"Token white guy jobs" in HK, Seoul, Tokyo
50% serious 50% just curious
I just want to do something different and live abroad. Life is short, seems fun. Might derail my career but like I said sounds fun. I have virtually no international connections. Did UMM PE in the US (name you would all know, but not one that would be known in APAC), then HBS/GSB, then tier 1 VC at a globally known firm.
Are there any token white guy jobs in investing or partnerships or BD anymore? Kind of how you imagine "white guy in Japan in the 80s". How does one find these if they exist? Is this a fantasy?
Seems too silly of a question to actually ask headhunters and don't want them to think I'm retarded and unserious so asking here to get a temperature check.
in HK there's the concept of "white monkey" jobs. It basically entails being a good looking white dude dressed in a tuxedo at fancy events serving food and other menial labor. Otherwise proper finance/investing jobs would probably require some type of transient migrant employment sponsorship from a global company with a regional office in HK/Seoul/Tokyo.
Also given how geopolitically sensitive relationships are between the various countries. It probably be very very very difficult to be a visa holder for investment related work in the sense of sourcing/running your own deals. happen unless you have family that can provide "support" you in the paperwork process.
Hate to rain on your parade, but the truth is times have changed. Japan isn't what is used to be, Korea has it's own issues, HK might as well be China Proper at this point. Again, not to be overtly negative but it'll be hard not impossible.
Yep makes sense. This was sort of what my intuition had made me think. Appreciate this.
I'm hopeful that others reading this might have a pocket of opportunity they see here or there but you never know...
There's decent amount of cross-border VC activity with Asia-rooted firms with US offices in Silicon Valley or NYC. Firms like Altos Ventures is a decent example. You could position yourself to cover a lot of the APAC deals and start getting your beak wet that way. Along the way, you'll have natural opportunities to build relationships in these cities and visit more often, until the right local opportunity comes along. There is also a niche of US hedge funds that focus on Japan equities that are entirely staffed by white guys (but spent some time in Japan or speak the language). All the BB banks, if you spend enough time in a certain product area, will have a path for you to transfer over to the Asia office at some point, if you network intentionally on cross-border deals and go out of your way to get in with the group heads in APAC.
Singapore is perhaps the most truly international of the set at the moment. But it's also the least...fun. No midnight "karaoke" networking (wink) but easy flights to all of the cities mentioned for vacations. With Singapore finance salary, you can probably ball out at any of these cities, stay at the Ritz / Four Seasons, and slay baddies (which is what i'm guessing you're getting at). If you want to get even dirtier, SE Asia is literally a hop away and you can basically re-live a version of the "rich white guy in Asia in the '80s" fantasy in cities like Bangkok.
Interesting idea. I'm married so nothing so fun as that! But good ideas on JPY equities and int'l VC, although the latter has the interesting point of how do you compete against locals, but thinking out loud the answer might be opening up US rolodex.
OK so if your interest is mostly professionally-motivated (desire to do off-the-beaten path work), then it's a lot easier question than getting steeped into the local culture and living out the "fantasy". Any startup in Asia would prefer to raise money from Silicon Valley investors for the prestige and validation over 99% of local VCs. Most of them simply don't have the network/global-scale idea to do so. You will be welcomed by any Asia-based founder as a US VC if you are willing to look through the dirt and take the trek out there. Obviously many Asian-American partners at VC funds that can invest there will compete for this niche - but most of them communicate in English with the founders. So, as long as you're bringing a constructive attitude, sector expertise, and commercial value-add to the founders, I don't think you're at an insurmountable disadvantage to carve this out as a niche. It only takes one successful deal to build a personal brand.
-Signed, Korean guy who is living out the American fantasy
Sir you’re 10 years late to the game. These days local language skills are required
I get your joke but on a serious note shouldn’t we be going forward and have less restrictions? I am european and I never understood this local language bs
How can someone be expected to establish relationships and source/execute without speaking the local language and understanding the local culture? If someone waltzed into your country speaking only English how would that pan out? This is not an Asia specific thing. Even banks/funds in the London prefer candidates that have European language skills to provide regional coverage
plenty of white guys jobs in the digital asset space in Asia (IR for crypto VC, IR for L/S token hedge fund, BD for market maker, etc)
I think HK and Seoul would be very tough, but white-worshipping Japan seems doable. I know many foreign expats in Japan working in finance. Almost all of them are traders / in markets-related roles as opposed to bankers. Many of them don't speak a word of Japanese.
I am in an entry level commodities trading position in the US - power & gas. I wonder if its possible to parlay that into one of the positions you mentioned in Japan.
Bump - also interested in the above.
Cum sed eveniet et iusto dicta quidem. Commodi placeat distinctio cumque sequi vitae ut.
Est placeat rerum sint consequuntur animi quia qui et. Sequi est aut eaque nisi commodi. Nihil non numquam tempore et quis velit. Corrupti eius et nam repellendus cum. Ut tempore temporibus molestiae harum perspiciatis impedit aut.
Quo eum a aspernatur amet libero in earum quas. Consequatur quam autem est doloribus. Autem perferendis ea dolorem ut commodi quisquam.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...