Moving from Asia FO to UK/EU - would appreciate advice/insights
I've been working in Asia for 6+ years (Singapore and Mainland China) for a $160M AUM Family Office investing globally. Main reasons for wanting to move back to Europe/UK are:
1) Parent's are getting old and spent the best part of 15 years seeing them once or twice a year
2) Wife and I are thinking of starting a family. Mainland China for us is not a great place to bring up a kid unless school fees etc. are paid for (the FO won't pay for them).
2) Lack of growth at the FO (only 2 people on the investment team now including myself, and the Family have become somewhat erratic in the last 2 years).
3) Comp - I make about 90K USD after tax/rent per year (which I can't complain too much about), but bonuses have been utterly abysmal for years now.
Brief bit of background on myself:
- In my early 30s, from the UK, went to a non-target school in the Midwest then worked in Chicago for a Big 4 valuation department before joining the FO.
- The FO mostly invested in Seed to Series B companies with $1-3M USD investments. Sector agnostic; fintech, SaaS, Consumer, Biotech
- Worked on 11 direct investments, 2 FoF, am a board observer on 4 portcos and a director on one. 1 exit via IPO, and 3 of the portcos have done extremely well.
- Ran 3 sellside processes for another portco (all failed).
My goal would be to work in the UK/EU for a growth equity fund, which I know is probably a reach! But frankly, happy to work in a company with growth prospects and somewhere to learn more.
The challenge I know is that I don't exactly have the right "pedigree" in many forms. I also don't speak chinese well enough to work at a local branch of a VC/PE fund based here in the mainland.
My questions to you illustrious gentlemen would be:
- How realistic is moving back to EU/UK for the buyside in my current position? I about 10% of my experience is UK/EU focused, rest in Asia/US.
- Are there any intermediate steps that may be easier to transition to? Like a Big 4 CF/TS gig? Could consider B-school, but I'm a little old.
- Are headhunters worth it for someone of my pedigree (or lack thereof)? I've had a chat informally with one or two in London a few years back (Dartmouth) but they weren't confident on my chances.
- If the goal is unrealistic - what would you recommend?
More than happy to take a salary cut, eat shit etc. if needs be.
Thanks in advance for your answers - more than happy to give out more info if needs be.
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