The busy season for hiring in Hong Kong banking only really kicks off after Chinese New Year. But while front-office vacancies are comparatively thin on the ground right now, there are exceptions.
We’ve searched through the Asian careers websites of global banks to find out what’s on offer for those who want to steal a march on rival candidates. Here’s a selection of front-office role across investment banking and trading in Hong Kong.
Goldman Sachs: vice president, TMT
As we’ve noted several times over the past year, TMT is the coverage area to work in right now in Hong Kong as banks win work for Chinese internet companies. This job is your chance to break into the sector, because Goldman isn’t demanding that candidates are TMT experts. What you will need are strong orientation skills and at least six years of corporate finance experience.
Morgan Stanley: executive director, ECM
One of the most senior jobs advertised in Hong Kong investment banking, this vacancy has nevertheless been open since October. It’s an opportunity to join the top performing Western bank in Asian equity capital markets – Morgan Stanley placed fourth for ECM revenue in 2017, behind three Chinese banks, according to Dealogic. You must speak Mandarin, have a strong client network, and have a minimum of eight years’ experience “within capital markets and equity (corporate derivatives) financing”.
J.P. Morgan: VP/ED, investment banking, East Asia
This is essentially a senior relationship-management role within J.P. Morgan’s investment bank in Hong Kong and calls for “experience in identifying and developing new business opportunities with existing clients”. You will also need to win business from new clients and work with JPM’s financial solutions and execution teams to advise on pre-IPO, IPO, leveraged finance, capital raising, and corporate financing deals.
Credit Suisse: analyst, corporate finance
If you’ve recently completed your graduate training but aren’t happy at your current bank, this is a rare opportunity to move straight into a new firm – Credit Suisse will consider candidates with just a year’s experience. The job itself is a bulk-standard junior one, supporting the “execution and solicitation” of corporate finance transactions across Hong Kong and mainland China. But Credit Suisse’s Asian franchise is fairly strong – it ranks in fourth place for 2017 Asia (ex-Japan) IB revenue, according to Dealogic.
Bank of America: associate, equity research analyst, healthcare
There’s rising demand for Chinese research, fuelled by the continued liberalisation of China’s securities market and by index publisher MSCI’s landmark decision last year to include China-listed shares in its emerging-markets benchmark. This Hong Kong-based job, focused on the booming healthcare sector in Greater China, is part of that broader hiring trend. You need to have worked in equities research for three years and have a “good understanding of at least a healthcare niche”. Be prepared to travel to mainland China a lot.
UBS: associate, investment banking, healthcare
Healthcare bankers are also in demand in Hong Kong. This opening would suit someone who’s been a generalist banker at analyst level and now wants to specialise. Three years’ experience is needed, but healthcare expertise isn’t. You must be fluent in English and Mandarin as this job covers the Greater China region.
Deutsche Bank: VP, equity sales trader
Bonuses are expected to be poor in Asian equities at Deutsche for 2017. But the equity electronic sales trading team is still hiring. In this job you’ll be trying to increase the market share of the firm’s flagship Autobahn Equity online trading system in China and Hong Kong. The role demands five years’ experience working in electronic trading or a “similar equities focused discipline” as well as “knowledge of market microstructure across APAC”.
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