Gareth Thomas
Board Member
Gareth’s banking career spans over 30 years with a wealth of experience drawn from several global and regional leadership roles, with specialisation in debt issuance and infrastructure finance, risk management, trade and transactional banking products. Gareth has covered Middle East banking activity throughout his career.
Based in Dubai, Gareth became HSBC’s Chief Risk Officer for MENAT in October 2022. For the four years prior to this Gareth led HSBC's Global Banking business for MENAT, responsible for debt and equity capital markets, lending, infrastructure and real estate,advisory, payments and client coverage of governments, public institutions, banks and large corporates.
Prior to this Gareth was HSBC's Co-Head of Public Sector Banking, with a global focus on banking relationships with governments, development banks and other officially-mandated organisations. Gareth led efforts in the Middle East, Africa, Northern Europe and the Americas and continues to act as Senior Banker to several governments in the Middle East.
Gareth began his career in 1991 with Barclays Bank. This included a period as its Head of Corporate Banking for Dubai and Oman, based in Dubai. In 1998 Gareth joined ABN AMRO where he was promoted to Global Head of Emerging Markets, responsible for all debt products. Following the acquisition of ABN in 2008, Gareth ran Royal Bank of Scotland’s debt businesses for the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa and its Export Finance business globally, before being appointed RBS’ Global Head of Sovereigns & Public Sector.
Gareth joined HSBC in 2012.