Jersey Finance is ramping up its capabilities across the Middle East and India region by adding senior business development resources to its activities in the UAE.
Charlie Barlow and Gary Hales have both been appointed Business Development Directors to cover the GCC states and India. Both will be based in the UAE, which will provide them with a regional springboard for Jersey Finance’s business development activities in the UAE, other GCC states and India.
With a background in banking and consulting, Charlie has worked with private clients across Hong Kong and the GCC region. His banking career included time with HSBC and Bank of Singapore and most recently he was providing consultancy services to several GCC family offices.
Gary, who joined Jersey Finance in 2012 from HSBC, moves into his new role having previously been responsible for business development in Africa, Russia, Europe and the UK. With over 20 years’ experience in banking and international financial services, Gary has gained exposure to key markets around the world.
In support of Jersey Finance’s ramped-up programme, Jersey’s Assistant Chief Minister, Senator Philip Ozouf, who has specific responsibility for Financial Services, Digital, Competition and Innovation, is visiting the UAE this month to further bolster Jersey’s governmental links with the UAE and give a keynote address at Jersey Finance’s Asia Roadshow event at The Address, Dubai Mall, on 26th November.
Richard Corrigan, Deputy CEO, Jersey Finance, said, “I am delighted to announce our bolstered presence in the Middle East and India, led by Gary and Charlie. Adding resource in this area is a move in line with the recommendations of Jersey’s Strategic Jurisdictional Review, published last year, and is evidence of how seriously Jersey is taking building lasting relationships in these key markets. Our expanded team means that we are now in a position not just to strengthen existing ties but also to explore additional opportunities in new markets, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“Thanks to the strength of its legal framework, its compliance with international standards and its range of specialist wealth management vehicles, including Islamic finance structures, Jersey is held in extremely high regard right across the GCC and India. We continue to see strong interest in high value wealth management services from the region, particularly high value family wealth and dynastic planning, and it is imperative that we continue to drive jurisdictional awareness right across the region.” In June this year, a delegation of ambassadors from the Arab Ambassadors’ Council visited Jersey at the invitation of Jersey’s Government, and both the Chief Minister and Treasury Minister led delegations to the GCC that strengthened a number of key senior government and business relationships with the GCC, including the signing of an MoU between the Jersey Financial Services Commission and the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority.
Source : WAM News Agency for United Arab Emirates
