HSBC’s presence in what is now the UAE dates back to 1946 when The Imperial Bank of Iran, a forerunner of HSBC Bank Middle East, opened its doors to the merchants and citizens of the Emirates.
Following its withdrawal from Iran, the bank was renamed the British Bank of The Middle East (BBME).
In 1959 BBME was acquired by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.
The bank played a key role in the establishment of a banking sector across the MENA region.