The Qatar-headquartered financial services firm, Doha Bank, has opened its representative office in Hong Kong, as part of its Asia Pacific expansion.

Doha Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in the State of Qatar, and the latest of a number of Gulf Cooperation Council banking groups setting up in Hong Kong to tap the city's growing role as China's global financial centre.

"Doha Bank Hong Kong Representative Office will act as a liaison to facilitate trade and investment flows between the GCC region and Hong Kong. It will help facilitate GCC companies which are looking to establish their business or looking to invest in Hong Kong, as well as companies which are operating in Hong Kong and looking to expand into the growing GCC market," said group chief executive Dr R Seetharaman.

Doha Bank has overseas branches in Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as representative offices in Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Turkey, the UK, Canada, Germany and Sharjah.

As at 31 June 2013, Doha Bank was Qatar’s third largest commercial bank with total assets of $16.26 billion.