Zurich and London
Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city and the country’s banking and financial centre. It is also one of the most liveable cities in the world - rarely out of the top spot in quality of life rankings, with its clean and safe streets, rich cultural life and providential location on the sparkling blue Lake Zurich.
As well as banking, Switzerland attracts highly skilled experts in technology, pharmacology and biotechnology. It is well-known for its science and technological research. The city is known for its high professional standards, and long-term career opportunities can arise from even a short stint. Educated and experienced expats can expect high salaries. Most employment opportunities for expats come from the finance sector, in banking and wealth management, but there are opportunities in other industries too, particularly IT, computing and engineering. Google has a large office in Zurich which routinely sponsors and employs foreigners, and major banks sometimes have vacancies for English-speaking professionals.
London is a business landmark for the industries of finance, investment banking and insurance; the London Stock Exchange being the third largest in the world. ‘The City’ is an established business hub housing Bank of England, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, Standard Chartered and the London Bullion Market. The legal sector is also large in the capital, and it handles many major cases in the highest courts in the UK. Law firms that have offices in London include American companies such as White & Case and Baker & MacKenzie and UK law firms like Allen & Overy and Eversheds.
London is the UK centre for media: the headquarters of BBC, the world’s largest broadcaster, are in the capital alongside CNN International, ITV, BskyB, Channel 4 and Five. London’s media industry also comprises of print media; housing The Sun, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and the Mirror. The ‘Silicon Roundabout’ is the East London technology hub that including both small start-up companies and internet giants like Facebook and Google.
Previous London Global Graduates met employees at The Cabinet Office, Spotify, Allen & Overy LLP, Amazon and Lloyd's Banking Group.
