Coutts, the international private banking and wealth management firm headquartered in London, recently held the official opening of its new premises in the Dubai International Financial Centre, or DIFC. The inauguration was hosted by Coutts CEO Rory Tapner, who was joined by the chairman of Coutts, The Earl of Home; DIFC governor Abdullah Mohammed Saleh; and Edward Hobart, Consul-General of the British Embassy in Dubai. “Our relocation to the DIFC represents a significant milestone for Coutts in the Middle East. In addition to offering a more central location, our presence here will allow us to provide a greater degree of investment advice to our clients who work with us in the region,” Tapner said. Coutts has been present in the Middle East for many years and opened its first representative office in Dubai 13 years ago. The bank has regional offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha. Last year, it announced its intention to grow its business in core international markets, including the Middle East. Moving to the DIFC underscores the bank’s commitment to the region and enables Coutts to operate as an authorised firm. “The DIFC represents an important global financial centre and provides the gateway to the regional economy. We are proud to have attracted such a well respected organisation to join our community,” Saleh said. “Coutts is a truly British firm with a strong heritage and a valuable part of the financial services industry in this region. This opening is another sign of strength of the relationship between the UK and UAE and, the DIFC and the British financial sector,” Hobart said. From : Khalij