Standard Chartered Global Private Bank has announced the expansion of its private banking team in the United Arab Emirates, which includes appointing a new Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Market Head. This development is part of Standard Chartered's broader strategy to invest USD 1.5 billion in its Affluent business over the next five years.
Vinay Gandhi, Global Head of South Asian Community and Regional Head of EMEA at Standard Chartered Global Private Bank, commented on the appointments: “The Middle East is growing at an extraordinary pace, with the UAE in particular experiencing rapid growth in wealth creation amongst high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals who increasingly seek bespoke, cross-border financial solutions for wealth preservation, intergenerational transfers and sustainable growth.”
He further stated: “As one of the Bank’s wealth hubs, the UAE plays a pivotal role in Standard Chartered’s global strategy. We continue to actively invest in our talent pool, provide tailor-made client solutions and diversify our product offerings to meet the needs of our HNW and UHNW clients. This latest expansion of the team, led by Yahya Ismail, reflects our commitment to accelerating the growth of our private banking business, leveraging our wealth capabilities, global network, and deep local expertise to unlock opportunities and help our clients protect, manage, and grow their wealth.”
In recent appointments within the UAE team:
- Yahya Ismail has joined as Managing Director and Market Head for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He brings over 25 years of experience from corporate and private banking roles at Julius Baer and ABN AMRO.
- Laura Haddad joins as Senior Client Partner for GCC UHNW clients with over 20 years’ experience working with banks such as Julius Baer, Credit Agricole, Citibank, Emirates NBD, and Royal Bank of Canada.
- Samia Shahnawaz takes on the role of Executive Director and Relationship Manager for Private Banking. Her background includes more than 20 years across private and institutional banking with institutions like Julius Baer, Bank of Singapore, Barclays, and Citibank.
- Ramla Mansukhani returns as Relationship Manager for Private Banking while Lakshmi Menon rejoins as Client Service Manager for Private Banking; both bring nearly two decades of diverse international banking experience.
Standard Chartered continues to invest in its capabilities as a leading international wealth manager by expanding its frontline banking team in the UAE by 20% by end-2024.
For further information please contact Wasim Ben Khadra at Corporate & Investment Banking Communications Lead.