First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has added two new global banking veterans to its executive committee (ExCo) – appointing Simon Thorn as Group Chief Compliance Officer and Neil Barrable as Group Chief Credit Officer – as the FAB Group continues to accelerate growth and deliver sustained business momentum across geographies.
According to Industry sources, Simon Thorn will handle FAB’s regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering, and financial crime policies and procedures, ensuring that FAB maintains the highest compliance standards in all its business activities. Thorn brings with him a wealth of expertise in compliance, having joined FAB in 2023 from Barclays Bank in the UK where he was Chief Compliance Officer. Before this, he held senior leadership positions in compliance in several high-profile organizations, including Merrill Lynch, Nomura, and the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA).
On the other hand, Industry sources also briefed that Neil Barrable will lead FAB’s credit function and brings with him nearly 30 years of experience in credit and its related functions, covering a wide range of markets and products. Barrable joins FAB from HSBC in London, where he was Managing Director and global Head of Wholesale Credit & Lending. Before this project, he held senior executive positions with several leading international institutions in the Asia Pacific region, including JP Morgan, Barclays Capital, and Deutsche Bank. He assumes responsibilities from Acting Group Chief Credit Officer Rajesh Deshpande, who will now take up the position of Chief Strategic Business Initiatives Officer & Head of Capital Portfolio Management.
Industry sources also confirmed strongly that with their combined diverse experience and expertise, these latest appointments at FAB are strong additions to the bank’s senior management group. Building on strong foundations, they will each play a vital role in realizing FAB’s strategic vision as the financial partner of choice in the UAE and wider MENA region, driving growth regionally and globally as the bank meets the evolving needs and expectations of its clients.
