First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE’s largest bank, has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of global banking veterans Simon Thorn and Neil Barrable.
Simon Thorn has been named the bank’s new Group Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). He joins FAB from Barclays, where he held the Chief Operating Officer (COO) position for over two years. Thorn has also served as International COO at Merrill Lynch and headed EMEA compliance for Nomura. In his new role, Thorn will oversee the bank’s anti-money laundering efforts, financial crime policies, and compliance procedures.
Neil Barrable has been appointed as Group Chief Credit Officer (CCO) and will lead FAB’s credit function. Barrable brings over 30 years of experience in the credit sector, having previously served as a credit director for several major banks, including Deutsche Bank, Barclays Capital, JP Morgan, and most recently, HSBC.
According to a statement from FAB, both Thorn and Barrable will “play a vital role” in realizing the bank’s “strategic vision as the financial partner of choice in the UAE and wider MENA region, driving growth regionally and globally as the bank meets the evolving needs and expectations of its customers.”
These appointments come at a busy time for FAB. In addition to these new hires, the bank partnered with Microsoft in April to develop a suite of AI-powered banking capabilities. In May, reports indicated that FAB was in discussions to acquire Yapi Kredi from Turkey’s Koc Group.
Source: fintechfutures.com
