Faber was born in Zürich and schooled in Geneva, Switzerland, where he raced for the Swiss National Ski Team (B-Team).[1] He studied Economics at the University of Zurich and, at the age of 24, earned a Ph.D. in Economics, graduating magna cum laude.[5]
During the 1970s Faber worked for White Weld & Company Limited in New York City, Zürich, and Hong Kong. He moved to Hong Kong in 1973. He was a managing director at Drexel Burnham Lambert Ltd Hong Kong[6] from the beginning of 1978 until the firm's collapse in 1990. In 1990, he set up his own business, Marc Faber Limited. Faber now resides in Chiangmai, Thailand, though he keeps a small office in Hong Kong