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Deutsche Bank PWM Lures Senior Merrill Team
Vanessa Doctor
17 June 2011
Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management has hired four senior bankers for its Global South Asia unit, including a team of three from Merrill Lynch's Dubai business.
Joining from the US bank are Farooq Choudhury as director and head of non-resident Indian Middle East, Shampi Chopra as director and senior relationship manager for global South Asia and the Middle East, and Rajesh Mahadevan as director and head of investment advisory, global South Asia and the Middle East. Omar Farooq joins as a director and senior relationship manager for global South Asia and Pakistan, from HSBC Private Bank in Dubai. Choudhury will be based in Dubai, reporting to Nasim Ahmad, group head for global South Asia for the Middle East and Pakistan. Choudhury will be responsible for developing the NRI market in the Middle East, particularly the corporate finance activities of existing and potential NRI ultra-high net worth clients. Mahadevan and Chopra will also be Dubai-based, reporting to Choudhury. Mahadevan will be responsible for advising South Asian clients in the Middle East on investment strategy, asset allocation, and discretionary portfolio construction. Chopra will support the growth of the NRI market in the region. Farooq, who will be focused on the NRI Pakistan business in the UK, will be based in London and reports directly to Ahmad. The Indian diaspora is prominent in the Middle East and the UK due to the region's proximity to South Asia. The rising wealthy NRI population is luring private banks and wealth managers to set up offices in the region, as Indians seek investment opportunities outside their home country.