Barclays' wealth and investment management arm has appointed three experienced bankers to newly-created roles in a bid to boost its presence throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

Barclays Wealth and Investment Management has hired three new senior bankers covering the Middle East and North Africa.

Antoine Chemali and David Stephan both join the firm as directors, while Owen Dayson joins as a vice president. All three have the specific objective of extending Barclays W&IM's presence across the MENA region, the organisation said in a statement earlier this week.

Chemali started his career with Deutsche Bank in Paris before moving to CIC Private Bank as a portfolio manager and international private banker. Prior to joining HSBC Private Bank in 2011 to cover the Saudi Arabian market, he also spent stints with BNP Paribas and Gatehouse Bank in London.

Stephan began his banking career with American Express Bank in New York before moving to London in 2000. He joined HSBC in 2004 and became director of private wealth solutions, focused on servicing ultra-high net worth and Middle Eastern families. Dayson launched his career in the early 2000s as a financial advisor working in both the UK and Hong Kong. Most recently, he has specialised in managing “substantial” high and UHNW client portfolios in Saudi Arabia and other countries across the region, Barclays W&IM said. 

“We are delighted that Antoine, David and Owen, in conjunction with our existing teams, will be able to use their experience to accelerate Barclays’ efforts towards achieving its ambitions in MENA through offering global expertise at a local level, therefore blending global investment insights with local client needs,” said Cedric Lizin, head of Middle East and Africa for Barclays W&IM.