About FAB Switzerland | First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)

Our Bank is the leading bank in the Middle East and one of the safest banks in the world. Our roots in Abu Dhabi give us a deep understanding of the dynamics of the Arab region and its connection to the world’s markets. And we aim to become the number one bank for anyone who wants to do business along the region.

FAB Private Bank (Suisse) SA offers wealth management solutions to high net-worth individuals.

We are a wholly owned Swiss subsidiary of First Abu Dhabi bank, which is the Emirate’s flagship financial institution and one of the world’s 50 safest banks, and the safest bank in the Middle East.

The combination of being an independent well capitalized Swiss bank, and a member of the First Abu Dhabi Bank Group, offers our clients a superior level of financial strength combined with long established and world leading Swiss expertise in Private Banking.

Switzerland has implemented the automatic exchange of information, and further information can be found on the Swiss government website which can be accessed here.

Depositor Protection

Deposit insurance protects the credit balances of private and corporate clients in the event of a bank or securities firm’s bankruptcy. This guarantee is regulated by law. The protection is limited to a maximum of CHF 100 000 per client and institution. Multiple accounts are added together. esisuisse guarantees that it will cover protected deposits as part of the self-regulation of Swiss banks and securities firms. Deposits at FAB Private Bank (Suisse) SA are covered by the deposit insurance scheme. Detailed information at www.esisuisse.ch.

FinSA – Swiss Financial Services Act

FinSA Brochure

The Bank has available a brochure on FinSA covering:

An introduction to FinSA
An Introduction to FAB
Contact and Licence Information
Details on the Financial Services Provided by FAB
Suitability and Appropriateness Assessment
Client Classification and ability to opt-out / opt-in
Conflicts of Interest
Complaints Handling and Ombudsman

The brochure can be downloaded here.

Key Investor Document

The purpose of the Key Information Document (also known as KIID or PRIIPS) is to inform retail investors about the nature and risks of the product offered by outlining the key information on the product in a concise, factual and standardized way. Clients of the Bank may access these by clicking here and entering the login credentials which were provided by the Bank.

Brochure on Risks Involved in Trading Financial Instruments

The Swiss Bankers Association has published a brochure on “Risks Involved in Trading Financial Instruments”. Download the "Risks Involved in Trading Financial Instruments" brochure.

Best Execution

Best execution refers to the measures taken by the Bank to obtain the best possible result for its clients on a consistent basis when executing transactions on their behalf (including use of third-party financial institutions to execute transactions).

The Bank uses its judgment, experience and any information available at the time to determine the relative importance of the relevant execution factors and criteria.

The factors considered include price, costs (including compensation of third parties), speed of execution, likelihood of execution and settlement (including taking account of counterparty risk), size of the trade, nature of the transaction and any other relevant order execution considerations.

In liquid markets the key factors are generally price and cost. In illiquid markets the speed of execution becomes more relevant, and in other cases likelihood of execution and market impact may become more important.

The Bank has implemented a thorough governance framework including a comprehensive best execution policy, which gives further details on the factors taken into account and the selection of brokers/counterparties.

Frequently Asked Questions

FinSA is a Swiss law that contains rules for offering financial services and financial instruments, improving client protection and helps create uniform competitive conditions for financial intermediaries. FinSA has similarities to the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive Regulation (MiFID II) introduced for European market participants in 2017.

The objectives of the law are:

To strengthen investor protection
To strengthen Switzerland as a financial centre
To create comparable conditions for financial service providers
To introduce cross-sectoral product documentation rules when offering financial instruments

FAB as a financial service provider is required by law to classify all of its clients into three segments: retail clients, professional clients and institutional clients. The law sets out a different level of client protection, whereby the retail client receives the most comprehensive level of protection. Depending on the different levels of protection the extent of information and documentation duties of the financial service providers varies. Clients can request a change in their classification if they meet the necessary requirements.

FinSA defines the following financial services:

Acquisition and disposal of financial instruments, which is deemed to be any activity addressed directly at certain clients that is specifically aimed at the acquisition or disposal of a financial instrument
Receipt and transmission of orders in relation to financial instruments
Administration of financial instruments (portfolio management)
Provision of personal recommendations on transactions with financial instruments (investment advice)
Granting of loans for transactions with financial instruments

The FinSA definition of financial instruments includes but is not limited to:

Equity securities
Debt instruments
Units/shares in collective investment schemes (funds)
Structured products
Derivatives
Deposits

FinSA contains rules to protect clients when they were provided with financial services. The main rules are:

Ensuring staff knowledge and training
Providing information on financial service providers
Providing information about risks and costs associated with financial services and instruments
Conducting appropriateness and suitability assessments
Ensuring documentation and rendering of account
Ensuring transparency and care in client orders (including best execution)
Avoiding conflicts of interest
Adhering to product documentation rules for offerings and issuance of financial instruments

About FAB Group

As the UAE’s largest bank and one of the world’s largest financial institutions, we offer an extensive range of tailor-made solutions, products and services.

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