ixjunitxi : It's quite clear you're not a banker with your reading comprehension skills. I'm a 1st year banker at a BB (WHOA SURPRISE) and I know a black guy in the back. Thanks for your concern though.

CanadianTrader: Surprise buddy, the world doesn't revive around Canada. Here's what I know: 1. You guys say "eh" 2. The banks there are Piper Jaffrayish at best 3. Canadians like Celine Dion

 

Lots of diversity not a ton of african americans on WS. You get all sorts of Asians, Indians (and other South Asians), Hispanics and what not. However, there has never been a huge African American presence on WS.

Also, as an American I had never heard of Bay Street.

--There are stupid questions, so think first.
 

I know this is super old but...I know a black guy who was an IB associate at one of the Big 5 (elsewhere now of his own choice), another at one of the tier-one boutiques. If you're in Toronto and actually want to get to know them I can probably do an intro.

Just for some colour, no one on Bay St will have heard of anywhere in the U.S. other than Wall St but a Bay St bank is in the top 10 in the global league tables (as of yesterday?).

 
Mps721:
How diverse is the workplace at Big 4, IB, or any other financial services firm? How much do looks matter when getting hired or getting promoted for that matter? How much does ethnicity factor in? Is there a stereotype that banks and other firms look for when hiring?
cakepie:
Dude, you don't have to worry. If anything, it's an unfair advantage over white or asian males
Mps721:
So you are saying whites and Asians have the advantage?

You're like that neighbor kid in Home Alone who asks a million questions back to back to back

 
The Kid:
Mps721:
How diverse is the workplace at Big 4, IB, or any other financial services firm? How much do looks matter when getting hired or getting promoted for that matter? How much does ethnicity factor in? Is there a stereotype that banks and other firms look for when hiring?
cakepie:
Dude, you don't have to worry. If anything, it's an unfair advantage over white or asian males
Mps721:
So you are saying whites and Asians have the advantage?

You're like that neighbor kid in Home Alone who asks a million questions back to back to back

Well that is just because I am curious.
Mps721
 

Regardless of the myriad of nationalities/ethnicities on the Street keep these overarching themes in mind: 1) the general feeling is "nyc is the center of the universe"-- london, japan, etc are treated as second hand citizens who don't have it as hardcore as nyc-based ppl and consequently don't know shit relative to nyc people. It's not rational but you will see a generic xenophobia exuded by many nyc/street types who are more senior. 2) regardless of whether you have indians, chinese, japanese, french, british--there is an overarching cultural hegemony that these different ethnic groups submit/succumb to--the wealthy east-coast wasp. Everything becomes more homogenous, people talk about the same shit, go to the same clubs/lounges, eat the same shit, brag about the same shit, buy the same shit, you get it...while these groups may keep some semblance of cultural diversity it really all gets thrown to shit over time due to the need to conform (for exit ops, for bschool, for career progression, for biz contacts)...everyone's the fucking same.

Anyways sorry to just throw an avalanche of reality on you like that, but cultural diversity is not a notable theme on the Street. sorry pal

 
DurbanDiMangus:
Regardless of the myriad of nationalities/ethnicities on the Street keep these overarching themes in mind: 1) the general feeling is "nyc is the center of the universe"-- london, japan, etc are treated as second hand citizens who don't have it as hardcore as nyc-based ppl and consequently don't know shit relative to nyc people. It's not rational but you will see a generic xenophobia exuded by many nyc/street types who are more senior. 2) regardless of whether you have indians, chinese, japanese, french, british--there is an overarching cultural hegemony that these different ethnic groups submit/succumb to--the wealthy east-coast wasp. Everything becomes more homogenous, people talk about the same shit, go to the same clubs/lounges, eat the same shit, brag about the same shit, buy the same shit, you get it...while these groups may keep some semblance of cultural diversity it really all gets thrown to shit over time due to the need to conform (for exit ops, for bschool, for career progression, for biz contacts)...everyone's the fucking same.

Anyways sorry to just throw an avalanche of reality on you like that, but cultural diversity is not a notable theme on the Street. sorry pal

Good god, it is difficult for me (an immigrant) to understand the American notion of this thing called diversity. Let them all adapt WASP-ish culture. Who cares. I came here from a third world country, so I'll gladly accept and adapt WASP-ish culture or whatever that is. Why is diversity so rigid to you?

And besides, I did not ask about diversity in a cultural sense. I am merely asking what nationalities have you come across.

 
DurbanDiMangus:
Regardless of the myriad of nationalities/ethnicities on the Street keep these overarching themes in mind: 1) the general feeling is "nyc is the center of the universe"-- london, japan, etc are treated as second hand citizens who don't have it as hardcore as nyc-based ppl and consequently don't know shit relative to nyc people. It's not rational but you will see a generic xenophobia exuded by many nyc/street types who are more senior. 2) regardless of whether you have indians, chinese, japanese, french, british--there is an overarching cultural hegemony that these different ethnic groups submit/succumb to--the wealthy east-coast wasp. Everything becomes more homogenous, people talk about the same shit, go to the same clubs/lounges, eat the same shit, brag about the same shit, buy the same shit, you get it...while these groups may keep some semblance of cultural diversity it really all gets thrown to shit over time due to the need to conform (for exit ops, for bschool, for career progression, for biz contacts)...everyone's the fucking same.

Anyways sorry to just throw an avalanche of reality on you like that, but cultural diversity is not a notable theme on the Street. sorry pal

This seems extremely on point.

 

It's fucking New York, you can find someone from just about everywhere there.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

This is getting really funny because if you re-read the original post, I am not asking about diversity. My question was what unique nationality (let's say Norwegian) have you encountered in Finance in NYC. That's it. No need for the lecture on WASP-ish cultural dominance.

 
Best Response

^ My firm is the definition of 'diverse' and I work with black, white, asian, and latin peoples. For what it's worth, most MM and larger firms have international branches, so keep that in consideration. Just like Americans want to work at the NYC branch of DB, most Germans want to work in the GS offices over there as opposed to leaving the home country.....

INSIDE work it is culturally homogenous, OUTSIDE work you will find whatever you're looking for. It's like this in most industries, in most places, and NYC finance so happens to be dominated by waspy motherfuckers. It could be worse, imagine if this guy was your boss: http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/dangerroom/images/2008/10/29/_4446299…

There are plenty of exceptions however: foreign banks and smaller ones have their own culture, and even large ones can be a little different - ML used to be known as the 'Catholic' firm. I got to spend some time at a place dominated by former hippies that grew up and 'got a job man'. I currently work at a 'family' firm, and there are kids running around the halls on school holidays.

Get busy living
 
hookedup:
I believe diversity is an old wooden ship

I would be surprised if the affiliates were concerned about the lack of an old, old wooden ship, but nice try.

 

3 Saudi Arabians (....no..).

1 is an SVP (I think Partner MD right now..last I spoke with him was 1.5 years ago) at GS IBD

1 is the Head of GS Asia ex-Japan, partner & member of goldman's global management committee

1 is on the board of Citigroup

God I love us Saudis :D

Greed is Good.
 

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Get busy living
 

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Get busy living

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