Arab Bank Switzerland ME Ltd, the regional entity of Swiss private bank Arab Bank Switzerland, has begun operations in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) after receiving Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), the bank announced.
The launch, dated November 5, 2026, follows the Group’s stated long-term commitment to the UAE and forms part of its regional expansion strategy. Arab Bank Switzerland ME East Ltd is expected to bring the Group’s “digital asset expertise” to the UAE, advising financial institutions, corporates, fintech firms, family offices and high net worth clients on how to access, hold, manage and pass on digital asset holdings within ADGM’s regulatory framework.
CEO appointment
Arab Bank Switzerland named Valérie Noël as Chief Executive Officer of Arab Bank Switzerland ME Ltd. The bank said Noël brings more than 30 years of experience across financial markets, wealth management, asset management, trading and digital assets.
According to the company, Noël started her career in Geneva and held senior roles at HSBC Private Bank before joining Syz Group. There, the bank said, she served as Head of Trading and led multi-asset trading activities and the digitalisation of the bank’s trading infrastructure.
The announcement also highlighted Arab Bank Switzerland’s prior involvement in digital asset services. It said the bank became the first FINMA-regulated private bank in Switzerland to offer cryptocurrency custody and trading in 2019, and that it later added staking, lending and legacy planning. The bank also referenced its Digital Explorer platform, described as providing clients a single view of their holdings and the market.
Digital assets beyond finance
The release further stated that the bank’s digital-asset work extends into the art sector. It said Arab Bank Switzerland launched custody for NFTs in 2022, began building a digital art collection and created the Arab Bank Switzerland Digital Art Prize, which has recognised artists working in the medium.
Statements from officials
Arab Bank Switzerland Deputy Chief Executive Officer Rani Jabban said the Abu Dhabi launch is a step in the bank’s growth strategy. He added that Abu Dhabi has established itself as a centre for fintech and digital-asset innovation and said the bank is committed to working with regional partners and supporting clients with “trusted, well-regulated advice.”
Jabban also described Noël’s appointment as positioning her to lead the entity, build relationships with clients across the region and set up the operation for future success.
In her remarks, Noël said the bank aims to establish Arab Bank Switzerland as a trusted long-term partner for clients navigating an evolving digital asset landscape. She said institutions and investors, in the bank’s view, are increasingly allocating capital with the same discipline, transparency and rigorous standards expected of traditional asset classes. Noël added that combining the bank’s expertise with Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem and regulatory framework is intended to support clients in navigating new market opportunities.
Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, congratulated the bank on the launch and said the decision to establish digital-asset advisory capabilities reflects what he characterised as continued momentum of global financial institutions choosing Abu Dhabi. He said ADGM offers a foundation for firms to expand and pointed to the bank’s expertise at the intersection of private banking and digital assets.
UAE footprint
The announcement said the ADGM launch follows the opening of ABS (Middle East) Ltd in DIFC in June 2026, led by CEO Samir Atitallah, focused on wealth management for entrepreneurs, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. With digital-asset advisory now offered from Abu Dhabi, the bank said it can support clients across traditional and digital asset management from its two UAE entities.
The company also stated that, as part of its broader growth, its assets under management have risen to near USD 25 billion, and in 2022 it acquired the historic Swiss private bank Gonet, founded in 1845.
