Private Banks
Emirates NBD Private Bank
An independent review of Emirates NBD Private Bank by our team of experts
Book a Discovery CallSummary
Emirates NBD was first established as the National Bank of Dubai in 1963 and merged with Emirates Bank International (EBI) in March 2007 to form Emirates NBD.
Headquartered in Dubai, it is one of the largest banking groups in the MENAT region, with total assets exceeding AED 1 trillion (around USD 309 billion) as at 30 September 2025 and Group assets under management and administration of over USD 100 billion. The Group operates across around 12 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and through its subsidiary DenizBank in Türkiye, Austria, Germany and Bahrain.
Emirates NBD employs over 45,000 people and offers both conventional and Sharia-compliant services. It is regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE.
Pros
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Well known in the region
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e-Banking
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Retail banking
Cons
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Not a fiduciary
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Expensive
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Not the best way to invest
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Fewer qualifications
Our verdict
Emirates NBD is a major regional banking group and a familiar name across the UAE. For private clients, that familiarity is worth less than it appears.
At Emirates NBD you are assigned an account manager rather than a private banking specialist. In practice that usually means working with someone rewarded for selling the bank's products rather than a fiduciary whose only obligation is to you. An account manager is paid when you transact; a fiduciary is paid for judgement, and is bound to act in your interest even when the wisest course is to do nothing at all.
The deeper issue is structural. A bank sells what a bank holds. Serious wealth work begins one level up, with the whole picture coordinated across your investments, structures, pensions, protection and succession, and with advice that answers to you rather than to a product shelf.
If you already bank with Emirates NBD, a no-obligation Second Opinion will show whether your portfolio still serves your plan, or whether the plan was ever the starting point. AES will also review the thinking that led to the investments you currently hold.
FAQs
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Does Emirates NBD provide DFM solutions in London?
- Yes. Discretionary fund management is available in-house through the Emirates NBD London branch (FCA regulated) and Emirates NBD Asset Management (DIFC, UAE).