Qatar’s ambitions to become a more significant financial hub in the GCC seems to have taken a step in the right direction in March, with international firms making some significant senior hires. Dubai, however, was uncharacteristically quiet.

Abu-Dhabi Investment Company recruited a new head of private equity as it targets a string of buyout deals in the region. It also took on Anders Ljungqvist and Thierry Gimonet.

The Bank of New York Mellon has taken on Maninder Bhandari as head of treasury services and Shaheryar Ali as relationship and sales manager. Both roles will be based in Dubai. The bank says these are the “latest additions to a growing team” in the region.

Barclays has hired Izzat Nuseibeh to lead its investment banking and investment management operations in Qatar.

BMB Investment Bank, the Omani institution, has a named new CEO in the form of Akbar Ali Habib.

Ernst & Young has moved its energy business from Houston, Texas to Bahrain. It’s currently in the process of setting up the office and is “adding people, adding partners and adding specialized talent”.

HSBC continues to bolster its Gulf team, this time with the appointment of Kapil Chadda as managing director of global banking in Qatar and Simon Cooper as the new chief executive officer for its Middle East operations. At a retail level, it took on Mohamad Shariff Al Emadi as branch manager in Grand Hamad Street. It also hired Richard Anooshian as co-head of its London-based Saudi Arabia private banking business.

Latham & Watkins, the law firm, has moved its finance partner Dr Phillip von Randow to Doha to advise banks and corporations on inward and outward investment.

The National Bank of Kuwait says it is embarking on a recruitment drive to attract Kuwaiti graduates to the bank across a broad range of businesses.

Qatar Insurance Company believes now is the right time to press ahead with its international expansion.

QBE Insurance has joined the ranks at the DIFC, a move it says marks a “major expansion” of its business interests in the region.

Saudi British Bank has hired Khaled Suliman Al Olayan as its new chairman and Richard Groves takes the role of managing director.

State Street has opened its second Middle East office with a new Qatar venture.

UBS has recruited Armen Papazian to head up its Islamic finance division in the DIFC.