Arab Bank looks to planning products
Arab Bank Australia will look at providing financial services products when the customers demand them, says managing director Jack Beighton.
"At present our customers want a traditional banking service, although we do offer special packages for those involved in property development projects," he says.
"We build a relationship with our customers. That leads us to provide more products to them as, by then, they will trust us."
Arab Bank has just opened its seventh branch in Australia. Located in Melbourne's northern suburbs, the bank is targeting the Middle East migrant market.
The bank has six Sydney branches. Beighton says the bank has already found that half the demand for its term deposit product comes from the non-Arabic community.
The bank has also stayed out of financial planning. Beighton says the market needs to settle down first before that move would be considered.
"When that happens, and providing our customers want it, we would then look at offering services like financial planning," he says.
Recommended for you
The top five licensees are demonstrating a “strong recovery” from losses in the first half of the year, and the gap is narrowing between their respective adviser numbers.
With many advisers preparing to retire or sell up, business advisory firm Business Health believes advisers need to take a proactive approach to informing their clients of succession plans.
Retirement commentators have flagged that almost a third of Australians over 50 are unprepared for the longevity of retirement and are falling behind APAC peers in their preparations and advice engagement.
As private markets continue to garner investor interest, Netwealth’s series of private market reports have revealed how much advisers and wealth managers are allocating, as well as a growing attraction to evergreen funds.

