Dubai, 10 April, 2011: Bank Sarasin-Alpen (ME) Limited, Dubai, a subsidiary of the Swiss private bank, Bank Sarasin & Co. Ltd, Switzerland, today announced the hiring of Neil Ashford as the Managing Director and Head of its Abu Dhabi office.   

In order to strengthen its presence in the Middle East, the Sarasin Group announced the launch of its Abu Dhabi operations in October 2010, adding to its presence in Bahrain, Dubai, Doha and Muscat. The new entity, Bank Sarasin-Alpen (ME) Limited Abu Dhabi (Representative Office), was granted its licence by the Central Bank of UAE and introduces private banking clients to the comprehensive range of wealth management services of the Sarasin Group.

Rohit Walia Executive Vice Chairman & CEO - Bank Sarasin-Alpen Group - Middle East and India

"I am pleased to announce the hiring of Neil Ashford and look forward to working with him as we develop our client offering in Abu Dhabi. The Middle East is a key growth market for the Sarasin Group and Neil's expertise and unparalleled experience will be invaluable for growing the business. Our strong understanding of client needs in the region will ensure that we deliver on the opportunities that exist in this important market and continue to strengthen our positioning in the UAE. "

Neil Ashford, Managing Director

Born 1964; British citizen; lives in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Neil Ashford has over 30 years of banking experience spanning across Private, Corporate and Trust Intermediary Banking. Prior to joining Sarasin-Alpen he was with EFG Private Bank in Abu Dhabi. Prior to that, he has worked in different roles within the Barclays Group for over 25 years. Neil has a multi-jurisdictional experience in U.K, Jersey and Abu Dhabi.

Sarasin - Sustainable Swiss Private Banking since 1841 - www.sarasin.com

The Sarasin Group has its roots as a leading Swiss private bank. As an international financial service provider committed to sustainability, the Group is now represented in more than 20 locations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. By end of December 2010 it managed total client assets of CHF 103.4 billion and employed around 1,600 staff. Its majority shareholder is the AAA-rated Dutch Rabobank.

Bank Sarasin-Alpen (ME) Ltd - www.sarasin-alpen.com

Bank Sarasin-Alpen is incorporated as Bank Sarasin-Alpen (ME) Limited in Dubai along with a representative office in Abu Dhabi , Bank Sarasin-Alpen Qatar, LLC, in Qatar , Sarasin-Alpen LLC, in Oman and Sarasin-Alpen (Bahrain) BSC in Bahrain. These subsidiaries of Bank Sarasin, Basel, Switzerland provide the complete range of Bank Sarasin's private banking services and cater to the requirements of private and institutional clients in the Middle East and South Asia.

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© Press Release 2011