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More and more companies are global in their operations without ties to any one region according to the 2007 Survey. In total, 58 of the 489 recruiters responding to our survey had global responsibility for MBA hiring. These global recruiters include strategy
consulting firms, investment banks and pharmaceuticals, supplemented by a small number of companies in most other sectors. These global recruiters are creating a regional catch up in terms of demand for and salaries received by MBAs in emerging markets, compared to North America and Western Europe.

Europe, Middle East & Africa

MBA recruitment is very much on the agenda of European-based companies seeking to be internationally competitive. Lucy Tarrant of Barclays Bank explains that, "To become a truly global bank, we need internationally minded future leaders," and so Barclays is increasing their MBA recruitment in 2007.

Usha Kakaria-Cayaux of Nike Netherlands says, "We look for MBAs for their learning agility, international experience, conscious decision to evolve, interest in continual learning and broad management exposure (although sometimes somewhat surface level)."

Graham Hastie of London Business School observes, "The MBA job market in Europe is at record levels and I can't see any clouds on the horizon. We expect most students to have several offers at graduation." At the current £/US dollar exchange rate, the UK is now paying the highest salaries for MBAs worldwide. Dominique D'Arcy of Manchester Business School says, "The I-banks and strategy consultants are recruiting actively, but they have been joined by commercial banks and the professional service companies like KPMG, E&Y and Deloitte, all of whom are targeting MBA recruiting this year. And many industrial companies have been enticed into the MBA market in the last three years, and they have enlarged the total pool of MBA employers compared to the pre-dotcom era. We are also seeing renewed activity amongst technology and telecoms companies."

Several Western European countries are becoming hot spots for MBA recruiting. The UK is at full employment, particularly due to the implementation of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, the visa regime that is favourable to MBAs of almost any nationality. Spain and Italy have growing numbers of financial and technology companies regularly recruiting MBAs, as well as a growing consulting industry. The German economy is also on the move. France remains sluggish, though a new right wing government seems set on revitalising the industrial sector and major companies are active. Dominique D'Arcy adds, "Increasingly, the MBA is becoming the mainstream qualification for recruiters in many Western European countries, as has been the case in the USA for many years."

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Source: -
Nunzio Quacquarelli,
Director, QS World MBA Tour.
Website: www.topmba.com