Deutsche Bank has strengthened its Middle East investment banking business in Dubai with a senior hire and two relocations from London, Zawya reported on 7 October 2026. The moves cover the bank's Institutional Client Group, Debt Capital Markets and Distressed Products Group.
Nitin Sawhney has been appointed Head of the Institutional Client Group (ICG) for MENA, a role he took up in September [verify year and start date]. He joins from UBS, where he was Head of MENA Financing, and has more than 20 years of experience in emerging markets financing and hedging. He reports to Dimos Arhodidis, Co-Head of Investment Banking and ICG for CEEMEA.
Ilya Korobov, Director of Debt Capital Markets for CEEMEA, has relocated from London to Dubai to cover the Middle East and Africa. He joined Deutsche Bank in November 2025 from Barclays, where he advised sovereigns, financial institutions and corporates on bond issuance. Abdeslam Alaoui, Managing Director and Head of CEEMEA Capital Markets, said: "Ilya's move to Dubai is an important next step as we continue to strengthen our debt capital markets franchise in the region."
Adel Taleb, Director in the Distressed Products Group, has also moved from London to Dubai to develop the bank's distressed and special situations capabilities in the Middle East.
According to Zawya, Deutsche Bank's recent regional mandates include joint lead manager roles on Qatar's US$3bn sovereign bond issue and a dual-tranche offering for DP World. The moves follow the bank's receipt of a Saudi regional headquarters licence and senior private banking hires in Dubai earlier this year.
