Dubai IB Post-MBA
Hi all,
I am an American living in NYC. I was recently accepted to a top 10 MBA program with the goal of going into IB.
It seems like anyone with an ounce of intelligence gets into IB if you go to a good MBA program, so I am confident I’ll be able to get a decent gig post mba.
However I do think the US is going to shit and I don’t feel comfortable raising kids in this country. I would love to move to Dubai ASAP.
How is the IB scene in Dubai? Do you recommend I do a couple years in NYC first before moving to Dubai? Or should I just target Dubai offices post-mba and for summer internships?
If I go to Dubai and don’t like it, how easy would it be for me to get a IB job in nyc and move back?
I would really appreciate guidance and mentorship here. I do speak Arabic so that’s also a factor.
Bump
if you're an american citizen, you still pay taxes in dubai. so arguably, it's the same as living in florida or texas or washington or any other state with no income tax. i don't like red state politics but if you live in a decent area in miami or austin, you can send your kid to a nice non-religious private school. and if you live in an urban area in a blue state, it's genuinely fine. things are a bit rocky but i wouldn't say dubai is much better than cities in blue states (also, the good private british/european/australian schools in dubai aren't cheap from what i hear). dubai also has tons of racism, especially if you're not white/gulf arab, and the wlb is much worse. may i ask why are you not comfortable raising your kids in america?
to answer your second question, it's not easy to move back to an equally good company. if you gain some work experience in america and move at VP/MD level instead, it'd be better for you if you wish to come back. dubai offices are treated as T3, T2 at best.
I think a lot of western ideology isn't great and I wouldnt want to raise kids in that type of environment. I would argue red states are better than blue states, but lets not get into that.
There is a reduction in income tax as the first approx. $150K isn't taxed, which is a large chunk for any associate.
I do think your perspective is biased/outdated/incorrect because Dubai has changed a lot in the past 10 years. Yes, its no where near NYC or even LA/Chicago, but NYC is basically unlivable with a family. One would also need to consider opportunities for growth and growing markets.
I disagree with the racism statement, given the number of Europeans that opt to work in Dubai instead of London/Paris.
I would love if someone with actual expertise or experience could comment.
well, to say it bluntly, it sounds like you don't even like living in a western country or "western" ideology, so just recruit directly for dubai.
most europeans still very much prefer london/paris or other european big cities, even despite the taxes. the ukraine war has caused a lot of russians to move to dubai since they cannot move to uk/eu+ easily anymore. the people from europe/uk who want tax free living prefer moving to swiss offices, dubai is rarely the first choice for europeans (only those who care just about money tend to move to dubai). and the weather in dubai is not nice 9 months of the year, and it's ridiculous that you need to apply for a license to drink alcohol or buy pork, and a man can get jailed for holding his wife's hand on the street (and im not even going to talk about other ridiculous and discriminatory rules).
as for racism, i'd remind you that racism is still very much alive in dubai. there is still slave labor from south asia in dubai. most expats never interact with local emiratis. europeans don't experience racism because they're europeans, but i'm sure everyone else does. not to mention, how welcoming is dubai to europeans with "western" ideology? why can only foreign women married to emirati men become emirati citizens?
also, there's plenty of families who live great lives in queens and manhattan. nyc and its suburbs are huge and there is something for everyone.
i have family in uae so i am aware it's not a bad place at all. dubai is still the best city in the region and great to make money. it's cheaper than most western cities, and more conveniences are nice like you can send your kids to nice private schools or you can hire domestic servants, and the housing is cheaper, and if you're from middle east/south asia, you can visit home country more frequently and there are several other people from middle east/south asia in dubai so it feels less foreign.
i think you prefer the culture and religious laws of dubai more, so i'd recommend you just start there directly. your strong us mba will make you stand out and you can definitely land a nice role, and i doubt your mind will change to come back to us/europe, so the earlier you establish yourself in dubai, the better it will be for you.
and, dubai is still pretty western. there's still every vice in that city, from prostitution to drugs to human trafficking, it's just clean on paper because the government wants to maintain a nice image. it's not like jeddah or doha. probably closer to istanbul in terms of western-ness.
what a message
well you put dubai on a pedestal and im telling you its more like an arab las vegas
Just a lack of ability to see the future. 10 years ago, london/paris were desirable destinations. Now, shitholes.
Dubai sucked 10 years ago, just desert. Now people from all over the world are moving there.
Now london and paris are shitholes. London has hundreds of stabbings a week and paris is a horrible place to live... hell people dont even want to vacation there anymore.
Seems you are a bit ignorant. Its not your fault.
I am asking for someone to really think about where the future is headed. The west is in decline, rapid decline. Over the next 10-20 years, I think dubai will be much more desirable, and while M&A activity there is lower than other countries NOW, i am talking FUTURE. Same with Riyadh.
people from all over the world continue to move to uk, usa, france, canada, germany, singapore, australia, etc as well, not just dubai. also, i'd love to point out people from the west only move to dubai, rarely abu dhabi, definitely never desire to go to riyadh or doha or kuwait or jeddah or sharjah.
and, i think you're just listening to too much brain rot news. western countries are still sustainably growing, maybe a bit stagnant in certain regions. you need to get out of your "western cities are rapidly declining shitholes" bubble.
regardless of if you live in dubai or the west, you'll be working in IB, surrounded by high finance people. you'll be part of the rich. the rich get to live comfortable lives in all countries. you'll have salary high enough that you can live in the nice neighborhoods of any city.
if you're really focused on up and coming markets, china and india are expected to grow far more than dubai.
and there's crime in dubai too. maybe you'll feel safer there, but there's still crime.
and there's no reason to call other countries shitholes. i could call all of middle east except israel for being shitholes since they're homophobic but i know it's more nuanced.
as for uae's future, i think they're in a good spot. their government is smart.
and, if you really like dubai, just move there man. i'm not even sure what you want to hear. you can have a great career and life in dubai. you know dubai is where you want to settle, what do you need to hear from other people?
Coming back after some time - I had this thread saved. If anyone else is still in a similar situation or considering Dubai post-MBA, I just wanted to say that the logistics of the move matter a lot, especially when you're relocating from a place like NYC. I used https://www.smartmovers.ae/ for my relocation, and they were genuinely helpful - they handle international moves.
Just to add, Dubai’s IB scene is growing but still smaller and a bit more relationship-driven compared to NYC. Doing a couple of years in NYC first could give you stronger experience and open more doors later, whether in Dubai or back in the US.
About Dubai IB, it’s definitely growing, but it’s still smaller and less established than NYC. Some folks suggest getting a couple years of NYC experience first because it’s the biggest hub, and then moving to Dubai once you have a strong background.
Just to add absolutely no culture of post MBA associates in Dubai without prior IB experience. Would agree to get employed in the US first then move to Dubai if that is your goal.
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