Article at a glance:

What makes a city a financial hub?

Executives at 15 leading financial-services companies told McKinsey what makes a city an attractive place to locate a regional headquarters. The subject is of keen interest in Eastern Europe and in Asia, where the dynamism of Shanghai and a few other cities is leading executives to question the idea of locating regional hubs elsewhere.

The take-away

Financial executives want to build on a solid foundation: someplace politically stable, with rational laws and a vibrant local economy. Other requirements include a strategic location, a well-formed infrastructure, and a good quality of life.