Is it true that it is easier to move from European office to Middle East/Southeast Asia ones than the other way around?

Hi there,

Generally yes. The flow from developed to non-developed is easier due to differences in average human capital.

I've transfered a few times within companies and have the following advice:

1) Build a stellar reputation - do good work, work hard, and be known as "the guy/gal" for xx

2) Build your network - network agressively (yes, networking doesn't end once you've gotten the job offer). Make sure you're known by and have allies in people who make decisions such as staffing managers, Partners (specifically those responsible for recruiting/resources and who are heads of industry/function verticals), etc.

2) b). When I say network "aggressively" please don't be needy/annoying :) There's nothing worse than someone who is obviously working the room or trying to please!

3) Look out for opportunities - as mentioned in this Q&A already, look for office transfers, short-term projects, ambassadorships, etc.)

4) Practice patience and be flexible - how long have you tried for? This might take a year. And you need to be ready to go at the flip of a coin.

Bide your time, keep pushing, be smart, and you'll get there!

Hey there,

I believe so, depends a bit on

• your background
• experience in the firm
• network
• local demand

The main reason is that for many Asian and ME offices, English works just fine, whereas in European markets you often need to speak the local language for projects.

Cheers,

Florian

Hi!

I would cautiously say yes but there are a lot of variables to consider, like your performance, staffing needs, types of projects, sponsors, etc.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Anto

Hey,

I will say a cautious Yes.

Like other coaches have mentioned, a number of factors are at play in the background. So, dont generalise and assume this is going to be easy. It will be easier than trying to move to say London or US offices.

Yes, in general that is true. It is true because there is a shortage of talent pool in ME/SA not only in consulting but also in clients (which means that locals, but not only locals, have a lot of good exit opportunities). 

It has also to do with growth levels, which mean much higher need of experienced people in those countries.

European offices don't have the same shortage of talent. 

You should notice, however, that in some European offices, particularly those that are “hubs”, that ME/SA experience is valued, so there is a nice chance of being transfered. But not so much if we are talking about a small office.

Hi there!

Here are the factors that define how easy it is to move from one office to another 

- Office demand (how many new projects/clients are coming)

- Office supply (how many good candidates applying minus how many employees resigning)

- Candidate & office match (e.g. if you have expertise that is a good fit to the local market, if you speak local language etc., how successful you can be with clients with no local language knowledge etc.)

In general office Supply/Demand ratio in European offices is higher vs Middle East/SEA which creates a higher barrier to get there. However you can still be able to transfer if you have a unique advantage of knowing local market, speaking local language or being an expert in the type of work that your target European office is doing.

Also, when moving to ME/SEA knowledge of local language is not as crucial.

Best

Anna

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• Generally speaking, there seems to be not much of a difference since both regions are in high demand for personnel at the moment.
• Contradictory to what other coaches said, the most important factors are 1) office capacity and 2) personnel demand. Since it will be the target office head to ultimately decide on your transfer, he/ she wants to make sure 1) there is enough space for you on the occasional office days and 2) the utilization rate will be high (here, for more senior consultants, expertise might come into play a bit).
• In addition to this, obviously, administrative factors such as language proficiency and visa requirements also matter (though you would just not apply for a transfer where do would not be able to work).

In case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for an office transfer across regions, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

I believe so.

And the reason is immigration related.

Immigration rules in Middle-east are extremely easy. And barring Singapore, they are easy in rest of SEA as well.

Immigration rules in EU can be challenging sometimes (for non-EU origin people) - hence the notion you mention in your question.

.