The Swiss boutique is strengthening its coverage of MENA and Global South Asia, in line with its strategy of focusing on building up teams in growth markets where it has expertise.
ESG Private Bank has hired four relationship managers from Standard Chartered, who will spearhead its focus on non-resident Indian (NRIs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, «International Adviser» reported on Wednesday.
The quartet includes Omar Omari, who brings over 15 years’ experience in investment banking and wealth management, working for Lehman Brothers, RBC, Credit Suisse and Coutts. In his new role as a client relationship officer (CRO), he will focus on clients in the U.A.E., Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
The private bank has also brought on board John Hennessy as a client support officer for Omari and the MENA team. Like Omari, he spent just under a year at Standard Chartered's Middle East team in London. Previously, he spent more than 18 years at Coutts.
Growing Global South Asia Niche
Mital Shah and Saionton Basu will join EFG Private Bank's global South Asia community (GSAC) team. Shah built a global Indian/NRI portfolio at her time at Standard Chartered, following eight years at Citi and seven years as an independent financial adviser.
Basu built a book of global clients, with a focus on India and Pakistan, in his four years at Standard Chartered. He is a dual-qualified lawyer (England & Wales and India) and also advises international clients who are active in India as well as Indian companies doing business in globally, his LinkedIn profile said. He built his career at law firms including White & Case, Penningtons Marches, and Duane Morris.
According to Michael Vlahovic, head of private banking at EFG Private Bank, the hires are a continuation of the EFG's 2022 growth plan of growing its net new assets through the hire of new CROs and client acquisition.
