Why I left London to live in Frankfurt

It used to be a no-brainer- if you wanted to succeed in finance, you needed to get to London. Today it is less obvious. Thanks to Brexit and the decentralization of finance, Frankfurt is back in play.

Like a lot of German graduates, I moved to London. Recently I moved home again. Brexit wasn't the only factor in my decision.

When you're renting, Frankfurt is much cheaper than London

In London, I had a tiny flat in Zone Two. In Frankfurt, I have a large and luxurious flat in the centre of town.

Comparing the same price, in London you receive a small flat, whereas in Frankfurt you can have a luxurious flat. So in Frankfurt you get more bang for the buck.

I want to speak German

Like most Germans, I speak English. However, it's much easier to express myself in my mother tongue. Here in Germany, I can say what I intend to. In London, I was always at a disadvantage to British and American colleagues, particularly when it came to small talk.

It's easier to get a job in Germany

In London, I was competing with the brightest minds from all over the world. In Frankfurt, people are smart and educated, but the competition is national - not yet international. In Germany, I rarely compete with Harvard or other Ivy League MBAs. The is partly because the German language is so hard to learn for non-native speakers.

In Frankfurt I get an hour's lunch break to do what I like

In Frankfurt, I do what I like during my lunch break. - I might go to the gym, lunch with colleagues, or meet contacts from other firms. In London,. I just ate lunch at my desk.

Networking is easier in Frankfurt 

Networking doesn't really matter when you're just a first year analyst, but with time, it becomes more and more important. In Frankfurt, it's easy to meet people from other banks, private equity or other industries. When the time comes, this makes it easier to get ahead in your career.

Frankfurt is more chilled 

Frankfurt is smaller and more chilled out than London. It's just a nicer place to be, and it's easier to meet up with friends in the evening.

London won't lose its attraction to young Germans. - I predict that plenty of people will come to the City for their first jobs, but Frankfurt has a lot to offer too. I suspect that more young professionals will recognize the advantages of moving to the German city in future.

Angela Stoiber-Nahles is the pseudonym of a German banker who's just returned to work in Frankfurt

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