Yesterday was a day when two substantial organisations in the wealth sector, Rathbones and Capital Group, secured licences in Ireland and the wider European Union, and Abu Dhabi, respectively. 

In the case of Rathbones, the firm said yesterday that it has secured a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive licence from the Central Bank of Ireland. This gives it a regulated base from which to expand in the European Union.

The licence allows Rathbones Ireland, the group's Dublin-based European entity, to serve new and existing clients in Ireland and across the EU. 

Dublin

Rathbones Ireland is led by managing director Dolores Geaney, who joined the group in April 2026 to establish and lead its European business.

“Ireland is a natural home for Rathbones' European business: an internationally-connected market with deep financial expertise and strong links across the EU,” Geaney said.

The regulatory approval comes as Rathbones is seeking to respond to increased international mobility among wealthy individuals and business owners. Research published by the firm earlier this year found that nearly 6,000 high-growth entrepreneurs left the UK between 2024 and 2026, while more than 3,000 moved to the UK during the same period.

Gulf move
Separately, Capital Group said yesterday that it has secured Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market, allowing the US investment manager to operate as a regulated firm in the international financial centre.

Abu Dhabi

The approval permits Capital Group to conduct trading, investment management and distribution activities within ADGM. It follows the firm's announcement in May 2026 that it planned to establish its first Middle East office in Abu Dhabi, it said in a statement. 

Capital Group, which manages $3.6 trillion in assets, has relocated staff from North America, Europe and Asia to the new operation. The Abu Dhabi team includes investment, operational and client-facing functions, with the firm expecting to add to its local presence as the business develops.

“Establishing a regulated presence in Abu Dhabi brings us closer to our clients and to the investment opportunities across the Middle East, a region where we have been active for many years,” Benno Klingenberg-Timm, head of the Abu Dhabi office and head of institutional for Europe and Asia at Capital Group, said.