significant presence. Yes you will have also people working for e.g. EQT in Switzerland but these are all offices where you will only find a handful of people, thus very hard to enter (compare to i.e. EQT Munich with ~ > 50 Investment Professionals).
You will most likely find a great job but the typical high finance careers a la large cap PE are rather unrealistic in my humble opinion.
Most BBs have a local satellite in Zurich. The only exception is GS ( however, there are two MDs in Switzerland).
UBS is by far the largest team and quite international. Landing a spot should be feasible without speaking German. At most other banks it is rather difficult. The teams are too small and the ability to communicate with the client in their local language is too important. However, you might want to get in touch with your BB's country support team... Maybe you will be lucky.
HF space is rather small and PE space is dominated by UMM. PG, EQT, Waterland etc. It's worth looking around - maybe you'll find some alumni
Bump
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