Arab Bank Switzerland has established a Middle East arm in the Dubai International Financial Centre, launching ABS (Middle East) Ltd as part of a wider strategy to “build a robust and scalable presence in the Middle East.” The Geneva-headquartered private banking group said the move brings the bank closer to entrepreneurs, family offices and high net worth individuals it has served across the region since the 1960s. As part of the launch, Samir Atitallah has been appointed CEO of ABS (Middle East). "We see the UAE as a strategic hub for the future of the wealth management business of ABS Group. We are building a platform designed for long-term development, supported by strong governance, experienced leadership and the values that have defined Arab Bank Switzerland for decades,” Wahbe Tamari , chairman of the boards of Arab Bank Switzerland and ABS (Middle East), said. Context and appointments The new Dubai operation represents the next phase of Arab Bank Switzerland’s regional expansion. The bank, established in 1962, has maintained a presence serving Middle East clients for decades and today reports almost $25 billion in assets under management across the ABS Group. Samir Atitallah — appointed CEO of ABS (Middle East). He previously served as CEO for Mirabaud Middle East Ltd , based in Dubai, according to his LinkedIn profile. Michel Sarfati — named head of family offices at ABS (Middle East). Sarfati previously worked at First Abu Dhabi Bank where he set up the family office segment within investment banking. Arab Bank Switzerland has also grown through acquisitions: in 2022 the group acquired parts of Swiss bank Gonet, a deal that has contributed to its current scale. The launch of the DIFC entity signals a clear intention to formalise and scale local operations in one of the region’s main financial hubs. Details of the strategy The group emphasises long-term development supported by governance and experienced leadership. The establishment of ABS (Middle East) i…