Muslim Name and Career Progression
Currently an AN1 at a BB.
I have just about the most Muslim name you can have (variation of Muhammad) and have been trying hard to find partners, MDs, etc. in high finance with a similar name with no success. I'm very American, and I think I'm very capable/not socially awkward, but I fear my background will hold me back in the future. This might seem insane but it's a genuine worry and I want to know if any in the US have felt the same or seen the opposite. Thank you :)
Unfortunately, you will face a lot of peer pressure to drink / socialize, not to say a lot of client interactions will revolve around alcohol. Most seniors with Muslim backgrounds are not super religious or practising even though they might pretend otherwise. Funny enough, if you tell them you have been sober they will admire you, however, if you indicate abstention due to religion reasons they will dislike you and you risk being turned into an outcast.
del
I networked with so many people with similar Muslim / ethnic names (including many different variations of Mohammed, Islam, Ahmed, etc.) at all levels of the finance ladder and they seemed to be doing fine. Not discounting your experience though, my parents intentionally dropped Md. and gave me a racially ambiguous name to avoid any discrimination. I will say you should not bring up religious and maybe try to find another shared trait (language was a big one for me). I am not religious and most people I met were not either.
most are non-practicing then ..
When I started out in the business my first two bosses were visibly and by name Muslim. Both practiced to varying degrees. Each one retired young because of the amount of f@ck off money they made, one as a banker and one of the buyside. I don’t think their background hurt them in any ways, people on Wall Street care about money. Ok the drink front, no one GAF if you drink. That’s days are long gone (I enjoy a bourbon myself)
Just go by Mo
His real name was Lester!
Congrats as*hole. You just proved OP’s concern. We know high finance is infested with your types.
Dude there’s actually so many Muslims in the top echelons of finance. Some are practicing, some are not, but just do a little digging and you’ll see a lot of Muslim/Middle Eastern/South Asian MDs and Partners at top buyside & sellside shops.
I had the same thought when I started my career but after seeing how many Muslims already made it to the top, while coming up in a far less open-minded time, I realized that my name/ethnicity/religion doesn’t matter all that much. It mostly comes down to your performance/work-ethic and soft skills
Yes it does. Especially when there are limited spots VP+. In a boom economy you will do fine but during currents times with diversity quotas (white woman privilege), 9/10 times pecking order will be white men > white women > women of color / LGBTQ > men of color. This assumes that pretty much all candidates can get the job done to a certain extent. MD/Group Heads can use any mix of soft skills / performance to justify their preferred picks.
Brand yourself as Gulf States forex, energy markets, etc
If you speak other languages you’d be particularly op
I’ve been curious about this. How does one rep that and what are the best banks to apply to?
I’m in similar shoes so I don’t have much advice but I have met Muslims in high finance if that gives you hope. I don’t drink and I try to pray everyday so I’m anxious trying to pull that off in IB. Like you I’m Americanized and speak well, I keep a shaved face for first impressions during interviews. It’s annoying but I think our path is very possible. I worked IT on a trade floor and a met a couple muslim traders, with accents and all. At some point it’s more about merit than looks
Blackstone:
Nadeem Meghji - Co-Head of Real Estate
Qasim Abbas - Sr. Managing Director - TacOpps
Samir Amichi - Sr. Managing Director - Real Eatate
Asim Hamid - Sr. Managing Director - Real Estate
Farhad Karim - Sr. Managing Director - Real Eatate
Bilal Khan - Sr. Managing Director - Private Equity
I was a Muslim in asset management credit research and equity research at an BB IB
Nobody cares if you have a cool personality and are able to get along with others bro
Just keep politics to yourself though, I get asked about opinions on Afghanistan and Palestine, don’t tell people since that can make or break you. Tell only friends or people you can REALLY trust
It's not the 2000s buddy. You should have no problem. Not Muslim but similar ethnicity. I've seen plenty of successful people in the finance / business space that share my ethnicity. Some of them at very high levels at big name firms / companies.
You wouldn't face racism unless you decide to do banking in some random Southern city like Birmingham, AL.
The only issue you will face though is that diversity streams are all taken up by white women and firms no longer care about racial diversity (exception being black); their main focus is gender diversity.
Same concern here in France, everytime I search for the team page of some bank/boutique, the pattern is ALWAYS the same : full white team + 1 black guy and 1 asian girl for diversity
Once you go through more than 5-6 teams, it almost becomes funny
Been trying to go abroad since I realized that, it’s kind of depressing
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