How does working at a SWF compare to PE/HF/IB

i'd probably work for the swf.

they're sitting pretty on big piles of cash and it'll be more fun to work buying things up in this depressing market ...

Everyone has done a PWM internship at a BB. Working at a SWF is a great opportunity and it will give you so much to talk about in your future interviews. People will remember you as the SWF kid.

They will probably put you in a menial role (especially since it's Asia), but if you show initiative and intelligence then you could get some more substantial assignments. Even if you spend the summer doing nothing, I would rather do the SWF just for the unique factor of it. Where in Asia is it? PM me which country, I interned over in Asia and could give you some perspective if it is the same one.

sorry but what does SWF stand for?

I don't know much about BB Asset Mgt, but I do know that some of these SWF are very bureaucratic and somewhat sluggish as compared to other investment organizations. I'm not saying it's a better or worse experience for a junior analyst, but in my limited experience with them (opposite sides of a transaction--they were sellers) this was the general impression of our team(s).

i think there are SWFs and there are SWFs. the more established ones would be the Singapore (GIC/Temasek) and the Abu Dhabi funds. The Dubai and China funds are up and coming too, but probably lack the expertise of the first two. I don't think you can get a good experience from the other Asian funds - they haven't been doing anything interesting, have they?

SWF = Sovereign Wealth Fund

"It is a fine thing to be out on the hills alone. A man can hardly be a beast or a fool alone on a great mountain." - Francis Kilvert (1840-1879)

"Ce serait bien plus beau si je pouvais le dire à quelqu'un." - Samivel

Depends on what you are doing. AM has a wide variety of positions. If its PWM, I'd go with the SWF. If its something more interesting and discussion worthy, then go for AM.

Thank you for your replies! Just really worried that going to the SWF might limit my options in terms of moving to BB AM in the future should I wish to do so, as I have heard they can be very bureaucratic and sluggish (echoing IBPEHFVC's view) i.e not much exposure and experience etc. However, I have been advised to ride the current market out at the SWF. What do you guys think?

Riding out the market shouldn't really be a consideration for an internship. If your BB AM internship is a fund of hedge funds, fund of PE funds, re-insurance, or maybe even an internal fund you should take that over a SWF. Also London is just a really fun city to be in.

To oasising and shteinb, where has the OP mentioned that this is an internship???

sorry, aceman is right. It's for FT.

That makes it a lot more tough. I would say go where you like the people (both firm and the country as a whole), culture, food, climate, etc. Also, pay is a significant factor.