Credit Suisse expands in Qatar, launches tech hub

Credit Suisse

The Swiss bank said that Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) will expand in Qatar via a partnership with the Gulf country's Investment Promotion Agency (IPA Qatar).

It will create up to 100 jobs there over the next few years across its wealth management, investment banking and asset management divisions and through the launch of a technology and engineering hub.

"This expansion will further strengthen the bank's leading wealth management business, deepen the bank's local footprint and contribute to accelerating Credit Suisse's development and digitisation in Qatar and the wider region," IPA Qatar and Credit Suisse said in a joint statement.

The move comes as Credit Suisse considers cutting around 5,000 jobs, about one position in 10, as part of a cost reduction drive at Switzerland's second-biggest bank, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters last week.

The statement said that Credit Suisse is present in more than 50 countries and has been operating in Qatar since 2006 via the Qatar Financial Centre platform.

Qatar Holding is one of its top shareholders with a stake of just over 5%, according to the bank's website.

Qatar has been trying to diversity its economy by promoting its financial sector, which it said now ranks second after the hydrocarbon industry.

Reporting by Oliver Hirt and Michael Shields Editing by Mark Potter

REUTERS