Barclays has named Khaled El Dabag and Walid Mezher as co-chief executive officers for the Middle East region, marking a strategic move to strengthen the bank's presence in the rapidly growing market.

The appointments, announced on Monday, see both executives based in Dubai and reporting to Stephen Dainton, Barclays Bank president and head of investment bank management. The new structure brings together senior leaders from the bank's Investment Banking and Global Markets divisions.

El Dabag brings 25 years of investment banking experience across Dubai and New York to his new role. Having joined Barclays in 2014, he currently serves as chief executive officer and head of investment banking for the Middle East and North Africa region, where he has been instrumental in driving the bank's regional strategy.

Mezher has served as head of markets for the Middle East and North Africa region since 2017, overseeing sales and origination activities across the Middle East and Africa. Throughout his 19-year career with Barclays, he has held numerous leadership positions spanning institutional sales, EFS solutions, risk solutions, and debt capital markets.

The two executives have collaborated closely for over a decade and have established strong relationships with significant clients and stakeholders across the region.

"As the Middle East continues to play a bigger role in shaping global capital markets and attracting more wealth, the region is also becoming increasingly important to Barclays' overall success and to the execution of our three-year plan," said Stephen Dainton. "Bringing together senior leaders from our Investment Banking and Global Markets businesses will help further drive efficiency and collaboration in delivering one bank for our local and global clients."

Dainton noted that the Middle East is becoming an "increasingly important" region for the bank, reflecting the area's growing significance in global finance.

Barclays has maintained a presence in the Middle East and North Africa for over 150 years, providing products and services to corporate, institutional and private wealth clients through its Investment Bank and Private Bank & Wealth Management teams in the region.

The appointments reflect Barclays' broader strategy to capitalise on the Middle East's expanding role in global capital markets and wealth management, as the region continues to attract increased international investment and financial activity.

---