Dubai has secured 32% of new financial services recruits globally, even as the emirate navigates heightened security concerns linked to the conflict between the United States and Iran. The finding comes from deVere Group, which advises on $14 billion in assets for over 80,000 clients worldwide.
Nigel Green, the firm’s CEO, points to a pattern he has watched develop over the past year. Young professionals are weighing salary, career trajectory, and international market access more heavily than geopolitical stability when deciding where to launch their careers. That calculation is landing many of them in Dubai, despite missile and drone strikes hitting the UAE during the broader regional confrontation.
The data draws from a survey of early-career professionals and newly qualified candidates targeting roles in cross-border wealth management and advisory services. What stands out is the preference for starting in international markets immediately, rather than building experience domestically first and then relocating later.
The international client factor
Sixty-three per cent of survey respondents say they want exposure to international clients from the beginning of their careers. Dubai’s position linking Europe, Asia, and Africa continues to meet that demand. Professionals are pursuing roles that require working across multiple jurisdictions, and the emirate offers that setup from day one.
Another 57% cite access to expatriate and internationally mobile clients as a deciding factor in their relocation plans. For recruits entering the field, engaging with clients who hold assets in several countries is considered foundational to building career experience quickly.
Green notes that starting in an environment with global client exposure accelerates professional development. Dubai provides that access immediately, which gives early-career advisers an advantage over peers who begin in single-market firms.
Security concerns take a back seat
The strength of recruitment interest stands against a backdrop of direct conflict. The UAE has been targeted repeatedly during the US-Iran confrontation, with missile and drone attacks recorded across the region. Threat levels remain elevated, and security considerations continue to shape daily operations for firms operating in the Gulf.
Yet the poll suggests geopolitical risk is not deterring recruits in meaningful numbers. Only 9% of respondents say the conflict would prevent them from relocating to Dubai. The majority place greater importance on long-term career prospects and earnings potential.
That preference reflects a calculation many new entrants to financial services are making. They are weighing immediate security concerns against career trajectory, tax treatment, and market access. In most cases, the latter factors are outweighing the former.
Tax structure remains a primary draw
Sixty-six per cent of recruits identify higher net income as a key motivation for relocating to Dubai. The emirate’s zero-income-tax structure continues to differentiate it from established financial centres in Europe and North America. Retaining earnings at an early career stage matters to professionals entering the industry with student debt or limited capital.
Career advancement expectations are also influencing decisions. Fifty-nine per cent of respondents expect faster progression in Dubai compared to their home markets. That expectation is supported by sustained hiring demand among international advisory firms serving globally mobile clients, many of whom are themselves relocating to the region.
Green observes that financial professionals are making calculated decisions about where to begin their careers. Dubai offers higher net earnings, strong demand for talent, and access to international markets. Those factors appear to be outweighing concerns about regional stability.
Rising visibility among new entrants
The poll also highlights increased awareness of Dubai as a financial centre among early-career professionals. Forty-eight per cent of respondents report greater knowledge of career opportunities in the UAE over the past 12 months. That shift reflects continued expansion across international advisory firms and wealth managers operating in the region.
Green concludes that with nearly one in three new recruits targeting Dubai, the emirate is strengthening its position as a central entry point into international financial services. The sustained inflow of early-career talent is reinforcing its role in connecting global clients and capital, even as regional tensions remain elevated. The pattern suggests Dubai’s pull on young financial professionals is based less on lifestyle appeal and more on hard career calculus.
