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I'm most interested in how you define front- mid- and back-office. Given that it's BlackRock, I assume you're in AM despite your profile saying IB. Sales is obviously front office, but where would you say that a PM or an investment team sits?
EDIT: When asked when I'm front-, mid-, or back-office my answer is just 'yes.' I'm fully registered, and have gone on sales calls for getting funds approved at home offices as the subject matter expert. I've built funds, and I've gone in front of the GIPS committee to explain how they were tracking performance incorrectly. (They ended up agreeing with me) My employer keeps saying "We can't describe what you do, but keep doing it and we'll find you a title."
So to preface this answer, I worked breifly at BlackRock in 2016 (contractual role). I am currently in IB (M&A Associate), so hopefully this clears things up.
Getting to it, I always describe front office as the roles directly engaged in a firms core business (PM would definitely fit the bill in case of AM). Im not sure what exactly you mean by the investment team (Investment intelligence? Trade Execution?) But the majority can be classified in middle office in BlackRock's case.
However, in your case it definitely sounds like you're involved at the front end. I worked in the Corporate Actions team, and I literally wanted to slit my wrists everyday. I had no motivation to work or be better at my job after the first month.
Tha back office will literally suck your soul if you are a naturally ambitious person with career goals.
So Im glad (at least it sounds like it), that you enjoy your job!
Thanks, I do like it. (in normal times)
By investment team I mean the analysts that support a PM but never get the spotlight, even when they make good calls, or ever go on TV. Maybe the unsigned authors of pitchbooks.
Oh, well that I couldnt tell you, fam. I was based in India, and the only trading desk I knew of in Asia was in Singapore. But I would definitely imagine those employees would have been part of front office ops. At my office (1100 headcount at the time), even having talked to a PM was considered a big deal. (Pathetic, I know). In an internal interview, I told the Portfolio compliance VP that I was in touch with PM's from GS/JPM/MS/BNY on a daily basis for position reconciliation (real greaseball copy paste work), and his eyes lit up like I told him I had lunch with Henry Kravis.
How did you transition from BO to IBD?
Is this UK or US?
I transitioned with a few jumps, and ended up in a boutique (FO). Im still in India btw. Ive managed to get in a target MBA in Canada, and that's how I'm looking to enter the bigger markets.
I'm probably going to piss off a few Canadians here (please don't throw monkeyshit)
In AM at least, Canada's not really that big of a market. The population is less than Poland or Spain. Yes GDP per capita is high, but the lack of sheer volume is a serious impediment.
What target MBAs are in Canada? I thought there were none.
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