RBS Coutts, the international private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland group, has re-hired Santosh Keni – who previously worked at the bank but moved to Barclays Wealth in 2008 – as head of its non-resident Indian and South Asia business in the Middle East.

Between 2002 and 2008, Keni was part of RBS Coutts’ investment advisory team in Singapore, and then went on to lead the firm’s Middle East and NRI initiative. In late 2008 he became head of Barclays Wealth’s NRI business in the UAE.

In its announcement the bank highlighted the strategic importance of both the NRI and the Middle East markets. Private banks compete intensely for lucrative NRI business, as well as the wider non-resident South Asian market – the collective wealth of which is estimated at around $1 trillion – and the talent which serves them.

“The Middle East is an extremely important region for the bank as well as the NRI and South Asia business. With Santosh’s familiarity with the bank… he is well placed to drive our efforts to establish our Middle East desk on the ground in the UAE,” said Ranjit Khanna, market head, NRI and South Asia, RBS Coutts.

Meanwhile, James Fleming, global head of Middle East at RBS Coutts, said the bank sees “huge opportunities” in the Middle East, due to the vast natural resource wealth there, and aims to double its business in the region through investing significantly in its staff.